''Fifteen and Pregnant'' is a 1998 American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by

Sam Pillsbury Sam Pillsbury is an American film director, producer, and winemaker. Massachusetts-raised Sam Pillsbury emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 14. At age 23 he began working for the government-owned National Film Unit of New Zealand, joining a ...

, written by Susan Cuscuna, and starring

Kirsten Dunst Kirsten Caroline Dunst (; born April 30, 1982) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the short ''Oedipus Wrecks'' directed by Woody Allen in the anthology film '' New York Stories'' (1989). She then gained recognition for her ro ...

Park Overall Park Overall (born March 15, 1957) is an American actress, environmental and women's rights activist, and former U.S. Senate candidate, known for her trademark heavy Southern accent. Her best-known role was as nurse Laverne Todd in the sitcom ...

, David Andrews, and Margot Demeter. Based on a true story, Dunst portrays a 15-year-old pregnant girl. It premiered on Lifetime on January 19, 1998.

Plot

14-year-old Tina has sex with her new boyfriend, Ray. Ray later ends his relationship with Tina, telling her that he must focus upon his athletic goals. When Tina discovers that she has started her

period Period may refer to: Common uses * Era, a length or span of time * Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark Arts, entertainment, and media * Period (music), a concept in musical composition * Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...

, she is extremely relieved. On Tina's 15th birthday, she is despondent because another birthday has passed and she does not have a boyfriend. Tensions arise between Tina and her mother when they are in the car together and listen to a radio program where the commentator makes remarks about the high number of teenagers getting pregnant. Tina's mother asks her daughter if she knows anyone who is sexually active, or if she has ever been sexually active. Tina is evasive and gives a non-committal response. She and her friend Laurie, a young mother who became pregnant at 17, attend a sexual health clinic where it is confirmed that Tina is pregnant. It all comes to a head when Laurie tells Tina to tell her mother about the pregnancy. Her mother, a conservative Christian, is shocked but due to her beliefs, decides to help her daughter. Her dad is less upset and comforts his daughter. When Tina tells Ray, he feigns happiness and acts like he wants to be with her. Tina begins pregnancy classes with her mother. After hearing a story from a girl about how hard teenage motherhood is and how her boyfriend cheated on her, Tina calls Ray and yells at him because she thinks he won't be a good father as he promised he would be. She tries to make him stay with her, but when Ray isn't as present as she'd hoped, Tina is suspicious. At the mall she finds Ray kissing another girl, cheating on her. She is upset and tells him she is over him and ends their relationship. Throughout the stressful pregnancy, Tina's younger sister Rachel reacts with both disgust and jealousy to the attention Tina receives from her concerned parents. Even when Rachel breaks her ankle, Tina receives more attention. In one instance, Rachel loses her place on the couch because Tina wants it; Rachel is told to go upstairs on her crutches if she wants to lie down. Exasperated, Rachel calls their grandmother to ask permission to live with her. As the pregnancy becomes overwhelming, Tina is rushed to the hospital and is about to give birth when her mother has a

panic attack Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and discomfort that may include palpitations, sweating, chest pain or chest discomfort, shortness of breath, trembling, dizziness, numbness, confusion, or a feeling of impending doom or of losing ...

on how her daughter is going to have a baby. When Tina is in labor, Ray shows up at the hospital with his new girlfriend only to be turned away by Tina's father, telling him "sperm doesn't entitle you to much" and making him go to the waiting room. After a grueling

labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the la ...

, Tina gives birth to a baby boy whom she names Caleb. She meets her younger sister and grandmother outside the hospital where they all have a small family reunion.

Cast

as Tina Spangler *

as Evie Spangler * David Andrews as Cal Spangler * Margot Demeter as Laurie Walsh *

Julia Whelan Julia May Whelan (born May 8, 1984) is an American actress and author. She is best known for her role as Grace Manning on the television family drama series ''Once and Again'' (1999–2002), and her co-starring role in the 2002 Lifetime movie '' ...

as Rachel Spangler * Zachary Ray Sherman as Adam Spangler *

Daniel Kountz Daniel Kountz (born October 16, 1978) is an American actor and realtor. Early life Kountz got his first taste of acting in third grade, when he played "Tiny Tim" in a school play. Career Kountz has been on television and in movies. In 1998, he ...

as Ray Wood * Marlyn Mason as Grandmom Spangler *

Katee Sackhoff Katee Sackhoff (born April 8, 1980) is an American actress known for playing Lieutenant Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on the Sci Fi Channel's television program ''Battlestar Galactica'' (2004–2009), Niko Breckenridge on the Netflix series '' Another ...

as Karen Gotatus * Karen Johnson Miller as Coach Mary * Karen Trumbo as Jane Walsh * Tyler Gannon as Melody * Sherilyn Lawson as Dr. Ross * Joe Ivy as Dr. Warsaw * Rebecca Nachison as Mrs. Knapp * Jan Brehm as Mrs. Crawley * Angela Uherbelau as Carmela * Kaci Baxter as Holly * Skylar Thiel-Klare and Karina Thiel-Klare as Allison Wales * Victor Morris as Tom

External links

* {{Sam Pillsbury 1998 films 1998 drama films 1998 in American television 1990s English-language films 1990s pregnancy films 1990s teen drama films American drama television films American films based on actual events American pregnancy films American teen drama films Drama films based on actual events Films about infidelity Films directed by Sam Pillsbury Films set in 1989 Films set in 1990 Films shot in Portland, Oregon Lifetime (TV network) films Teenage pregnancy in film Teenage pregnancy in television Television films based on actual events 1990s American films