50 Fun Facts About Miss Congeniality

In what year was Miss Congeniality released in US cinemas?

Warner Bros. opened it on 22 December, three days before Christmas.

Who directed Miss Congeniality?

Petrie, son of director Daniel Petrie, also made Mystic Pizza, Grumpy Old Men and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Gracie Hart is a tough but uncouth special agent for which organization?

Her partner Eric Matthews and Assistant Director Harry McDonald round out the bureau team.

Under what alias does Agent Hart enter the pageant?

The alias becomes a running gag when the FBI's clean-cut Eric Matthews has to introduce her by it.

Which state does Gracie represent in the pageant?

The real Miss New Jersey slot was conveniently open after the FBI dug up dirt on the previous winner.

What is the fictional pageant called?

The name sidesteps the real Miss America and Miss USA brands, both of which declined to be involved.

In which city is the pageant held?

The Alamo and River Walk scenes were shot on location there, though most of the film was made in Austin.

What is the alias of the domestic terrorist whose threat sends the FBI to the pageant?

The FBI later works out that the pageant threat is the work of a copycat, not the real bomber.

Michael Caine plays which character?

The pageant coach teaches Gracie how to dress, walk and behave in a conventionally ladylike manner.

Benjamin Bratt plays which FBI agent?

Gracie's partner takes credit for her suggestions during the investigation and becomes her love interest.

Candice Bergen plays which character?

The pageant director is the film's real villain, with her son Frank as accomplice.

William Shatner plays which pageant veteran?

The MC's cluelessness gets him kidnapped alongside the winner in the sequel.

Ernie Hudson plays which FBI figure?

Hudson is best known as Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters.

Gracie's awkward, unconfident friend, played by Heather Burns, is Miss which state?

The smallest state produces the eventual winner.

Melissa De Sousa's Karen Krantz represents which state?

Miss New York memorably uses her moment on stage to come out.

What does Gracie perform in the talent competition?

Playing tuned water glasses impresses the judges; she then throws in a self-defence demonstration.

Where is the bomb hidden at the climax?

Gracie throws the tiara up into the scenery, where it explodes and sets the stage on fire.

Who is crowned the pageant winner?

She then names Gracie 'Miss Congeniality' for saving everyone's lives.

In the final round, Gracie is stunned to be named what?

The FBI never expected her to make the top ten, let alone the top two.

Frank Tobin, the pageant's assistant, is secretly whose son?

The relationship was hidden from the FBI because of Frank's criminal record.

Why does the villain want the winner killed on stage?

The plot is a copycat of the Citizen's bombings, designed to look like his work.

In the 1982 prologue, what does 10-year-old Gracie do to the boy she likes after he rejects her?

The scene sets up the tomboy who has never learned to be 'ladylike'.

Gracie's opening sting operation goes wrong against mobsters of which nationality?

She breaks protocol to save a choking mob boss and a fellow agent gets shot.

Although set in New York and Texas, most of the film was shot in which city?

The Texas capital doubled for both, with only exteriors captured on location.

The pageant scenes were filmed at which venue?

The 2,900-seat hall on the UT campus stood in for the San Antonio pageant stage.

Interiors of New York's St. Regis hotel were actually shot in which historic Texas hotel?

Only the exterior of the real St. Regis appears, shot on location in Manhattan.

What was Miss Congeniality's production budget?

The sequel five years later cost exactly the same amount.

Roughly how much did Miss Congeniality gross worldwide?

Critics were lukewarm, but audiences gave it an A-minus CinemaScore.

Sandra Bullock earned a Golden Globe nomination for the film in which category?

It was her second nomination in the category, after While You Were Sleeping.

Which soundtrack song earned the film a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song?

The track went top ten across Europe and Asia in 2001.

Bosson, who sang the film's Golden Globe-nominated song, is from which country?

The song was also the lead single from his 2001 second album.

What is the subtitle of the 2005 sequel?

It followed the original by more than four years.

Who directed Miss Congeniality 2?

Pasquin had directed Tim Allen in The Santa Clause and Jungle 2 Jungle.

Unable to work undercover any more, Gracie agrees to become what in the sequel?

Her cover was blown when a bank robber recognized her from her new-found fame.

The sequel's kidnapping takes place in which city?

The Treasure Island and Venetian resorts were the main filming locations.

Who kidnaps the reigning pageant queen and the pageant host in the sequel?

Lou and Karl Steele hide their hostages inside a pirate ship at Treasure Island.

Which future Parks and Recreation star plays Karl Steele in the sequel?

Abraham Benrubi plays his brother Lou.

Regina King plays which character in the sequel?

The prickly bodyguard becomes Gracie's new field partner by the end.

Regina King's character is a recent transfer to the FBI's New York office from which city?

She is described as having difficulty working with others, which is why she gets Gracie.

Diedrich Bader plays Joel, who does what job for Gracie in the sequel?

Joel ends up in a showgirl outfit during the drag-club infiltration.

The kidnap victims are tied up inside what at a Las Vegas hotel?

The vessel at Treasure Island is scheduled to sink as part of the resort's nightly show.

The kidnappers' limo driver was paid off by an impersonator of which star, who also cameos as herself?

Regis and Joy Philbin and Octavia Spencer also appear as themselves.

To get into a drag club's dressing room, Sam performs 'Proud Mary' as which singer?

Gracie and Joel back her up dressed as showgirls.

Roger Ebert dismissed the sequel with which two-word verdict?

The film sits at 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, though it still grossed over $100 million.

What salary did Sandra Bullock reportedly receive for the sequel?

She also produced both films through her company Fortis Films.

Besides starring, what other role did Sandra Bullock hold on both Miss Congeniality films?

She did the same on Hope Floats and Two Weeks Notice.

Which screenwriter worked on both Miss Congeniality films?

He shared credit with Ford and Lucas on the first film and wrote the sequel alone; he later directed Bullock in Two Weeks Notice.

Treat Williams plays Walter Collins in the sequel; what is his job?

He repeatedly orders Gracie back to New York during the investigation.

At the end of the sequel, the rescued pageant queen strikes up a romance with which agent?

Enrique Murciano's Vegas-based agent helps Gracie, Sam and Joel get back into town.

What grade did CinemaScore audiences give the original film?

Critics were less kind: 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and 43 out of 100 on Metacritic.