Dancing their hearts out. Jenna Dewan, Channing Tatum and the Step Up cast never could have guessed they’d be part of such a wildly successful franchise when the first film hit theaters in 2006.
Dewan starred as Nora Clark, a privileged arts school student who finds an unlikely partner in Tyler Gage (Tatum) after he’s sentenced to complete community service hours at the studio he and his friends vandalized. The duo are forced to put their differences aside to give a show-stopping performance that changes both their lives forever.
Like their characters, the leads were also transformed by the film. The 10 Years actress and the Vow star tied the knot in 2009 after falling in love while filming. According to director Anne Fletcher, the pair’s chemistry was “instantaneous” on set.
“They were very professional. They didn’t act on it. They did absolutely nothing. They were there to get a job done,” the filmmaker, who made her directorial debut with Step Up, told Cosmopolitan in August 2016. “I never said anything to them, they just chose on their own to get the movie done first. They took it very seriously. … It was such a wonderful and romantic courting period, even though they didn’t act on it. It was very sweet.”
Dewan and Tatum welcomed daughter Everly in 2013 before announcing their separation five years later.
“We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now,” the now-exes noted in a joint statement in April 2018. “There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible. We are still a family and will always be loving, dedicated parents to Everly.”
Two months prior, the former World of Dance host shared a glimpse of her audition with Tatum for the film that brought them together. “It’s really cute, and also embarrassing, and crazy but of course I want to share it with all of you. Please watch how many times I giggle and laugh, it’s very cute,” Dewan said while introducing the throwback footage in a February 2018 YouTube video.
Step Up spawned four sequels: Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), Step Up Revolution (2012) and Step Up: All In (2014). The series has grossed a total of $651 million, and while plenty of stars returned for the follow-up films, Tatum and Dewan were primarily involved in the original. (The White House Down actor made a small cameo in the 2008 flick.)
In 2018, the franchise branched out with a TV series titled Step Up: High Water, which Tatum and Dewan helped produce.
Scroll down to see what the cast of the first Step Up film is doing now:
Before turning to acting, the Connecticut native danced with Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Missy Elliott and more. She married Tatum in 2009 after the costars sparked a romance on the Step Up set and the duo welcomed daughter Everly in 2013. Five years later, the actors announced they were separating, with Dewan filing for divorce in October 2018. The Flirty Dancing host began dating Steve Kazee the same month, one year before she and Tatum were declared legally single. Kazee proposed in February 2020 and the pair welcomed son Callum one month later. Along with Step Up, the Gracefully You author is known for her work on Witches of East End, American Horror Story: Asylum, Soundtrack, Super Girl and The Rookie. Shutterstock (2)
The Alabama native has been stealing viewers’ hearts since his film debut in 2005’s Coach Carter. His other notable projects include She's the Man (2006), The Dilemma (2011), Magic Mike (2012), 21 Jump Street (2012), Foxcatcher (2014), 22 Jump Street (2014), Magic Mike XXL (2015) and Logan Lucky (2017). In November 2021, he confirmed a third Magic Mike movie was in the works. Tatum was married to Dewan, with whom he shares daughter Everly, from 2009 to 2019. He later dated Jessie J on and off before Us confirmed his romance with Zoë Kravitz in August 2021. Shutterstock (2)
The R&B singer dropped his self-titled debut album in 2002 after signing a deal with J Records when he was 14. His sophomore album, Turning Point, was just that for his career, with single “Let Me Love You” earning him a Grammy nod for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2006. He released two more records before leaving the label RCA and founding his own called New Citizen. His fifth album, Dancing Shadows, debuted in October 2018. Along with Step Up, Mario appeared in 2007’s Freedom Writers and had a small role on seasons 5 and 6 of Fox’s Empire. In 2019, he starred in Fox’s Rent: Live. Shutterstock; Courtesy of Mario/Instagram
