American Pie Star Tara Reid Campaigns for a Sequel While Shining on Indie Film Red Carpet

Tara Reid, the actress best known for her role in the iconic teen comedy "American Pie," is looking both backward and forward in her career as she steps onto the indie film red carpet. Reid turned heads Wednesday at the premiere of "Pabrik Gula" (or "Sugar Mill" in its U.S. release), sporting a chic black leather jacket paired with a long skirt. The Indonesian horror film marks yet another chapter in her evolving filmography.

Just days before, the 49-year-old actress took to Instagram to reminisce about her "American Pie" days, sharing throwback pictures with her original castmates. "Nothing like the good ol days with my cast! Who’s ready for another American Pie? I think it needs to happen!" Reid wrote, igniting fans' nostalgia and speculation about a potential sequel.

Since her breakout role in "American Pie," Reid has kept busy with projects ranging from the SYFY channel's cult-favorite "Sharknado" series to a guest appearance on CBS's sitcom "Ghosts" in 2023. She even joined the Fox reality series "Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test" to challenge perceptions of her party-girl image—an effort to prove she's more than just the carefree character audiences remember.

"I feel like I've been bullied a lot, you know, in my life," she revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital during her stint on "Special Forces." "And I kind of wanted to do the show because I wanted people to see the other side of me. And stop bullying me for kind of always the same things. To let them see, you know, I'm not just this girl who's 21 and partying in 'American Pie.'"

The intense scrutiny from the media and public prompted Reid to take a step back from Hollywood at one point. "I needed a break," she admitted. "You know, I think everyone needs a break from something when it becomes too much." Since then, she's focused on independent projects, including the upcoming film "Dr. Quarantine," for which she recently won Best Actress at the Hollywood Reels Film Festival.

Expressing gratitude after her award win, Reid shared a heartfelt post on social media. "This award means so much to me... I want to thank my director White Cross for challenging me to bring this character alive and pushing me past any limits, and my cast and crew for all of your hard work to bring this project alive. So thankful for the outcome and for the success of this film to win another award and be recognized for the thing I love most in this world, acting," she wrote. Reid also took a moment to thank her fans, saying, "Thank you so much to my fans, I couldn’t do this without you. Thank you for all your love, the comments, and support have truly made my heart happy."

Whether she’s rallying for a new "American Pie" sequel or thriving in independent films, Reid seems determined to write the next chapter of her career with passion and resilience.