10 things i hate about you is a 1999 american teen movie. it is directed by gil junger. it was the first movie he directed. the movie is a modern version of william shakespeare's play "the taming of the shrew". the main character is katarina "kat" stratford. she is played by julia stiles. heath ledger plays her love interest patrick verona. kat is a feminist. her sister bianca is trying to find kat a boyfriend. she decides that patrick would suit kat because he is also an outcast. the scholastic corporation published a novel of the story in june 1999. it was written by david levithan.