Clueless was an iconic movie that resonated with a generation of teens in the '90s. Much in part due to the characters played by Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash. Characters that were so beloved that in turn, both Silverstone and Dash reaped the rewards of that admiration. Resulting in teen girls wanting to be them and teen boys wanting to date them. It appeared that there was no wrong these actresses could do.
Somewhere along the way, however, there was a shift in audience perception of these actresses. As such, Silverstone has managed to remain as popular as her character Cher was in the film while Dash has not fared as well with her life post-Clueless. Something that is apparent in levels of fame, celebrity, and net worth. Leaving many scratching their heads as to how two actresses who seemingly had a world full of possibilities at their fingertips could find themselves in quite opposite circumstances today. Here is why Alicia Silverstone is still beloved by Clueless fans and Stacey Dash's popularity and net worth have tanked.
Why Clueless Fans Gravitate To Alicia Silverstone
In the 27 years since Clueless debuted, the fanbase for the film has only continued to grow. This is because the cult classic continues to resonate with teens of today while bringing back nostalgia to those who were teens in the '90s.
But, a big part of this is the fact that what moviegoers see on the screen from Silverstone's character, Cher, is much of what they see of the Baby-Sitters Club actress today. A lot of heart and love for those around her. Something that makes fans gravitate to Silverstone decades later.
In conjunction with the positive perception, fans have is the fact that Silverstone has never been one to dismiss her time on the set of Clueless as insignificant. Nor does she brush off fans of the film when they approach her today. Instead, embracing fans who recognize her when out in public.
"People are really respectful," Silverstone explains. "Sometimes they’ll shout catchphrases, like ‘As If!’ but mostly they come up and are like, ‘I’m so sorry, I just have to tell you, you must get this a million times a day, but I love Clueless so much.’"
And Silverstone embraces it as much as her fans do. Saying that those she encounters are "always kind and loving about it." Making it no wonder that fans still have a genuine affection for the character and by association, Silverstone as well.
How Stacey Dash Has Polarized Clueless Fans
Where Clueless fans still have a special place in their heart for Silverstone, the same cannot be said for Dash. Something that became evident recently when the two came together on TikTok for a reunion to recreate a scene from the film.
After posting a TikTok video that showed the two actresses recreating the scene where Cher asks Dionne if she would "call [her] selfish," fans were notably divided by the content they witnessed.
"There's still time to delete this," one fan wrote. "Some people belong in our past. Stacy Dash is one of those," another chimed in.
Others still were enjoying the reunion but could not get past the comments and behavior Dash made in the past.
Most notable were things that included disparaging comments about trans people and the LGBTQ community, stating that Black History Month should no longer exist and that it was women's fault for not receiving equal pay.
However, it was her support for former President Donald Trump that truly polarized fans. Specifically, when she defended the comments he made about Mexicans. Something that did not sit well with either the Mexican or Black communities and left people confused given that Dash is of Mexican and Black descent.
And while Dash has publicly apologized for comments made over the past decade, it appears to be too little, too late.
Why Missteps Have Affected Stacey Dash Negatively And Left Alicia Silverstone Unblemished
What is interesting about both Silverstone and Dash is that they have both had to deal with their fair share of controversy. Yet that controversy has proven to shine a much more negative light on Dash than it ever has on Silverstone.
In the years since Clueless, Silverstone became a mom. And when her parenting practices were revealed, controversy followed.
Be it from feeding her son like a baby bird when he was a baby to bathing with him as he aged to continuing to co-sleep with him at the age of 11.
There is plenty there for others to not agree with or think is strange. But because the Reptile star did not try to impose her beliefs on others, Silverstone managed not to alienate fans.
Proof Is In The Net Worth
The popularity that Silverstone has versus that of Dash is something that can be seen tangibly. And that is in the form of the net worth of each of these women.
Despite still continuing to act and her days at Fox News, the Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens star finds herself worth approximately $500,000, a huge contrast from the days when Dash was worth an estimated $8 million.
In comparison, Silverstone has managed to continue to grow her wealth since her breakout role as Cher.
From vegan cookbooks, mykind Organics, and a flourishing television and film career, the Last Survivors star is worth $20 million. A figure that makes her the most successful actor monetarily from Clueless, with the exception of Paul Rudd.
Both Silverstone and Dash had the opportunity to continue with successful film careers as a result of the success of Clueless. Unfortunately, it did not work out that way for both stars with one faring far better than the other in the nearly three decades since the release of the wildly popular film.
