Who did Alyson Hannigan play in American Pie? Actress reveals why she initially refused an offer for the sequel

Actress Alyson Hannigan spoke candidly about her role as Michelle Flaherty in the American Pie franchise and how she nearly missed out on the sequels. This revelation came ahead of the 25th anniversary of the first movie, with Hannigan acknowledging that contract disputes were the reason for it.

In a June 6 interview with Vulture, Alyson Hannigan stated:

"The best story from the whole thing was that, you know, it was a low-budget movie with all these tiers of negotiations. There was an A-tier and a B-tier. I think I was on the bottom C-tier with Seann [William Scott]. I was like, ‘Okay, fine.’ It was seven days and it was more of a passion project. Then, in the contract, there was a sequel clause."

She further added:

"I said, ‘Look, I’m getting paid scale plus 10. I’m not going to sign for a sequel. That doesn’t make sense.’ I sound like I was being really difficult, but I just thought it was silly. So they took that [clause] out, which ended up being really nice for me when I did the sequel. There were a couple smart things I did back then."

Apart from her work in American Pie movies, Alyson Hannigan is well known for her portrayal of Lily Aldrin in the TV series How I Met Your Mother. Additionally, she has worked in several other films, such as Date Movie, Kim Possible, You Might Be the Killer, and many more.

---

Alyson Hannigan played Michelle Flaherty in the American Pie movies

Alyson Hannigan wasn't going to be a part of the popular franchise (Image via Getty)

In the American Pie movies, Michelle Flaherty is a prominent protagonist and a close companion to the male lead, Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs). She is always there for him whenever he needs her.

Michelle grows close to Jim and quickly blends in with his friends. Initially, Michelle comes across as a chatty band geek who loves to share her experiences. However, she turns out to be the exact opposite of that.

At one point, she asks Jim when they will get intimate, and they meet up after prom because she believes he is a "sure thing." However, the next morning, she leaves him without any information.

After her first year of college, Michelle forms a bond with Jim in the second film, American Pie 2, which was released a year later. She works as a counselor at the Tall-Oaks band camp, where Jim asks her to pose as his fake girlfriend.

Although the two later call off their fake relationship, Michelle gets depressed as she has already fallen for him. When Michelle returns to Tall-Oaks, Jim realizes he has fallen in love with her. He chases her to Tall-Oaks, and she eventually ends up as Jim's actual girlfriend.

After a few years, in American Wedding, it is revealed that they continued their romance. Jim decides to ask Michelle to dinner and propose to her. She initially thinks he is growing tired of her, but once the misunderstanding is cleared, Jim makes a formal proposal.

In the final film, Michelle marries Jim and gives birth to his son. She is shown cherishing her family and making efforts to rekindle the love she and Jim once shared. At the end, she is seen laughing and seems extremely happy.

---

Alyson Hannigan portrayed the eccentric flute player Michelle Flaherty in American Pie (1999), American Pie 2 (2001), American Wedding (2003), and American Reunion (2012).