Jason Biggs says this controversial 'American Pie' scene couldn't be made today: 'It shouldn't be done now'

Don't tell Jim Levenstein, but Jason Biggs is currently seeing a new flavor of pie. Nearly 25 years ago, the actor had an up-close-and-personal encounter with a warm apple pastry in the 1999 comedy blockbuster, American Pie. Flash-forward a quarter century, and he's spending this July 4 holiday with a limited edition Passion Fruit pie from the chilled sweets experts at Edwards Desserts.

"No offense to apple — we have quite the storied history," Biggs jokes to Yahoo Entertainment about jilting Jim's first love. "It's got a very special place in my heart, mind and... elsewhere. But this pie is absolutely delicious, and it's more suited to my palate if I can say so. It's more Jason and less Jim."

Those eager to further evaluate Biggs's choice of dessert partner for themselves can visit the official Edwards website between June 30 and July 3 to order a Passion Fruit pie. And there could be another serving of American Pie on the way as well. Biggs echoes his co-star Seann William Scott in sensing that the time might be right for an American reunion — well, another one.

"I would 100% be down to do another movie," he says. "I love working with every one of those people. Whenever we're back on set, it's like we never missed a beat. And I loved playing Jim; he's a character that's very special to me. We've kicked around a few ideas, some of which I think are really good. I feel like there's so much that needs to happen, but I would really lover for it to work out. Nostalgia is very big right now, and if the comments on my social media are any indication, there's an appetite for this out there."

We spoke with Biggs about the challenging future of R-rated comedies, whether a certain scene from American Pie could be made today (you know the one) and what Jennifer Coolidge and Eddie Kaye Thomas were like as roommates.

You played an American Pie-hating version of yourself in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. What would the View Askew-niverse Jason Biggs say about your venture with Edwards?

Well, I just know that James Van Der Beek is somewhere right now laughing at me. It's funny, that movie came out in 2001 and even then it was like, "I can't get away from this pie!" And now 25 years later, not only have I not escaped it, but I've totally leaned into it, embraced it and made it a huge part of my life! I've had opportunities to do something like this, and I'm just very protective of it. American Pie is a special movie to me, and that scene in particular resonates with people. I wanted them to feel the right amount of nostalgia and I wanted to do it in a very organic and fun way. I wanted to lean into it and poke fun at the fact that I've been the Pie Guy for the last 25 years.

When we spoke with Seann William Scott recently, he mentioned that the kinds of R-rated comedies that you both made in the late '90s and early aughts are gone now. Do you have any thoughts about why we're not seeing them anymore?

I don't know exactly why, but obviously it comes down to money and business. The industry has changed so much over the last decade and people who are making the big decisions about what to put in theaters want sure bets. It's riskier, I suppose — they don't know what's going to succeed and if it should be streamed instead. But for me, there's nothing I love more than being in a packed theater seeing or hearing something that makes all of us crack up in unison. But at the end of the day, I don't make the decisions and it's not my money that I'm gambling with.

There are always discussions about whether the first American Pie could be made today, especially with scenes like the webcam sequence with Shannon Elizabeth. Would those moments have to be rethought now?

They'd have to be rethought, yeah. That movie was a quarter of a century ago when we made it, and it's a time capsule of that period, as most movies are. Here's how much my own thinking has changed: When I read that script, I remember that scene standing out to me because of the camera. I was like, "Computers have cameras?" I didn't even own a computer at that time, so the idea that you could put a camera on one was just mind-boggling. And now, of course, we have cameras in our hands all the times on our phones.

But yeah, that particular scene and the content of that scene could not be done now and it shouldn't be done now. It reflects the progress that we've made as a society in the last 25 years that we know think, "That's inappropriate." It is and it should be, but the movie stands as its own little time capsule — it's a reflection of the times that we lived in, as most things are. I'm so proud of the movie, and very lucky that I got to be a part of it. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

Have you watched American Pie with your own kids yet? How will you explain it when you do?

It's a really good question; my wife and I talk about this, but we have yet to land on an approach. We know that we want to get ahead of it, and reveal everything to our sons before it's revealed to them by their friends or the internet! [Biggs has two sons with his wife, Jenny Mollen.] We're living in where everything is so easily accessible. My one son is 9 years old, and he's been with me when people come up to me and mention American Pie. They might say, "Oh, it's the Pie Guy!" or "I love the pie scene." So he knows there's something with a pie, he just doesn't know the specifics yet. [Laughs]

But it's getting harder. The good news is that if I'm uncomfortable having the talk with my sons, I could just put the scene on with myself and Eugene Levy and say, "Why don't you just watch this scene?" And Eugene could basically do the talk for me to my son! You know what I might do? I might actually just call Eugene up and have him do the talk with my son. That's the movie actually — that's what I should do.

He is their grandfather in some ways!

He really is. Don't tell my father that — he's my favorite, obviously. [Laughs]

Jennifer Coolidge recently revealed that she was roommates with Eddie Kaye Thomas after American Pie came out. Do you remember hanging out with Finch and Stifler's Mom at their place?

I sure do! I remember their house exactly. I think it was during the filming of the second movie, but Eddie needed a place to stay and he was looking for apartments. Jennifer told him, "I have this house." I believe she was renting it this house, but had sublet it to other people and there was an apartment that she said he could rent. And so Finch literally rented from Stifler's Mom and they live under the same roof together for a year or maybe longer. Talk about life imitating art! As far as I know, they did not have a romantic relationship, though, so it wasn't a full imitation.

Was Jennifer the bigger party animal of the two?

Oh, Eddie and I did our fair share of partying in those days! [Laughs] I don't know if it was a competition, but I remember Jen liked to hang out and have fun. Those days were a lot of fun for a reason. And also a bit blurry for a reason.

I feel like you have to use your Coolidge connection to be on The White Lotus Season 3.

How great would that be? I would love it. My gosh, that would be amazing. That show's incredible, and she was perfect. I mean, Jen has been brilliant in everything she's done. Every role has been written for her, but that was an absolute home run for her.

This August is the 20th anniversary of the trilogy-capper, American Wedding. Do you have any fond memories of that movie in particular?

The thing I loved most about that one was that it was the first film of the three where we went on location. It wasn't for the whole shoot, but we spent a week in San Francisco near Half Moon Bay. We all stayed at the same hotel, and actually filmed the wedding scenes at that hotel. We had all become really close at that point and it was our third movie consecutively together. It was just a wonderful time for us being on location. In those six years, we did three movies and it all went by very quick, but it was also such a monumental part of our lives. I'll never forget that time, ever.

American Pie is currently available to rent or purchase on most VOD services.