Jennifer Love Hewitt Praises How Brandy ‘Advocated’ for Her ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Return (Exclusive)

Jennifer Love Hewitt is proud of how Brandy spoke up to ensure she was included in the newest I Know What You Did Last Summer film.

In Us Weekly‘s exclusive clip from the Tuesday, July 22, episode of Tommy DiDario‘s “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast, Hewitt, 46, gushed about her onscreen reunion with Brandy, also 46, as Julie and Karla, respectively.

“There were eight or nine times we would look at each other for a second and Brandy would be like, ‘Whoa.’ And I was like, ‘Girl, here we are.’ We were girls squealing about the opportunity,” Hewitt recalled. “For Julie James, Karla is her ride or die. There is nobody who knows her entire story and is still alive or would stick with her through all of it and Karla is that person.”

Hewitt noted that Brandy’s character was “really important” to the IKWYDLS franchise, so she was thrilled when Brandy publicly discussed her interest in returning for the 2025 version when it was originally announced.

“She advocated for herself to come back and I am really proud of her for advocating and doing that,” she added. “It does set up an opportunity for there to be more Julie and Karla, hopefully, in the future of this franchise and that makes me so excited.”

I Know What You Did Last Summer follows a group of friends who face off against a masked hook-wielding serial killer after covering up a crime in which they supposedly killed someone. The first film, which was released in 1997, starred Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. The sequel came one year later and introduced Us to Brandy, who played Julie’s college friend and roommate.

In addition to a direct-to-video movie in 2006 that didn’t feature any of the OG cast, the IKWYDLS franchise expanded with Prime Video’s TV adaptation and now a sequel, which brought back several familiar faces including Hewitt, Prinze Jr., 49, and even Gellar, 48, in a cameo role.

While discussing her post-credits moment with Brandy, Hewitt hinted at plans to release a follow-up film.

“We hugged goodbye and she said, ‘Are we doing this?’ And I said, ‘I think we are doing this.’ She is Brandy. She is what you want her to be,” Hewitt shared on Tuesday’s podcast episode. “She deserves that moment for the audience to scream and cheer for her.”

Hewitt went on to applaud IKWYDLS for allowing female friendships to take the spotlight on screen.

“I think the horror movie world very early on has allowed women to be badasses — no questions asked,” she noted. “Women are allowed to be friends in horror movies and not pitted against each other.”

Hewitt concluded: “They have strong girl relationships, and it’s an interesting thing, and Brandy and I got to be that.”

I Know What You Did Last Summer is in theaters now.