It was May of 1993. The forecast called for rain but, amid the gray haze, 540 undergraduates took the first step toward bright futures from beneath the cover of their umbrellas.
Cut to Jamie Babbit, one of those very students, celebrating her very last day as a Barnard student. She received a degree in foreign affairs, her own future yet untold, largely unaware of the influence she’d have on generations to come.
Just six years later, Babbit would go on to direct the queer cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader, starring Natasha Lyonne as a high school cheerleader sent to a conversion camp for being a lesbian. The film has long remained a staple in queer cinema, a tangible reminder of Babbit’s enduring vision and artistry, which has notably seen a recent resurgence on TikTok amongst Gen Z cinephiles.
Babbit’s filmography has only grown more impressive and undeniable in the years since, amassing directorial credits including Gilmore Girls, Only Murders in the Building, and The L Word. She recently wrapped production as director of the highly anticipated sequel to Red, White & Royal Blue. While a specific release date has not yet been announced, the film is set to premiere in early 2027.
The Journey to Directing
While Babbit’s studies at Barnard focused on foreign affairs, her interest in film took shape at an early age. She was a tried-and-true theater kid, growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. Her senior year of high school, she opted to join the crew rather than a nondescript chorus role in the school musical.
“All of a sudden, a whole world opened and I just thought, ‘Why was I doing acting?’”
By the time Babbit arrived at Barnard, she knew acting would not be her long-term path. “I didn't know what else there was. The only thing I really had access to understanding as a job was ‘theater director,’” said Babbit. “So I thought, ‘Okay, I could be a theater director.’”
Encouragement from a first-year acting class at Barnard led Babbit to her first internship with a producer of Dead Poets Society, a position she held throughout her undergraduate tenure and following graduation. “I had so many mentors at Barnard that took me seriously at 18 to 22 years old, when the rest of the world didn’t.”
Subsequently, Babbit interned for the feature film The Age of Innocence, directed by Martin Scorsese. She held various internships and script supervisor roles alongside some of the industry’s most respected filmmakers, while fine-tuning her own craft.
Babbit later worked on another seminal lesbian film, All Over Me, while juggling Barnard babysitting jobs, during which she was empowered to start learning how to write a script.
“When I started thinking about what my first movie was going to be, I really wanted to do something for my community,” said Babbit. “And at the time, we were in the middle of the AIDS epidemic.”
The concept for But I’m a Cheerleader was born out of a newspaper article reporting on a gay rehabilitation program. While Babbit didn’t have any experience with gay rehab specifically, she did grow up with a mother who ran a teen drug rehab. Inspiration struck, and the drafting process began in a UCLA extension course. Through a friend, she connected with a University of Southern California screenwriting student to help finish the script.
“I wanted to make a movie that had queer joy in it, because there was so much sadness.”
The satirical romcom is a feast for the eyes, all light pastels and Barbie-esque aesthetics, pops of color against the bleak intentions of True Direction, the gay rehab camp where the majority of the film is set. The film also featured a particularly iconic performance by RuPaul as a camp counselor.
Babbit addressed the recent resurgence of But I’m a Cheerleader, notably on TikTok amongst GenZers. Scroll a bit through the app and you’re sure to stumble across fan edits pairing the film’s most iconic scenes with cinematic indie-pop tracks. MUNA, a popular queer electropop band, also paid tribute to the film in their 2021 music video for “Silk Chiffon,” dressed in bubblegum-pink cheerleading uniforms while lilting lyrics that encapsulate unabashed giddiness and joy.
Why does the film remain so relevant more than twenty years later? Babbit compared her generation to GenZ, noting similarities in societal unrest and turmoil. Amid the darkness, “you just need the light.” But I’m a Cheerleader continues to offer exactly that sense of lightness and affirmation.
Babbit recently finished directing the highly anticipated sequel to Red, White & Royal Blue, another queer romantic comedy with a devoted fanbase. The sequel will follow characters Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry as they navigate their romantic relationship, as established in the first film.
Babbit heard the sequel was in need of a director. As a fan of the first film, she decided to throw her name into the ring, expressing her interest via email. Babbit met with Casey McQuiston, author of the novels that inspired the films, receiving their blessing to direct.
Bold and Barnard
Babbit discussed her time at Barnard with fondness, crediting her experience at a women’s college as a source of confidence throughout her career.
“I felt more empowered through my experiences from Barnard to stand up for myself and to fight for myself.”
Babbit encouraged Barnard students to take advantage of both career services, like Beyond Barnard, and the convenience of New York City, as she once did.
“Build up your intellectual curiosity,” she said. “Do a bunch of different things because you really don't know what you're interested in until you try it.”