From cult classics to her searing documentary, Selma Blair is a presence to remember — and after an eight-year hiatus, she’s officially back “open for business.”
“Now, I would like nothing more than to get a call from, say, Mike White, like Jennifer Coolidge did once upon a time,” Blair, 52, exclusively shares in the new issue of Us Weekly. “We always hope for that deus ex machina that comes in and says, ‘Oh, your dreams can still come true here.’ I have a career I loved but I never really had a plan. I was just happy to do it. And now I do have a plan.”
Blair’s big break came in 1999 when she was cast as the naive but well-meaning Cecile opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions. She went on to star in a myriad of hits throughout the next few decades, including Legally Blonde, The Sweetest Thing, Hellboy and more.
In 2017, ongoing health issues forced Blair to press pause on her career after filming the horror-comedy Mom and Dad opposite Nicolas Cage. Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the following year, pushing her into a lengthy hiatus until 2021 when she received a hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.
Now, Blair tells Us she has “paid her dues” and is ready to jump back into the fire; hopefully, to take on a new type of challenge. “I really am excited to be a grown-up,” she says. “I haven’t ever been a grown-up on a film.”
As Blair prepares for her next big chapter, she’s taking a look back at all the incredible projects she’s already been a part of — ones that have forever cemented her as an A-list leading lady.
‘Cruel Intentions’
The 1999 cult classic was Blair’s “first big role,” and she told Us that being on set “felt as iconic” as it eventually became. The film follows Annette (Reese Witherspoon), who unwittingly becomes a pawn in stepsiblings Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn's (Gellar) diabolical wager of sexual conquest. Blair’s Cecile, meanwhile, is yet another pawn in the duo’s ongoing bet.
“I was totally charmed by the entire cast and production,” Blair recalled of the experience. “It was the best initiation to a studio movie I could have wished for.”
Blair also gushed over Gellar, who soothed her anxieties about feeling “less than attractive” in Cecile’s preppy outfits.
“I wanted to feel beautiful, like the two stars,” Blair said, referring to Gellar and Witherspoon. “Sarah comforted me and sent over a frappuccino, which was my favorite treat drink next to a Diet co*ke, which Cecile clutches in a moment of angst on film.”
Blair added that she likes knowing she has “long histories” with Witherspoon, Gellar and Roger Kumble, who wrote the movie script.
‘Zoe, Duncan, Jack, and Jane’
The same year Cruel Intentions hit theaters, Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane premiered on The WB and followed the four teens as they navigated high school life. Blair played Zoe, while Michael Rosenbaum, Azura Skye and David Moscow rounded out the gang.
“I played 14 [years old] in Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane, and it felt natural to me,” Blair said of the role. “I had a kind of an innocent immaturity as I was only 24 [in real life] and a University of Michigan graduate, new to the business. But I felt 45 some days, a gravitas and a weird duality.”
Blair noted that Skye, who played Jane, was her “closest friend” at the time. “It’s a good nostalgia for me,” she said.
‘Legally Blonde’
Blair teamed back up with Witherspoon for 2001’s Legally Blonde, where she played Vivian, the nemesis of Witherspoon’s Elle Woods and new love interest of Elle’s ex-boyfriend, Warner (Matthew Davis).
“Those movies make us all so happy,” Blair gushed of the romantic comedy. (Blair announced in June that she wouldn't be a part of the recently announced prequel series based on Elle’s high school years, but told Us she’s always open to a reunion.)
‘The Sweetest Thing’
The 2002 rom-com featured Blair as Jane alongside her two best friends, played by Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate. The film centers on Diaz and Applegate’s characters, Christina and Courtney, as they decide to break out of their city of San Francisco and head out on a road trip to find Mr. Right.
Blair said that she and Applegate have remained close over the years due to sharing multiple commonalities.
“We are bonded as mothers and actors,” she said. “And we were preschool parents, and MS, of course. Now we have teenagers!” (Blair welcomed son Arthur Saint with Jason Bleick, while Applegate is mom to Sadie Grace, whom she shares with Martyn LeNoble.)
“Talk about someone who doesn’t give a lot of Fs,” Blair quipped of Applegate. “I always look to her for some good one-liners.”
‘Hellboy’
The 2004 fantasy, based on the comic book character of the same name, followed Hellboy as he battled an ancient sorceress bent on revenge while caught between the supernatural and human worlds. Blair played firestarter Liz Sherman alongside Ron Perlman in the titular role. She returned for the sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, in 2008.
“Hellboy!!! What a thrill. What an amazing life core memory time,” Blair recalled of her time on set. “Both movies were in Eastern Europe. I had it very easy as I didn’t have makeup for hours like the creatures and Ron Perlman. I loved being Liz Sherman. It’s still beloved by me and I always want more people to discover these epic love story movies.”
Blair said she made the “best memories” with costars Rupert Evans and Jeffrey Tambor, who portrayed John Myers and Tom Manning, respectively, recalling the many “surprise and genuine talks” they would all have together.
‘Kath and Kim’
Blair returned to the small screen in 2008 for the American remake of the Australian sitcom Kath and Kim, which followed Molly Shannon as a 40-something divorcee who owns a home salon and is looking to start a new chapter of her life. Blair played Kimberly, Shannon’s spoiled daughter reeling from her recent separation from her husband (Mikey Day).
While Jason Ensler directed the pilot, Blair told Us that it was initially meant to be Paul Feig behind the camera.
“And then after the pilot, it was shifted to something else. And then more shifts when NBC had a president change,” she said of the comedy, which lasted 17 episodes before being canceled by the network. “We were in the scrapping of old shows that didn’t quite have enough time to find itself.”
Kath and Kim was a time of massive ups and downs for Blair. She was dating Day in real life — “The two of us were so loud and laughing all the time,” she recalled — but she was also was facing the first symptoms of MS.
“I became very sick on that show with MS but didn’t know what it was,” she said. “I lost my hair from [an] autoimmune [disease]. And just passing out from lassitude.”
Despite the challenges, Blair called Shannon “the best company,” adding, “I miss playing characters who are full of themselves.”
‘Introducing Selma Blair’
The emotional and intimate 2021 documentary follows Blair through her 2019 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life,” she said of the Discovery+ film.
‘Dancing With the Stars’
“I went on the show to see how I could learn to move better under stress,” Blair said of her 2022 appearance during season 31 of the reality series. “And to show people that it’s OK to try your best.” (Blair ultimately chose to leave the show early to protect her health.)
What Comes Next
“I’d love to do a period piece. A Downton Abbey type of thing. Or a Joan of Arc Mad Max,” Blair said of her dream future roles. “But I think we need shows that make us laugh and free of what Covid lockdown took. A joie de vivre.”
Blair said she’s looking to be a part of an “unexpected hit” and “something we can all talk about while in line at the 10-minute pour over coffee joint.” She’d also like to step behind the camera as a producer — and there are endless genres she’s willing to explore.
‘Legally Blonde’ Cast: Where Are They Now?
“I would love to do another sci-fi because I love that audience also,” she gushed. “A real community. I was in active MS in a flare when I was doing Another Life and it was hard to remain standing then but I would live for another.”
A family drama set in the 1970s would also be a great fit — especially if Arthur Saint can join in.
“Set on a resort on a beach where I can play in the water all night,” she imagined. “Pretend paradise still feels like … paradise. And my son would join and work some, and feel happy and welcome. That’s what I really want for my audience too. However, that may be.”
Watch the exclusive video above and read more in this week’s relaunch issue of the brand-new Us Weekly, featuring 12 additional pages, a redesigned look and new franchises you’ll love — on newsstands now.
