MTV is hosting numerous Bring It On marathons because nothing says Fourth of July weekend like Kirsten Dunst, I guess. I’m not complaining, though, because any movie with the slayer Eliza Dushku and sexy swimmer Jesse Bradford is a win-win to me. And, listen, while I can recognize why Bring It On didn’t win any Oscars, it’s safe to say it’s one of those movies that’s so cheesy it’s actually great. Hey, Mickey!
What I didn’t quite remember – after 25 years, dear god – is that Bring It On prominently features a gay character. I’m not talking about a character we think is gay because he’s a male cheerleader (stereotypes are hurtful), I mean one that specifically says he’s gay during a car ride and is still featured throughout the rest of the movie. This was back in 2000, after all, when society and media wasn’t nearly as LGBT friendly.
The gay male cheerleader was played by Huntley Ritter. As history goes, Bring It On hit theaters in August 2000 and was the #1 movie in America for two weeks straight (two weeks… gay?). It grossed over $69,000,000 in America alone against a budget of just $13,000,000. It’s gone on to become a certified cult classic and spawned numerous, though widely less accepted sequels. Huntley’s participation, no matter if just reading lines from a script, helped play a crucial role in seeing more LGBT representation in media.
Falcons’ Cheerleader Said “Yes!” – Instinct Magazine
Where did Huntley Ritter go after Bring It On?
While he continued to act on a regular basis, his other biggest claims to fame can be found in Jennifer Lopez/Matthew McConaughy rom-com The Wedding Planner, horror film Wishcraft and the sports biopic We Are Marshall. Let me also point out that, prior to Bring It On, he co-starred in David DeCoteau’s Voodoo Academy – which means there has to be video out there somewhere of him running around in nothing but tightywhitys.
Around the mid-2000s, Ritter seemingly retired from acting to pursue work behind the camera. He worked as a producer and executive producer for a number of years before investing his money in more lucrative businesses. Among a few others, Ritter is the founder and CEO of marketing communications company Stafford and is the founder of USeek, another company that aims to get a better experience out of advertisement engagement.
Huntley, now age 48, appears to be enjoying life with his family – as far as social media can tell. He’s certainly paved the way for an outstanding legacy, both in film and in business, but I hope he looks back on his little contribution to LGBT representation with fondness because he’ll never know how many lives he touched with such a simple role.
(Disclaimer: I don’t know what Huntley Ritter’s orientation is, but I believe he’s straight. This article is in no way implying he’s gay, just that he contributed to our culture.)