If you were around in the year 2000, you couldn't escape the posters for The Whole Nine Yards. You had Bruce Willis looking coolly detached and Matthew Perry looking like he was having a permanent nervous breakdown. But if you actually sat through the movie, you walked away talking about one person.
Amanda Peet.
Before this flick, Peet was "that actress from that one show" (usually the short-lived Jack & Jill). After it? She was a certified movie star. Honestly, playing a dental assistant who moonlights as an aspiring contract killer is a weird tightrope to walk. Do it wrong, and it’s a cartoon. Do it right, and you steal the movie from the biggest stars on the planet.
She did it right.
Why Amanda Peet Stole the Show
Most people forget that the plot of The Whole Nine Yards is actually pretty dark. It’s a "black comedy," sure, but the body count is high and everyone is trying to whack everyone else. Amidst all that cynicism, Peet’s character, Jill St. Claire, brought this weirdly wholesome energy to the business of murder.
It’s hilarious.
She wasn’t playing a femme fatale. She played Jill with this wide-eyed, "I’m just happy to be here" enthusiasm. Think of it like a college student landing their dream internship, except the internship involves learning how to dispose of a body without getting blood on your shoes.
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Even the legendary Roger Ebert, who was famously tough to please, called her performance "perfect." He noted that she didn't just meet the requirements of the role—she added a level of "heedless glee." That's the secret sauce. You can’t teach that kind of charisma in acting school.
The Scene That Changed Everything
There’s a specific moment in the movie that fans still bring up 25 years later. It’s the scene where Jill is walking down a hill, trips, and lets out a genuine, pained "OW!"
Kinda funny, right? Well, it wasn't scripted.
Peet actually tripped and fell during the take. Instead of breaking character or getting embarrassed, she stayed in the moment. The director, Jonathan Lynn, loved the raw, clumsy humanity of it so much that he kept it in the final cut. It’s those little imperfections that made people fall in love with her. She felt real in a movie filled with mobster caricatures.
Working With Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry
The chemistry on set was apparently electric. Recently, looking back on the 25th anniversary, Peet described the time as "really special."
You have to remember where her co-stars were at the time:
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- Matthew Perry was at the absolute peak of his Friends fame. He was the king of the "jittery guy" archetype.
- Bruce Willis was transitioning from his pure action hero Die Hard days into more varied, often comedic roles.
Peet was the newcomer, basically. But she didn't act like it. She went toe-to-toe with Perry’s frantic physical comedy and Willis’s deadpan cool. In the scenes where she’s fan-girling over Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski (Willis), you can see she's having a blast. That "joy of performance" is infectious. It’s why the movie, which got mixed reviews from critics, became a massive $106 million box office hit.
The Legacy of Jill St. Claire
It’s rare for a supporting character in a mob comedy to become a career-defining role, but Jill St. Claire was different. She subverted the "damsel" trope entirely. She wasn't being chased by the bad guys; she wanted to be one of the bad guys.
The movie also wasn't afraid to let her be sexy and funny at the same time—a combo Hollywood often fumbles. There’s a scene involving some full-frontal nudity that became a massive talking point back in the early 2000s, but it didn't define her. Her talent did.
Following the success of the film, Peet’s career exploded. She landed roles in:
- Igby Goes Down (showing her range)
- Something’s Gotta Give (acting alongside Jack Nicholson)
- Syriana (proving she could handle heavy drama)
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (reunited with Matthew Perry)
She proved she wasn't just the "funny girl with the gun." She was an actor with serious staying power.
What You Can Learn From Peet’s Breakout
If you’re looking at Amanda Peet’s trajectory as a case study in career-making moves, there are a few takeaways that aren't just for actors.
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Commit to the bit. Peet didn't play the "dark" side of her character for irony. She played it with 100% sincerity. Whatever you're doing, do it with that kind of "heedless glee."
Embrace the accidents. That unscripted trip on the hill is the most memorable part of her performance for many. Sometimes your mistakes are your best work.
Chemistry is a two-way street. She made her co-stars better by being a great "reactor." In any professional setting, being the person who elevates the people around you makes you indispensable.
The Bottom Line
While the sequel (The Whole Ten Yards) didn't quite capture the magic—let’s be honest, it was a bit of a mess—the original remains a cult classic. And at the heart of that classic is Amanda Peet. She took a character that could have been a footnote and turned it into a star-making moment.
If you haven't seen it in a while, it's worth a rewatch. Skip the sequel, but pay close attention to Peet in the original. She makes the impossible look easy.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out her more recent work in The Chair or Fatal Attraction (the series) to see how her "uncensored" energy has evolved.
- If you're a trivia buff, look for the behind-the-scenes commentary by Kevin Pollak—he shares some great stories about the cast's dynamic during the Montreal shoot.