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20 facts you might not know about 'Mean Girls'
Paramount

20 facts you might not know about 'Mean Girls'

High school can be quite tough, especially for a new kid. Of course, maybe it’s a little easier when you are Lindsay Lohan. Lohan’s fame once upon a time was largely owed to Mean Girls, the classic 2004 comedy. Get in loser, we’ve got 20 facts you might not know about Mean Girls. Save them to read on October 3 if you want.

 
1 of 20

It’s based on a non-fiction book

It’s based on a non-fiction book
Paramount

In 2002, Rosalind Wiseman wrote a non-fiction book called Queen Bees and Wannabes, which was written for parents of teenage girls to help them navigate the waters of the high school experience. It ended up serving as the basis for Mean Girls, a work of fiction that involved an entirely crafted plot.

 
2 of 20

Tina Fey had the idea for the film

Tina Fey had the idea for the film
Paramount

Fey was working on Saturday Night Live when she read Wiseman’s book. She called up Lorne Michaels and said she was interested in turning the book into a movie. Michaels got Paramount to buy the rights to the book, and the beginnings of the movie were in place.

 
3 of 20

Fey borrowed a lot from her real life

Fey borrowed a lot from her real life
Paramount

Fey wrote the screenplay to Mean Girls, and she turned to her own memories of being in high school to help fuel the plot. She also used the names of people she new in real life for characters, including Cady, Damian, and even Glenn Coco.

 
4 of 20

Another character was named for a celebrity

Another character was named for a celebrity
Paramount

Janis Ian isn’t named for a friend of Fey’s from her childhood, but the name didn’t come out of nowhere. The character was named for the musician Janis Ian, famous for the song “At Seventeen.” She was also a musical guest on the first episode of Saturday Night Live.

 
5 of 20

Everybody was reading for Regina, apparently

Everybody was reading for Regina, apparently
Paramount

Lindsay Lohan ended up playing Cady, and Amanda Seyfried for the role of Karen. However, they both original read for the part of the lead mean girl, Regina George. The casting team actually suggested Lohan take the role of Cady instead. Lohan agreed — worried that playing an antagonist might hurt her reputation anyway.

 
6 of 20

Fey was all in on the choice for Regina

Fey was all in on the choice for Regina
Paramount

Ultimately, Rachel McAdams would get the role of Regina. Fey actually thought McAdams would be perfect for playing a villain because of how “kind and polite” the actress was.

 
7 of 20

A couple notable actors tried out for the film

A couple notable actors tried out for the film
Paramount

Blake Lively auditioned to play Karen, but she did not get the part. Meanwhile, Ashley Tisdale tried out to play Gretchen, but she did not get the role either. On a different note, Evan Rachel Wood was offered a role, but she turned the movie down.

 
8 of 20

A known name was in the mix for Aaron as well

A known name was in the mix for Aaron as well
Paramount

For the role of the love interest of Aaron Samuels, a future star was considered for the role. That would be James Franco, who around the time of casting had been given a notable supporting role in Spider-Man.

 
9 of 20

The person who played Aaron wasn’t the first option

The person who played Aaron wasn’t the first option
Paramount

An unknown actor was cast to play Aaron initially. However, they would eventually get fired. Jonathan Bennett, who played the role, was added to the cast late in the process. Evidently, Fey was swayed by the fact that Bennett looked similar to Jimmy Fallon.

 
10 of 20

Lizzy Caplan had to change minds to get in the movie

Lizzy Caplan had to change minds to get in the movie
Paramount

For the role of Janis, director Mark Waters envisioned an a “Kelly Osburne type.” Caplan auditioned, and apparently, there was concern she was “too pretty” for the part. However, she was cast anyway, because Waters and company felt she gave a great emotional performance to the role.

 
11 of 20

Fey wrote two parts with old comedy friends in mind

Fey wrote two parts with old comedy friends in mind
Paramount

Fey wanted Amy Poehler and Tim Meadows — two other veterans of the Chicago improv scene — for the film, and they both got roles. However, Fey was worried that her good friend Poehler would be nixed by the studio for being too young to be the parent of a teenager. Fortunately, that concern proved unfounded. Additionally, another SNL alumnus in Ana Gasteyer ended up with a role as well.

 
12 of 20

The concerns about Poehler’s casting made some sense

The concerns about Poehler’s casting made some sense
Paramount

Hey, we would never quibble with Poehler or McAdams being in a movie. That being said, the idea that Poehler was too young to play McAdams’ mom is valid. Poehler is only seven years older than McAdams.

 
13 of 20

The director and star were familiar with each other

The director and star were familiar with each other
Walt Disney Pictures

Waters got the gig directing Mean Girls on the heels of his breakout comedy Freaky Friday. That movie also starred Lohan. Waters must have enjoyed the experience of working with her on that film if he was down to take this job.

 
14 of 20

Fey made fetch happen

Fey made fetch happen
Paramount

Fey invented “fetch,” the slang that Gretchen tries to make a thing. She didn’t do it because she was interested in crafting a hip neologism, though. The screenwriter didn’t want to use any current real teen slang, because Fey knew that eventually it would become outdated.

 
15 of 20

Fey and Poehler were on-set rap coaches

Fey and Poehler were on-set rap coaches
Paramount

Rajiv Surendra did not necessarily have rap chops before being called upon to do so in Mean Girls. Fey and Poehler coached the actor on his rapping. Having come up in improv, the two had likely been called upon to rap comedically at times. Also, if you have seen Poehler on SNL or heard her on some hipster comedy podcasts, you know she can legitimately rap.

 
16 of 20

They shot the film north of the border

They shot the film north of the border
Paramount

Mean Girls is set in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago and the home of Northwestern University. However, the movie did not shoot there. Almost the entirety of the film was shot in Toronto. A high school in Montclair, New Jersey, was also used briefly, but the bulk of the action was done in Canada.

 
17 of 20

The movie was a big hit

The movie was a big hit
Paramount

Made for a budget of only $17 million, Mean Girls made $130.1 million worldwide. It was critically well received, and won three Teen Choice Awards and three MTV Movie Awards. The film has kept its legacy strong as well. In 2021, Marie Claire named it the best 2000s movie.

 
18 of 20

There was a musical (and it might become a movie)

There was a musical (and it might become a movie)
Paramount

Mean Girls hit Broadway in 2018. Fey wrote the book, and her husband, composer Jeff Richmond, handled the score. While the musical was nominated for a whopping 12 Tonys, it did not win any. Since 2020, Fey has talked about plans to adapt the musical version of Mean Girls into a movie. Hey, it worked for The Producers.

 
19 of 20

There was a sequel (and it’s OK if you didn’t know that)

There was a sequel (and it’s OK if you didn’t know that)
Freeform

Yes, there is a Mean Girls 2. Don’t worry if you missed it. The film debuted on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2011 before hitting DVD. Only one character, and actor, returned from Mean Girls. That would be Meadows as Principal Duvall.

 
20 of 20

There was almost a spinoff, and there might be a sequel

There was almost a spinoff, and there might be a sequel
Paramount

In 2014, a spinoff movie called Mean Moms was announced. However, New Line pulled the movie from its release schedule later that year, and the movie idea never resurfaced. There has also been a lot of talk of a potential theatrical sequel, and as recently as 2020, both Lohan and Waters have talked about wanting to do it. However, unless Fey writes the film, it seems unlikely to happen.

Chris Morgan is a Detroit-based culture writer who has somehow managed to justify getting his BA in Film Studies. He has written about sports and entertainment across various internet platforms for years and is also the author of three books about '90s television.

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