It’s been 26 years since Thomas Ian Nicholas’ quick rise to fame in the crude comedy film American Pie.
Fast forward to now, the actor was unrecognisable when he appeared on Channel Nine’s Today Extra on Friday, where he took to the couch alongside co-hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys.
The 45-year-old star, who was 19 when filming the coming-of-age flick, rocked a full head of curly hair that brushed his shoulders and fell across his forehead as he promoted his American Pie 2 Emo Night show.
With a stubbled goatee and a few extra smile lines since his foray into Hollywood, Thomas wore a giant smile on his face as he spoke about his upcoming Wynnum show and his wild connection to Australia.
‘Obviously, we know you from American Pie, but you are related to an infamous Australian,’ Sylvia pointed out.
‘Yes! My great-great-grandfather was Ned Kelly’s uncle,’ Thomas revealed.
It’s been 26 years since Thomas Ian Nicholas’ quick rise to fame in the crude comedy film American Pie (Pictured: Thomas Ian Nicholas and Tara Reid)
Ned Kelly is arguably one of Australia’s most infamous bandits from the mid-19th century, who ran an ‘industrial-scale’ horse-stealing operation in Victoria.
When asked if Thomas knew much about the notorious figure’s history, he revealed that he’d done his share of research.
‘I’ve learnt a little bit more because on my first tour when I came into the studio, I had a show in Melbourne […] and so I went to the library where his armour was.’
He added: ‘And the second tour, when I was here in July, I went to the actual jail cell.’
Thomas first rose to global acclaim portraying Kevin Myers in the 1999 runaway hit American Pie.
He went on to reprise the role in the three subsequent theatrical American Pie releases, in what was to become a billion-dollar film franchise.
Thomas starred alongside a stellar cast including Jason Biggs, Jennifer Coolidge, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eugene Levy, Alyson Hannigan, and Seann William Scott.
The comedy told the age-old story of a group of teenagers trying to lose their virginity before college, and Thomas knew the film was destined for blockbuster success.
The actor was unrecognisable as he appeared on Channel Nine’s Today Extra on Friday as he took to the couch alongside co-hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys ahead of his American Pie 2 Emo Night show in Wynnum
The now 45-year-old star was 19 when filming the coming of age flick
‘It was in my contract,’ he joked to Daily Mail earlier this year.
‘Must do at least four films, maybe five, and it has to be a billion-dollar franchise otherwise I won’t consider doing the first one.’
The film took cues from the raunchy sex comedies of the 1970s, such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Porkies, and Animal House.
Though it later won him over wholeheartedly, Thomas wasn’t always convinced by the plot and initially threw the script in the garbage, thinking it was too crude.
The first scene, which didn’t make the final cut, initially saw Vicky (Tara Reid) instructing Kevin on ‘how to move his fingers’.
‘I’ll let you put the rest together with your mind,’ Thomas said of the moment.
‘I threw the script in the trash, thinking it was just smut. I didn’t understand it was a modern-day Porkies, and I love Porkies.’
Thomas’ role was originally offered to his high school friend Andrew Keegan, who turned it down to star alongside Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You.
‘They came back to me and once I read the script properly I saw all of the heart that existed in the characters. It wasn’t just a teen sex comedy,’ he said.
‘It was a real coming-of-age story that everyone could find someone to relate to, or know someone who was exactly like Stiffler.’
