Helen Shivers

Helen Shivers is a main protagonist and murder victim of The Fisherman in I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997). She is played by American actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Biography
Helen Shivers is a 17 year-old beauty pageant contestant during the events at the beginning of the film. She is dating Barry Cox, best friends with Julie James, and friends with Ray Bronson. She has a contentious relationship with her sister, Elsa Shivers. She has aspirations of becoming an actress in New York after graduation. In 1997 Helen returns to her hometown and works at her family store after failing as an actress in New York.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
On July 4, Helen participates in the Croaker Queen Pageant of 1996, supported by her boyfriend Barry, her best friend Julie, and her friend Ray. She reveals her ambitions of moving to New York City to become an actress after graduation. The winner is announced and Helen is crowned the Croaker Queen to the excitement of her friends, especially Barry. After her crowning, Helen goes to the beach to celebrate with Barry, Julie and Ray. They tell stories around a bonfire, including one about a fisherman who kills a pair of lovers. The couples separate and Helen and Barry have sex.

Ray offers to drive home as Barry is much too drunk to get behind the wheel. Despite his protests, Helen convinces him to sit in the back with her. As they drive along a twisting highway, Barry decides to stand up through the sunroof. He distracts Ray long enough that they accidentally hit a random person walking along the side of the road. They find his body and freak out. Barry wants to leave the scene, while Julie wants to call the police. Helen and Ray agree with Barry, thinking they'll be blamed for the man's death, ruining their future. After arguments from Barry, Ray and Helen, Julie agrees to go along with them and throw the body in the water and never mentioned the incident again. When they dump the man's body in the water, he suddenly reaches out and grabs Helen's Croaker Queen crown. Barry jumps in and retrieves it, forcing it back into Helen's hands. One year later, Julie visits the Shivers' family store to ask Elsa for Helen's phone number. Elsa tells Julie that the phone number will be unnecessary as Helen is currently working at the store. It turns out that Helen failed as an actress in New York City and had to return home. Julie shows Helen the note she received with the words 'I know what you did last summer' written on it. Helen worries that someone knows what they did. The two girls head off to Barry's house to show him the note. Barry blows it off, suggesting that Max probably wrote the note, as he was the only one who saw them out on the road that night.

The trio pays a visit to the docks where Max works. Barry threatens him, but Max appears to be clueless to what they're talking about. Shortly after, they run into Ray, who works on a fishing boat.

Julie and Helen take a drive into the country, looking for more information about David Egan. They arrive at his house and meet his sister, Missy. Missy tells them of a visit she received from a friend of David's called Billy Blue. Helen and Julie wonder if this Billy Blue is the one who has been threatening them. They leave Missy's house. When they're parked outside her house, Helen asks Julie why their friendship has eroded since last summer. Julie is unable to answer why, but Helen knows it's because of their decision to cover up the murder. Helen goes inside her home and goes to bed, unaware that a stranger is hiding in her closet. When she wakes up, she finds that chunks of her hair has been chopped off and a note written on her mirror stating "Soon". The group reconvenes to plan how to deal with the threats. Barry suggests they fight back before it's too late. Ray is the most hesitant of the bunch, thinking the problem will go away on its own. Julie wants to do more investigating, and Helen offers to help, but Julie reminds her that she's going to be busy with the festivities. That evening, Helen's participation in the Croaker Queen Pageant is required as she's the reigning queen. She shares a tender moment with Barry, who promises her that he'll never let anything happen to her. During the pageant, Helen watches the contestants perform their talents from the stage, while Barry watches from the upstairs balcony. In the middle of a contestant's performance, Helen sees The Fisherman attack Barry. She screams and begs someone to help him, but everyone is worried for Helen instead. When the police search the balcony for any sign of a murder, they find nothing.

After Barry's death, Officer David Caporizo offers to take Helen home. She tells Caporizo about their pact and how she now believes someone is seeking revenge. He laughs, thinking it's a joke. After making a detour down a back alley, Caporizo has to stop as someone has blocked the way through with their broken-down car. He gets out of his vehicle to help, but Helen notices it's a trap set by The Fisherman. Caporizo is killed by The Fisherman, and Helen screams and attempts to escape from the locked vehicle. She ends up kicking out the window and climbing through and running away. The Fisherman follows in pursuit. Helen makes her way toward her family's shop and notices Elsa still working. Elsa lets Helen inside and Helen tells Elsa to go and lock the back door while she calls the police. While upstairs on the phone Helen hears Elsa scream. Helen goes to investigate and the lights in the shop go out. The Fisherman then attacks Helen and she manages to get away. While looking for somewhere to run, Helen finds Elsa's dead body in the bathroom. She screams and used a lift to take herself to the second floor. There's nowhere for Helen to hide or run on the second floor except for the window. She climbs out and jumps from the window just before The Fisherman can grab her. She lands in a dumpster and runs away. Helen runs through a maze of back alleys, trying to find safety. She knows The Fisherman is sure to be nearby. She spots fireworks explode overhead and follows them, knowing she'll be safe in the crowds and festivities. She finally sees the main road and limps toward it. Then she stops suddenly, scared by a noise behind her. It turns out that there was no danger behind her, but The Fisherman appears in front of her, between Helen and the safety of the main road. He pushes her against a stack of tires and slashes her with his hook. Helen screams and tries to fight back, but he's too strong and he keeps slashing her in the chest and throat. Eventually, Helen is too weak to fight back and The Fisherman is able to deliver a lethal swing. Helen succumbs to her wounds and crumbles to the ground and dies. No one on the street noticed.

Later, while trying to escape from The Fisherman, Julie discovers Helen's dead body in a pile of ice on Sweet Susie. Julie and Ray are able to escape from The Fisherman and Helen's body is safely recovered.

Trivia

 * Helen appears in the sequel to the first film I Still Know What You Did Last Summer in a picture and she was mentioned at 2 times by Julie.