Andrew Keegan Revisits His 'Funny' 1st Meeting With Late Heath Ledger

10 Things I Hate About You was memorable to actor Andrew Keegan from the moment he stepped on set.

“I mean the general experience is a fantastic memory,” Keegan, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly at ‘90s Con on Friday, September 13, noting that meeting costar Heath Ledger was a particular highlight.

“We didn’t have social media then [and] I think I had seen [only] his headshot or something,” Keegan recalled. “I’m at the hotel, we’re waiting to do the rehearsals … and I get on the elevator and all of a sudden it’s about to close the door and the hand comes in and stops the door.”

He continued, “This long-haired — odd-looking to me — guy is getting on the elevator with his backpack or whatever else he had. So, that’s literally my first impression and always a great memory of how I literally met [Heath]. Like, ‘Hey [nice to] meet you.’ Like, ‘Oh great. You’re the guy playing [Joey], got it.’ So that’s always a funny memory.”

Related: ’10 Things I Hate About You’ Turns 25: Where Are the Stars Now?

The beloved 10 Things I Hate About You made its debut on March 31, 1999, and more than two decades later, fans are still talking about the romantic comedy. Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger played star-crossed lovers Kat Stratford and Patrick Verona, respectively. The pair reluctantly fell in love with each other amid a backdrop […]

Ledger, who died in 2008 at the age of 28, portrayed Patrick Verona in 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You. In the teen Shakespeare adaptation, Patrick is hired by Cameron (Joseph Gordon Levitt) to ask Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) on a date so that he can go out with her younger sister, Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik). At the same time, Keegan’s Joey Donner is also trying to gain Bianca’s favor.

10 Things I Hate About You became a cult classic, which has made Keegan’s appearances at fan conventions such as ‘90s Con even more special.

“The last [‘90s Con] was the first for me, and I didn’t realize that we have never had that opportunity,” Keegan told Us. “When you make a film, you go to a premiere [and] nobody’s seen the film before. This is literally the opposite [because] these shows and movies have been seen so much, and so there’s such a great appreciation and it’s really nice in the sense of [that] it’s a form of creativity … where you get an immediate reaction.”

He continued, “It’s cool to really be with people who appreciate the work. I mean, [for] me personally, if you don’t think about it that often, you almost forget about it and then all of a sudden the fans don’t. … It’s quite exciting.”

During his appearance at ‘90s Con, Keegan will also reunite with several of his former 7th Heaven costars. Keegan played Wilson West, the on-off boyfriend of eldest Camden daughter Mary (Jessica Biel), on The WB series.

Related: Romantic Comedies That Were Inspired by Shakespearean Works

Many beloved romance-focused movies have taken inspiration from the Bard himself: William Shakespeare. 10 Things I Hate About You, the 1999 cult classic that starred Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, was initially inspired by The Taming of the Shrew.  The movie followed sisters Kat and Bianca Stratford (played by Stiles and Larisa Oleynik, respectively) as […]

“I actually was watching it recently with my daughter,” Keegan said on Friday. “And Jessica Biel and I had some really intense scenes. … It was really well-written and I was pleasantly surprised at looking back on it. I encourage anyone that wants to go back and look at some totally 7th Heaven episodes to watch it, but it was a great show and we had a great time.”

Keegan even met up with cast members Beverley Mitchell, David Gallagher, Mackenzie Rosman and Catherine Hicks ahead of their joint convention appearance.

“It’s interesting to be with them now as they’re adults vs. literally they were children,” he quipped to Us. “So I was sitting across from Mackenzie last night just going, ‘Wow, I hadn’t seen [her] since she was a child. So I barely recognized [her]. It was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I think the last time I saw you were 10 or 8 or something ridiculously young [and] now I have an 8-year-old.’”

With reporting by Kat Pettibone