‘Mean Girls’ 20th anniversary: Reflecting on the most fetch movie of all time

Who knew a film about a trio of “Plastics” whose biggest concern is which shade of pink they would wear on Wednesday and whose clique is upended by a homeschooler would grow into a phenomenon that still impacts us two decades later? On April 30, 2004, “Mean Girls” hit the theaters, and topped the box office; even critics praised the smart and funny script, as well as the breakthrough performances of its stars. It’s hard to believe that Tina Fey‘s “Mean Girls” are all grown up, and even harder to picture anyone else in those iconic roles — but as with most films, casting almost went in a totally different direction. Read on for more about the “Mean Girls” 20th anniversary.

While working as a writer on “Saturday Night Live,” Fey read “Queen Bees and Wannabes” by Rosalind Wiseman, and was inspired to write a screenplay based on her own experiences at Upper Darby High School in Pennsylvania. Although Fey had been writing for “SNL” for several years, winning accolades including an Emmy and a Writers Guild of America Award, “Mean Girls” was her first venture into writing for film. And, boy, did she create a screenplay that is just so … grool. She garnered another WGA nomination, this time for Best Adapted Screenplay, and created one of the most quotable films of the past 20 years. However, as with any movie, a clever script doesn’t always translate into a hit film. Casting plays a major role — and not just getting the right performers, but making sure the right performer is cast in the right role.

Lindsay Lohan had risen to fame in a trio of successful Disney films, “The Parent Trap” (1998), “Freaky Friday” (2003) and “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” (2004), and was the original choice to play the “back-stabbing slut-faced ho-bag” Regina George. Meanwhile, Rachel McAdams auditioned for the role of the naive and kind Cady Heron, but was ultimately considered “too old” for the character. At age 24, McAdams was indeed the oldest of the Plastics in real life, but nonetheless made such a positive impression upon the casting team that they were reluctant to lose her.

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Eventually, it was decided that Lohan would be better in the role of Cady, with the thought that her fanbase might not appreciate her role as a “mean girl.” It was a strategy that worked; “Mean Girls” became one of Lohan’s most well-known roles, and she won three Teen Choice Awards and two MTV Movie Awards for the performance. Once her role was switched to Cady, the casting team had to set about to find their “Queen Bee.”

Amanda Seyfried had done some modeling and had appeared on some soap operas, and was set to start college in the fall of 2003 when she decided to audition for the role of Regina; director Mark Waters loved her take on the character. However, when Lohan’s role switched to Cady, she was tested with McAdams. The dynamic between the slightly older and theater-trained McAdams and the younger and just blossoming Lohan was electric, and McAdams won the part of Regina. Although she lost out on the role of Regina, Seyfried still didn’t make it to college as she had planned.

Several actresses, including Haylie Duff and Leighton Meester, had auditioned for the role of the sweet but ditzy Karen Smith, who has the amazing ability to predict rain with her breasts. Blake Lively was the top choice for the character, but Seyfried’s name kept coming up in casting decisions, and when she was brought in to read for Karen, she proved smart enough to play dumb blonde, and her acting career skyrocketed.

Rounding out the Plastics is Lacey Chabert, who had become well-known for more dramatic roles, primarily as one of the leads in the TV program “Party of Five.” Actresses including Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens had auditioned to co-star as Regina’s second-in-command, Gretchen Wieners. However, Chabert was a revelation with her delivery and comedic timing, and is so fetch as the rich and popular but completely clueless heiress to the Toaster Strudel dynasty.

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While McAdams was considered “too old” to play Cady, Lizzy Caplan was deemed “too pretty” for the role of goth outsider Janis Ian. America Ferrera and Kat Dennings were both considered. It was a hard role, as on the surface she is a villain for plotting against Regina; however, in reality, she is just acting out of past hurts. Caplan brought the proper balance, and won the role. While he struggled during his audition, Daniel Franzese ultimately won the role of Janis’s openly gay sidekick Damian, who many times manages to steal scenes from his diva co-stars.

Caplan’s character was named after the singer Janis Ian, who appeared on the first “SNL” episode as a musical guest, singing one of her signature songs, “At Seventeen,” which is playing in the background at Regina’s house while the girls are fighting. Alluding to Ian wasn’t the only “SNL” element Fey brought to the film. She created the role of Principal Duvall for fellow “SNL” alum Tim Meadows. For Regina’s cool, “not like a regular mom,” mom, Fey’s longtime friend and “SNL” cohort Amy Poehler was cast.

From “Burn Books” to sneak Kalteen nutrition bar attacks to ostracizing someone for sweatpants to toying with a boy’s affections, it’s hard to determine who the villain of “Mean Girls” is — or if there’s one at all. The beauty of the final casting is that each actress brings the right balance of cattiness, insecurity and evolution to each character, giving teens and adults alike plenty of laughs as well as a feel good ending.

The success of the film brought a new level of fame to the cast members, with Lohan, McAdams, Chabert and Seyfried solidifying their popularity with an MTV Movie Awards win for Best On-Screen Team. “Mean Girls” was turned into a Tony-nominated musical, with Fey winning a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Book of a Musical in 2018; the film version topped the box office for three weeks in January of this year. But don’t be jealous of their successes – they can’t help it that they are so popular!

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