Seven years after Step Up, the multitalented performer portrayed Tionne Watkins (a.k.a. T-Boz) in the VH1 TLC biopic CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. She also appeared on two seasons of The CW’s The Game before joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2020. Sidora married Ralph Pittman in 2014, and the pair welcomed son Michal in 2015 and daughter Aniya in 2018. The Chicago native is also the mother of son Josiah from a previous relationship. Shutterstock; Courtesy of Drew Sidora/Instagram
The Australian actress previously appeared in 1997’s My Best Friend's Wedding alongside Julia Roberts and in 1998’s Hilary and Jackie, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress. On the small screen, she’s had roles in Six Feet Under, Brothers & Sisters and Australia’s Total Control. In 2020, she appeared on Amazon’s The Wilds. The Hacksaw Ridge actress has been married to Andrew Taylor since 2002. They share son Banjo, born in 2003, daughter Adelaide, born in 2005, and son Clem, born in 2009. Shutterstock (2)
In 2006, the New Yorker also starred in the sports drama Glory Road, which focused on the first all-Black basketball team to play in the NCAA championship in 1996. His most recent film was 2019’s Before Dawn Breaks. Shutterstock; Courtesy of Damaine Radcliff/Instagram
The actor’s only other known credit is the 2008 movie The Poker House. Buena Vista/Kobal/Shutterstock
After playing Nora’s ex-boyfriend in Step Up, the singer scored the role of Austin McCann on Desperate Housewives from 2006 to 2007. He went on to be cast as John Ross Ewing III on the TNT revival of Dallas (2012 to 2014) and as Kyle West on E!’s The Arrangement (2017 to 2018). The Texas native appeared in the 2018 Hallmark movie Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas and was previously featured in three of Ashley Tisdale’s music videos, including 2007’s “He Said She Said.” The 90210 alum was linked to Ashlee Simpson from 2002 to 2003, MTV’s Kendal Sheppard from 2006 to 2007, Brittany Snow from 2007 to 2008 and Survivor’s Andrea Boehlke from 2013 to 2016. In December 2018, he was arrested on suspicion of breaking into his neighbor’s Los Angeles home, but the charges were dropped later that month due to insufficient evidence. YouTube; Shutterstock
Formerly a backup dancer for Missy Elliot, Eminem and more, Stoner brought her performing talent to Disney’s Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010) before she reprised her role as Tyler’s younger sister in Step Up 3D (2010) and Step Up: All In (2014). The “Give Me Strength” singer is also known for voicing Isabella on Disney’s Phineas and Ferb. In March 2018, the Mike's Super Short Show alum publicly came out as queer in an article written for Teen Vogue, revealing that she’s “attracted to men, women and people who identify in other ways.” The Movement Genius founder has written two books — Mind Body Pride and Mind Body Movement — and is passionate about mental health awareness within the LGBTQ+ community. YouTube; MediaPunch/Shutterstock
The Jamaican-born rapper was one of the founding members of Heavy D & the Boyz in the late 1980s before branching off as a solo artist. His final record, Love Opus, was released shortly before he died in November 2011 after collapsing outside of his California home. His cause of death was later revealed as a pulmonary embolism due to deep vein thrombosis in his leg. He was 44. Shutterstock (2)
Lovejoy already had a lengthy career before starring as Nora’s mom in Step Up, with guest roles on shows including The West Wing, Spin City, Medium and Bones. Her most recognizable character, however, is The Wire’s Rhonda Pearlman, who she played from 2002 to 2008. On the big screen, the Blacklist star appeared in 1999’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, 2011’s Bad Teacher and 2017’s The Post. Courtesy of Deirdre Lovejoy/Instagram
The British musician is only featured briefly in the 2006 dance movie when he performs his song “Made” at a party. Since then, he’s written with Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Christina Perri, David Guetta and One Direction, collaborating on the boy band’s hit singles “Story of My Life,” “Night Changes,” “Midnight Memories” and more. He previously recorded music with producer TommyD under the name Graffiti6 and has independently released two albums: 2015's My Hurricane and 2020's How Still The River. YouTube; JM Enternational/Shutterstock
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