The Cast Of 'Mean Girls' Then And Now
Mean Girls was a smash hit when it was released in 2004, and it’s still talked about — and endlessly quoted — today. After all, it’s very fetch (okay, we’re still trying to make “fetch” happen!) But where is the cast today? Almost two decades after the original movie, and just around the corner from a new musical movie adaptation, let’s catch up with the iconic stars and see how they’re doing since Mean Girls mania swept the world.
Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron
Poor, innocent Cady Heron never planned to be a mean girl, but she was sucked into the world of the Plastics nonetheless. Lindsay Lohan was iconic in the role of the high school newcomer-(briefly)-turned-queen-bee. But did you know she originally wanted to play Regina George in the movie?
Director Mark Waters told Vulture in 2014, “[Lohan’s] energy is a very aggressive, testosterone-laden energy, and that’s exactly what I knew I needed for Regina George.” But after a script read-through, Paramount bosses decided they wanted her to play Cady instead, and Lohan “begrudgingly” accepted the lead role.
Fetch fact: Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey were the only actors named on the original movie poster
Unfortunately, Lindsay Lohan’s career took a downturn after Mean Girls. She was a tremendous talent, but before long her personal life began to spiral, and she was rarely out of the tabloids.
Lohan seems to have worked out her issues now. She seems happier, and she’s back to acting. She starred in the Christmas rom-com Falling for Christmas in 2022, and in 2023 she reunited with Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Colbert for a Mean Girls-themed Walmart ad, which was as iconic as we hoped.
Rachel McAdams as Regina George
Rachel McAdams’ Regina George was the queen of the Plastics at North Shore High School, and she ruled with an iron fist. She also ruled with fear, and Cady soon learned how to exploit that fear. Regina always considered herself the victim in the situation, of course, especially when she got hit by a bus.
Though Regina was meant to be 16 or 17 years old, McAdams was actually 26 when she was filming the movie! The actress originally read for Cady, but director Waters thought she was too old for the part. When it came to finding a Regina, though, he felt McAdams’ age suited the role: “I think it makes sense if Regina kind of grew up a little too fast,” he told Vulture.
Fetch fact: Rachel McAdams was only 7 years younger than her on-screen mom
After Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams’ career went from strength to strength. The Notebook was released the same year, and she went on to star in hit after hit, including Wedding Crashers (2005), Sherlock Holmes (2009), and About Time (2013). She was also nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the 2015 movie Spotlight.
Still, McAdams credits Mean Girls for much of her success. “Does Regina George haunt me every day? She does have that quality,” the actress told The New York Times in 2018. “No, I have to thank Regina George for giving me some longevity. I’m forever grateful to Tina Fey and Mark Waters.”