Earlier this year, Alicia Silverstone recently shared an incredible throwback bat mitzvah picutre. Then “Clueless” writer and director Amy Heckerling, who wrote a musical adaptation of the movie which premiers in London’s West End, confirmed that Silverstone’s character from the 1995 hit, Cher Horowitz, was Jewish (I mean… as if she could be something else with a name like that, but it did take three whole decades to get it officially on record!). And now we’re getting a new Peacock “Clueless” show, starring the Jewish actress herself. It’s truly a year full of shehechiyanu moments for this Jewish millennial who watched the romcom — which, if you didn’t know, is based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel “Emma” — for emotional support on many an occasion over the past 30 years.
And honestly, after seeing Silverstone reprise the role in this 2023 Rakuten Super Bowl commercial, I can’t help but think it’s totally bashert. It’s like time hasn’t passed at all! That yellow tartan blazer still looks so good on her, even if at this point, she’s the mother of an almost-Cher Horowitz-aged kid! (As a reminder, Horowitz is 16 in the film, and Silverstone’s son Bear will be 14 next month.)
According to Variety, Silverstone is slated to star in a new sequel of the movie and show (a Heckerling-helmed show based on the movie that aired between 1996 and 1999 starring Canadian actress Rachel Blanchard as Cher) with writers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage at the helm. For those of you who didn’t know, Schwartz gave us the most iconic interfaith TV of the early 2000s: The Cohen family on “The O.C.” Some would say he even gave us the blueprint for Adam Brody’s hot rabbi in “Nobody Wants This,” because as Seth Cohen in the early aughts Brody truly did give some inspiring sermons about Chrismukkah, his interfaith celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah.
Schwartz and Savage have worked on some pretty iconic shows since then, mostly for teens. “Gossip Girl” is, of course, foremost in everybody’s mind (and also starred Brody’s real life wife, Leighton Meester). But there’s also “Runaways,” the “Nancy Drew” reboot, “Looking for Alaska” and the recent Apple TV+ drama “City on Fire.” Silverstone’s most recent live-action TV project has been the very excellent Netflix revamp of “The Baby-Sitters Club” from Jewish TV maven Rachel Shukert, so we know she’s game to bring that TV nostalgia to the screen.
And if that isn’t enough (dayenu!) the show project also has Jewish writer Jordan Weiss signed on to write with them. All three are signed on as executive producers as well. “Objectively, I am totally buggin,” Weiss shared on social media. “Josh and Steph are my tv heroes. Amy is an icon. Alicia is perfect. What did Carrie Coon say? I’m just happy to be at the table…. And when Cher Horowitz asks for help putting her heels on in the parking garage, it’s an honor.”
I’m personally obsessed with Weiss’ work on the show “Dollface” (which had some endearing Jewish moments and stars) and believe this is a match in (Jew-ish?) TV heaven. Here’s hoping we’ll get see Cher hosting the most glitz and glam Chrismukkah party ever. And if they manage to get Paul Rudd to return to the “Clueless” franchise as everyone’s mid-’90s crush Josh?? I’ll definitely be totally buggin’!
