Let's be honest. When you think of Scary Movie 2, your mind probably goes straight to Chris Elliott’s "strong hand" stirring the mashed potatoes or Shorty getting rolled into a giant blunt. It’s a chaotic, messy, and borderline offensive masterpiece of early 2000s parody. But there is one performance that holds the whole ridiculous thing together, and that belongs to Kathleen Robertson.
She played Theo. The "cool," bisexual, high-fashion coed who was basically the antithesis of Anna Faris’s wide-eyed Cindy Campbell.
Kathleen Robertson wasn't just a random addition to the cast. Most of us knew her as Clare Arnold from Beverly Hills, 90210. Seeing her go from the dramatic halls of West Beverly High to fighting a foul-mouthed skeleton in a haunted mansion was... a choice. But it worked. She leaned into the absurdity of the genre while maintaining this weird, stoic intensity that made the jokes land even harder.
Who Was Theo? The Parody Most People Missed
The Scary Movie franchise thrives on specific references. If you didn't see the original films being spoofed, some of the humor might feel like random noise.
In Scary Movie 2 Kathleen Robertson was tasked with parodying Theodora from the 1999 remake of The Haunting. In that film, Catherine Zeta-Jones played a stylish, "extra" version of the character. Robertson nailed the look—the sleek hair, the leather, the over-the-top confidence.
The Iconic Seduction Scene
One of the most memorable (and wildly uncomfortable) scenes involves Theo trying to seduce Dwight, played by the legendary David Cross. She’s trying to get the keys to the house. She’s doing this bizarre, hyper-sexualized dance. It’s classic Wayans Brothers humor—crude, physical, and relentlessly awkward.
The joke peaks when Dwight, who uses a wheelchair, gets offended by her "charity" and proceeds to show her exactly what he's capable of. The look of pure, unadulterated horror on Kathleen’s face during that sequence is gold. She didn't just play the "hot girl"; she played the "hot girl who is deeply confused by everything happening around her."
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The Chaos Behind the Scenes
You might not know this, but Scary Movie 2 was kind of a nightmare to film. The production was rushed. Originally, the shoot was supposed to last about six weeks. It ended up stretching to four months.
Imagine being stuck in a cold, dusty mansion set for months while the script is being rewritten on the fly. Kathleen has mentioned in interviews (including a great catch-up on Tori Spelling's podcast) that they had to ad-lib a lot.
- The Wayans brothers encouraged improvisation.
- The cast would hang out in Tori Spelling’s dressing room during lunch just to stay sane.
- Lines were being changed minutes before the cameras rolled.
That frantic energy is visible on screen. It’s why the movie feels like a fever dream. Robertson’s chemistry with the rest of the group—Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and the Wayans—felt authentic because they were all essentially "trapped" in this production together.
Why Theo Stood Out Among the Chaos
Most characters in the Scary Movie universe are caricatures of idiots. Cindy is the "final girl" who is too oblivious to live. Brenda is the outspoken best friend who sees through everyone’s BS.
Theo was different.
She was smart, or at least she thought she was. She was the one who tried to use logic (and her "assets") to solve problems. When the group decides to do the Charlie’s Angels parody to fight the possessed caretaker, Hanson, Theo is right there in the middle of it. It’s a scene that shouldn't work—it’s a parody of a movie that was already kind of a joke—but Robertson’s commitment to the bit makes it a highlight of the third act.
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The "What If" Goggles
Remember the goggles? The "What If" goggles that let them see the ghost? Theo’s explanation of how they work—based on the principle of "body mass and... stuff"—is a perfect jab at the pseudo-science found in 90s supernatural thrillers. She delivered those lines with such straight-faced conviction that you almost forget she’s talking complete nonsense.
Life After Hell House: Where Is Kathleen Robertson Now?
It’s easy to get pigeonholed after doing a massive studio comedy like this. But Kathleen Robertson did the opposite. She didn't stay in the "parody girl" lane.
Actually, she’s become a powerhouse behind the scenes.
If you haven't followed her career lately, you're missing out. She moved into much darker, more serious territory. She starred in Boss alongside Kelsey Grammer, playing a cold, calculating political aide. She led the detective drama Murder in the First.
But perhaps most impressively, she’s a writer and producer. She adapted the series Swimming with Sharks for Roku, which was a sharp, biting look at Hollywood power dynamics. It’s a far cry from fighting a ghost cat in a basement, but that range is exactly why her performance in Scary Movie 2 holds up. She knew she was in a cartoon, and she played it perfectly.
The Cultural Impact of the "Second One"
Is Scary Movie 2 a "good" movie? Critics in 2001 certainly didn't think so. It was trashed for being vulgar and disjointed.
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But here’s the thing: it made over $140 million.
People loved it. And for a certain generation, it’s the definitive parody film. Scary Movie 2 Kathleen Robertson remains a core memory for fans of 2000s cinema because she brought a specific "cool girl" energy to a film that was otherwise completely unhinged.
She wasn't just a victim or a punchline; she was a participant in the madness.
What to Do Next
If you're feeling nostalgic for that era of comedy, don't just stop at the movies.
- Watch the "Misspelling" podcast episode: Kathleen Robertson and Tori Spelling reunite and dish on the behind-the-scenes drama of the shoot. It’s fascinating to hear how much they actually hated some of the conditions on set.
- Check out "Boss": If you want to see the literal opposite of Theo, watch Kathleen in this Starz series. It’s a masterclass in dramatic acting.
- Re-watch the "Theodora" scenes in the 1999 The Haunting: You’ll appreciate Robertson’s performance so much more when you see exactly how precisely she was mocking Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Scary Movie franchise is reportedly coming back with the Wayans brothers involved again. While it’s unlikely we’ll see Theo return (she did survive, but the series usually resets), her contribution to the peak of the parody era is undeniable. She took a thankless "eye candy" role and turned it into a weird, memorable, and genuinely funny piece of pop culture history.