“Mean Girls” is a 2004 film that became a cultural phenomenon and has maintained popularity across generations.
American actress Rachel McAdams played Regina George, leader of the popular high school girl clique, “The Plastics,” with Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert playing the other two characters making up the original group. Lindsay Lohan plays Cady Heron, the newest member of the clique who causes a divide when she falls for Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett), the ex-boyfriend of George.
The film has become one of the most quotable movies of all time with lines that have been repeated in the real-world time and time again. “Get in loser, we’re going shopping,” “on Wednesdays we wear pink” and “she doesn’t even go here,” are among the most quotable lines in the movie.
Below are fun facts about “Mean Girls” you may not have known.
From left to right, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert and Rachel McAdams play the leading roles in “Mean Girls.” (CBS via Getty Images)
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- October 3 has become known as “Mean Girls” Day
- The movie was written by Tina Fey, who also stars in the film
- The storyline was inspired by a non-fiction book
- The cast of the movie could have looked very different
- The movie was mostly shot in Canada
- Amy Poehler was “a cool mom” and a young one
- Rajiv Surendra was able to nail his rap with the help of Fey and Poehler
- “Mean Girls” became a Broadway musical in 2018
- The original cut of the movie was a lot more vulgar than the final cut
1. October 3 has become known as “Mean Girls” Day
Oct. 3 has become a day to celebrate the movie due to a classic line in the film. When Heron, played by Lohan, first talks to Samuels, he asked her what day it was, to which she responds, “it’s October 3rd.”
This scene is short, yet memorable. Many who haven’t seen the entirety of the film are familiar with this clip. Now, Oct. 3 is known to be “Mean Girls” Day.
2. The movie was written by Tina Fey, who also stars in the film
“Mean Girls” was written by Tina Fey, who plays teacher Ms. Norbury in the film. The comedian, mainly known for her work on “Saturday Night Live” at the time, worked with “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels, who produced the film.
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Tina Fey, right, did not just play Ms. Norbury in the movie, but she was also the writer of the film. (CBS via Getty Images)
The movie was directed by Mark Waters, who had just previously worked with Lohan on “Freaky Friday.”
3. The storyline was inspired by a non-fiction book
The “Mean Girls” movie was based on the non-fiction book called “Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends & Other Realities of Adolescence” by Rosalind Wiseman.
4. The cast of the movie could have looked very different
It’s hard to picture anyone else playing Cady Heron, Karen Smith, Gretchen Wieners, Aaron Samuels and of course, Regina George, but the cast could have looked very different.
Blake Lively auditioned for Karen Smith in “Mean Girls.” (Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The role of George was a hot commodity, as Seyfried and Lohan both went for the character before landing their respective roles. Blake Lively was almost a gossip girl and a mean girl, being that she was a top choice to play Smith during the casting process.
“I’d flown out to LA for the first time with my mother. It was very exciting,” Seyfried told Vanity Fair in an interview. “I met Lacey Chabert for the first time, and Lindsay Lohan was in the room, and Blake Lively was playing Karen, and then I was Regina.”
Ultimately, Lively did not land the part, and Seyfried ended up playing Smith. Ashley Tisdale was another who auditioned for the movie.
5. The movie was mostly shot in Canada
The setting of “Mean Girls” is Evanston, Illinois, but most of the film was shot outside the country, in Toronto.
6. Amy Poehler was “a cool mom” and a young one
Amy Poehler plays the self-titled “cool mom” to George, but in real life, Poehler wasn’t much older than her on-screen daughter. There is only a seven-year age gap between Poehler and McAdams.
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The “Jingle Bell Rock” performance is one of the most memorable parts in the film. Also, during the talent show scene where this performance plays out, Kevin G, played by Rajiv Surendra, showcases his rap skills. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
7. Rajiv Surendra was able to nail his rap with the help of Fey and Poehler
The “Jingle Bell Rock” performance wasn’t the only one that stole the show. The rap by Kevin Gnapoor (Kevin G), played by Rajiv Surendra, was also a showstopper thanks to the help of Fey and Poehler, who helped him knock it out of the park.
For Fey and Poehler, this rap was important to the movie, and they played a big role in helping Surendra get it right. There’s even a video that circulated online of Poehler attempting the rap herself, with Fey and Lohan in the background.
8. “Mean Girls” became a Broadway musical in 2018
“Mean Girls” has gone from the screen to the stage. In 2018, the musical opened on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre. Now, the Tony-nominated musical is heading back to the screens once again.
It was announced in 2020 that the musical movie would be happening, and casting was released in December 2022, with Angourie Rice, Auli’i Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Bebe Wood and Christopher Brinley in leading roles. Renée Rapp will reprise her role as George on Broadway in the film adaptation.
“Mean Girls” headed to Broadway in 2018. (Walter McBride/WireImage)
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9. The original cut of the movie was a lot more vulgar than the final cut
“Mean Girls” is a movie that many pre-teens enjoy, but it was originally not made for a young audience. While it still has elements that give it a PG-13 rating, it was originally given an R rating by the Motion Picture Association of America.
There were scenes in the original cut that were a lot more vulgar than in the final, including a lot more swearing by McAdams’ character.
