The original "Mean Girls," which premiered back in 2004, was a hilarious and insightful exploration of high school dynamics and became a defining film for the millennial cohort. "Mean Girls" also climbed to the shiny summit of the box office charts, which meant a remake was bound to happen. Now, 20 years later, "Mean Girls" is back. But rather than showing what The Plastics are up to 20 years later (that was reserved for a series of highly amusing Walmart Black Friday ads), the film is getting a full-on remake — oh, and it's also a musical. Naturally, the "Mean Girls" reboot will share much in common with the "Mean Girls" musical that ran on Broadway from 2018 to 2020.
Tina Fey, who penned the original, has returned for the sing-songy reimagining — and to reprise her role as the exasperated Ms. Norbury. A few other actors from the original will also make an appearance. But the main characters — including Cady Heron, Regina George, Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith — have been recast.
If you're curious about who will be filling the shoes of your favorite characters, then read on for a look at who they are, what they've been in, and how their portrayal may differ from the original.
Angourie Rice as Cady Heron
Paramount Pictures
Stepping into the role once held by Lindsay Lohan, Angourie Rice is set to portray Cady Heron. Cady, an inexperienced outsider, spent her formative years under homeschooling until her family's relocation prompts her entry into public high school. Here, she encounters the harsh reality of high school dynamics, navigating the intricate social hierarchy dominated by the popular students. As Cady grapples with this new environment, she finds herself harboring a teenage infatuation for Aaron Samuel, inadvertently inviting the wrath of Regina George, the formidable Queen Bee.
Reneé Rapp as Regina George
Stepping into Rachel McAdams' role, Reneé Rapp assumes the character of Regina George in the upcoming musical comedy. Rapp, an American actor and singer, gained recognition for portraying Regina George in the Broadway musical adaptation. While emulating McAdams' portrayal of the formidable leader of The Plastics is no easy feat, Rapp brings a solid understanding of the role's musical nuances.
Beyond her musical prowess, Rapp boasts significant experience on screen, offering assurance to fans of the original film. Notably, she played Leighton Murray in the Max original series "The Sex Lives of College Girls."
Auli'i Cravalho as Janis 'Imi'ike
Paramount Pictures
Auli'i Cravalho takes on the role of Janis 'Imi'ike in "Mean Girls," a character originally portrayed by Lizzy Caplan. Janis, once Regina's close friend, now finds herself at odds with everything Regina represents. Hurt by vicious rumors spread by Regina at school, Janis resolves to seek revenge against The Plastics' leader. Forming an alliance with Cady, the two embark on a mission to teach Regina a lesson.
Cravalho, known for her versatility in acting and singing, marked her movie debut by lending her voice to the titular character in Disney's culturally rich film, "Moana." From her portrayal of Ariel in "The Little Mermaid Live" to her endearing performance in Hulu's high school romantic comedy "Crush," Cravalho's diverse roles showcase her ability to convincingly revive Janis on the big screen.
Tina Fey as Sharon Norbury
Paramount Pictures
In the 2024 reboot of "Mean Girls," Tina Fey makes a return as Mrs. Sharon Norbury, one of the few original cast members reprising her role. Mrs. Norbury, the math teacher at North Shore High School, also takes on the role of a bartender. Her storyline unfolds with a delightful romantic connection to the school's principal, Mr. Duvall, portrayed by fellow SNL alum Tim Meadows.
While Fey deserves recognition for her significant role in writing and producing "Mean Girls" based on her own adolescence, fans primarily associate her with her remarkable comedic work on "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock." What may be less known is Fey's impressive singing ability, showcased in a theatrical duet with Tituss Burgess, her co-star from "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."
Bebe Wood as Gretchen Wieners
Paramount Pictures
Playing the rightful heir to the Toaster Strudel fortune, Gretchen Wood — who broke through as a 10-year-old actress on The New Normal before starring on shows such as "The Real O'Neals" and "Love, Victor" — follows Lacey Chabert as Regina's scheming right-hand Plastic.
"Her tape just leapt off the screen when she auditioned for the movie," Fey recalled. "It just was immediate to me, and to Lorne Michaels. We were like, 'Well, there's Gretchen. That's our Gretchen.'"
"Gretchen also has to be very intelligent, but have this kind of core of fragility that still has to be comic," she added. "And Bebe just understood that from the jump."
Jaquel Spivey as Damian Hubbard
Paramount Pictures
Stage actor Jaquel Spivey makes his film debut with "Mean Girls," taking on the role of Janis' best friend, Damian, famously portrayed as "too gay to function" by Daniel Franzese in the original.
"I'd seen Jaquel in 'Strange Loop' on Broadway, and immediately thought, 'This guy's incredible,'" Fey said of casting. "It will be a surprise to no one that he's incredibly talented and hilarious, and also has that kind of warmth underneath that you need for Damian to have. Damian really does care about his friend, Janis. He cares about his friend, Cady. And so yeah, Jaquel's amazing."
Avantika as Karen Shetty
Paramount Pictures
Avantika Vandanapu (seen on the right in the picture above) takes on the role of Karen Shetty, succeeding Amanda Seyfried from the 2004 original film. Karen, the less intellectually inclined member of The Plastics, openly expresses her frustrations with her cognitive limitations. After The Plastics disband, Karen is revealed to have transformed into a weather anchor with a unique method of predicting rainfall. Among all the characters, Karen stands out as arguably the most quotable.
"Similarly, we were like, 'There's Karen!' Just the moment we saw her tape," Fey recalled of casting the 18-year-old actress. "She is stunningly beautiful. She has this kind of innocent, kind core that Karen needs to have, and she has that warmth."
Christopher Briney as Aaron Samuels
Paramount Pictures
Acquainted with on-screen love triangles from his lead role in "The Summer I Turned Pretty," Christopher Briney steps into the role of the charming love interest to both Cady and Regina, initially portrayed by Jonathan Bennett.
Briney is an emerging American actor. After featuring in a couple of short films in 2018 and 2020, Briney secured his inaugural movie role in Mary Harron's 2022 historical biopic "Daliland." Following this film debut, Briney took on the role of Conrad in the Prime Video original romance series, "The Summer I Turned Pretty." With such a pivotal role in the "Mean Girls" musical adaptation, Briney's profile is poised for a significant rise.
Busy Philipps as Mrs. George
Paramount Pictures
Amy Poehler's memorable portrayal of Regina's overly enthusiastic and out-of-touch mom in the original film garnered a fan-favorite status, creating sizable shoes for Busy Philipps to step into. However, the trailer suggests that the "Cougartown" star possesses the perfect manic energy for the role.
Jon Hamm as Coach Carr
Paramount Pictures
Jon Hamm takes on the character of Coach Carr, who unfortunately doubles as the students' sex education teacher. Originally portrayed by Dwayne Hill, Coach Carr in the original film was exposed for having sex with students — which will likely be rewritten for the 2024 reboot.
Jenna Fischer as Mrs. Heron
Paramount Pictures
An actor from "The Office," Jenna Fischer assumes the maternal role originally portrayed by Ana Gasteyer, Fey's "SNL" cast mate, in the 2004 film.
Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall
Paramount Pictures
Likely experiencing a familiar level of bewilderment with the Gen Z student body, Tim Meadows returns to portray his original character from the first "Mean Girls." Meadows appeared in "Saturday Night Live" alongside Fey and was one of the longest-running cast members.
Ashley Park as Madame Park
Paramount Pictures
Park starred as Gretchen Wieners in the Broadway version of the "Mean Girls" musical. In a fresh addition to the revamped film, the star of "Emily in Paris" takes on a new role as a French teacher.
