Alicia Silverstone is Cher Horowitz once again. The actor reprised her iconic role in a “Clueless”-themed ad for Rakuten that ran during the Super Bowl.
The commercial opens with Silverstone walking to the front of a crowded high school classroom. While Supergrass’ period-appropriate 1995 alt-rock hit “Alright” plays in the background, she then turns to the students and addresses them, monologuing about the benefits of the shopping app Rakuten. It’s a scene reminiscent of the classroom debate from Amy Heckerling’s 1995 comedy — and that’s just one of the many callbacks featured in the ad.
Cher’s spinning closet also makes a cameo, as does Rodeo Drive. Another shot, in which Silverstone sits in the driver’s seat of a white Jeep that’s just crashed into a delivery van, makes it clear that — even 28 years later — Cher’s driving skills haven’t gotten much better.
The 30-second spot was filmed in Los Angeles in early December; the high school scenes were filmed at University High School. Rakuten also released an “Extended Cher Cut” on its YouTube channel on Feb. 6. The “Extended Cher Cut” features Elisa Donovan, who plays Amber in the original film, and fashion designer Christian Siriano, who designed the yellow plaid look featured in the commercial.
After first being developed as a TV series then a film in the ’90s, “Clueless” was dropped by Fox before being picked up by Paramount. The movie became a box office success, opening to $10 million and grossing $56 million domestically, before eventually achieving cult classic status in subsequent decades.
PvNew previously reported that Silverstone was set to play Cher again on Feb. 1, when the first teaser for the ad was released.
“When I think about Cher and about how she’s film’s most historic shopaholic, the idea that she would be able to use this app is the greatest hack ever, getting cash back on all your shopping,” Silverstone told PvNew. “I feel like she would want everyone to know that.”
Watch the ad below:
