13 Unmissable Truths About 'Valley Girl'

The 1983 hit film Valley Girl is credited with popularizing expressions such as 'for sure' and 'gag me.' While Valspeak existed prior to the movie, which earned $17.3 million on a modest $600,000 budget, the film played a key role in portraying 'Valley Girls' in a more favorable manner. It follows Julie, played by Deborah Foreman, a Valley Girl who falls for Randy, a Hollywood punk portrayed by Nicolas Cage, despite opposition from their peers.

This film was Cage's breakthrough role, showcasing his unique charm early on (more details to come). Directed by Martha Coolidge, who earned just $5000 for her work, Valley Girl remains a beloved teen romantic comedy and a cinematic gem—soon to be reimagined as a musical adaptation. Dive into these 13 fascinating facts about the original movie.

1. Valley Girl draws its inspiration from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

The names Randy and Julie in Valley Girl are no accident, nor is their kiss beneath a Romeo and Juliet theater marquee. “It was absolutely intentional, as it’s a love story,” Martha Coolidge explained to the Kickin’ It Old School blog. “I emphasized this by crafting distinct Valley and Hollywood aesthetics. This amplified the tension for Randy and Julie, mirroring the familial divides in Romeo and Juliet. The parallels were designed to be playful yet grounded in genuine observations about local clashes and teenage struggles. It’s not about marriage but love, maturity, and finding individuality.”

The original script by Andrew Lane and Wayne Crawford lacked key romantic moments, so Coolidge collaborated with the writers to include a falling-in-love scene and a break-up scene.

2. The title Valley Girl was inspired by a Frank Zappa song, though he disapproved of its association with the film.

A year before Valley Girl hit theaters, Frank Zappa and his daughter Moon Unit released the hit song “Valley Girl,” featuring exaggerated Valspeak over Zappa’s music. In an interview, Zappa stated, “I don’t want people behaving like that. I find Valley Girls repulsive.”

In a 1982 interview, Zappa reiterated his disdain: “People assume ‘Valley Girl’ is a cheerful song, but it’s not. I’ve always loathed the San Fernando Valley. It’s utterly depressing.” While he initially considered working on a script tied to the song, he insisted it shouldn’t resemble Beach Blanket Bingo. However, when the film entered production, Zappa sought a court order to stop production, claiming copyright infringement, and sued for $100,000 in punitive damages.

3. Martha Coolidge cast Nicolas Cage as the lead without knowing he was part of the Coppola family.

Before Valley Girl, Coolidge had worked on a script at Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope, though it never materialized. When she took on Valley Girl, she sought a lead actor who wasn’t conventionally handsome. “We auditioned everyone from that era,” Coolidge recalled at a 2011 screening moderated by Kevin Smith. “All the Brat Packers and others came, but I turned them down. I nearly chose Judd Nelson, but he was unavailable, which turned out to be fortunate.” While reviewing headshots, she stumbled upon one labeled “Nicolas Cage” and, after his audition, knew he was perfect for Randy.

Cage initially declined the role due to his commitment to Coppola’s Rumblefish. It wasn’t until Coolidge contacted the production company to resolve the scheduling conflict that she discovered Cage’s real last name was Coppola and that Francis was his uncle.

4. Martha Coolidge attempted, without success, to introduce greater diversity into the cast.

“I pushed for one of the four main girls to be Black, but the studio rejected the idea,” Coolidge shared during a Valley Girl screening, addressing the film’s lack of diversity. “I did everything possible within the constraints I faced.”

5. To fully embody his role, Nicolas Cage chose to live in his car during the filming of Valley Girl.

Cage immersed himself in his character by staying in his car throughout production. “I recall warning him about the risks of living in his car in Hollywood and how we couldn’t reach him,” Coolidge told Kickin’ It Old School. “He insisted he’d use pay phones—this was before cell phones! Later, while working on Birdy, he wrapped his head in bandages, which made eating a challenge, so perhaps we got off easy.”

6. The on-screen connection between Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman was undeniable.

“I was captivated by [Cage’s] eyes and his incredible energy,” Foreman shared with the Tampa Bay Times about her co-star. “He intimidated me in a way. He evoked emotions in me that I had never felt before. I hadn’t even had a boyfriend before that film… I developed strong feelings for Nic. After filming ended, we had a conversation. I even spent a weekend with him in San Francisco. When we returned, an ultimatum was presented—let’s just say that. I chose not to accept it, and we never pursued a relationship afterward.”

The break-up scene was particularly challenging for Foreman. “I think, deep down, I didn’t want to break up with him! I didn’t want to predestine myself to that,” she admitted. “I resisted the entire experience. It was incredibly uncomfortable. That scene took the longest to shoot. Even now, when I watch it, I think, ‘Wow, that’s so awkward.’”

7. Elizabeth 'E.G.' Daily didn’t embody the Valley Girl persona in real life.

Elizabeth Daily’s portrayal of Loryn intentionally lacked a Valley Girl accent. “I wasn’t very familiar with the Valley Girl persona, so I imagined my character was from Malibu instead,” she explained. “As a rocker from the Sunset Strip, I didn’t fully grasp the Valley Girl vibe, but I think it worked. Some people from the Valley actually speak like that, which is pretty amusing.”

Daily’s non-Valley Girl voice might sound recognizable because she later built a thriving career in voice acting. She’s known for voicing Tommy Pickles in The Rugrats, as well as roles in The Powerpuff Girls, Happy Feet, and Wreck-It Ralph. In 2013, she even auditioned for The Voice.

8. Nicolas Cage’s excessive body hair required him to shave his chest.

At 18, Cage had a notably hairy chest, prompting Coolidge to ask him to shave it to appear younger. “It was an artistic choice for his character,” Foreman shared on the Yo Show. “With all that hair, he looked older. They compromised on a solution.” Cage shaved his chest into a V-shape, visible in the beach scene.

9. The Valley Girl soundtrack was unexpectedly pulled at the last moment.

Valley Girl is celebrated for its iconic New Wave soundtrack, featuring hits like Modern English’s “I Melt With You” and tracks by The Plimsouls, among other ’80s classics. Despite its low budget, $250,000 was allocated to secure music rights. An early version included a song by The Clash, later replaced by Men at Work, but the studio refused to update the credits. “They didn’t care about accuracy; they just didn’t want to spend the money,” Coolidge told Kickin’ It Old School. “CBS pulled the soundtrack album last minute. The film released with updated songs, but some credits were incorrect.” A mini-album was issued, but the full soundtrack didn’t arrive until 1994, courtesy of Rhino Records.

10. The Los Angeles band X was initially slated to appear in the film instead of The Plimsouls.

In the Club Central scene, The Plimsouls perform their hit “A Million Miles Away.” However, Coolidge revealed during the Kevin Smith screening that she originally wanted the band X for the scene. “We were in serious talks with X, but they backed out, saying they didn’t want to alienate their Valley fans,” she explained.

11. Martha Coolidge was granted creative control over Valley Girl—on the condition that the film included some nudity.

Atlantic Releasing, the distributor, aimed to appeal to male audiences by including nudity. Coolidge agreed to add a few brief scenes. “They didn’t care how it was done, as long as it was there,” she told Kickin’ It Old School. “They saw it as an exploitation film for men. But when they watched the final cut, they were stunned. ‘It’s a real movie!’ they exclaimed. The nudity was minimal—just three shots and a glimpse of a fourth. The studio realized a quality film was better than a mediocre exploitation flick. It became a defining moment for them.”

12. Deborah Foreman is notably absent from the Valley Girl poster, likely due to financial disagreements.

The poster artwork shows Nicolas Cage alongside a woman who isn’t Deborah Foreman and doesn’t even appear in the film. “Deborah was experienced in the industry and insisted on fair compensation,” Coolidge explained to Kickin’ It Old School. “When the company expected flexibility from the actors, Deborah wasn’t as accommodating as others. For the poster, possibly because she demanded payment, they used a model instead. I was appalled and thought it was a petty, poor decision, but I had no control over it.”

In a 2013 interview with the Yo Show, Foreman commented, “If I were the producer, I wouldn’t have allowed that. I don’t know the full story.”

13. A musical adaptation of Valley Girl has been in development for years and is set to release in May 2020.

Discussions about a musical version of Valley Girl began in 2009. Initially, Jason Moore was set to direct, but in 2012, Clay Weiner took over for the Paramount/MGM project. As reported by Deadline, “The musical features actors performing ’80s New Wave hits from bands like The Go-Go’s and The Cars.” After years of delays, the film, now directed by Emmy Award-winner Rachel Lee Goldenberg, is scheduled for release on May 8, 2020.

This article has been updated for 2020.