Mean Girls was a hit when it released in 2004, and part of its success owed to its tremendous cast – many of whom are still acting today. Mean Girls, written by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters, featured a roster of known comedic talent alongside younger actors ready to breakout. Led by Lindsay Lohan, who was already an established star even by that point (Lohan was just 17 when the movie released), the movie was a box office smash, grossing $130 million on a budget of just $17m, and many of the actors in Mean Girls‘ cast became much bigger names.
The popularity of the movie has endured since its initial release, even leading to a Mean Girls musical remake. However, Mean Girls itself would not have been nearly as funny, successful, or quotable without the flawless performances from the entire cast. From the impeccable comedic timing and genius line delivery, there was truly not one weak link among them, although their fortunes have differed since then.
Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron
Gradually returned to acting as of 2023
Thanks to movies like The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday, Lindsay Lohan was already an established child actor when she played Cady Heron in Mean Girls, one of her most iconic roles to date. After Mean Girls, Lohan went on to star in films like Just My Luck, Herbie Fully Loaded, and Georgia Rule, as well as guest-star on TV shows like That 70s Show, Ugly Betty, and 2 Broke Girls. However, as a child star who was thrust into the spotlight at such a young age, Lohan was under immense pressure in the public eye. Despite her talent, she struggled with substance abuse and was arrested numerous times throughout her adolescence and early adulthood.
When her career began to suffer, Lohan stepped back from acting between 2015-2018. Since 2018, she’s done a bit of voice work as well as an independent film called Among the Shadows. However, her role in the Netflix holiday film Falling For Christmas served as her major return to film in 2022. Lohan also reunited with her Mean Girls co-stars in a Black Friday commercial for Walmart in 2023, in which some of the original cast members reprised their roles from the film.
Rachel McAdams as Regina George
Still acting as of 2023
Rachel McAdams had only been acting for a few years when she played Mean Girls villain Regina George, the confident and popular leader of her clique, the Plastics. A testament to her range and talent, McAdams was filming the romance film, The Notebook, at the same time as Mean Girls, both of which were released the same year. She went on to star in tons of films like Wedding Crashers, The Family Stone, The Vow, About Time, Spotlight, Game Night, and the Doctor Strange franchise.
In 2023, McAdams played the titular character’s mother in Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. She also played herself in three episodes of the TV series, Dave. McAdams was noticeably absent from the Mean Girls reunion in the Walmart Black Friday commercial.
Lacey Chabert as Gretchen Wieners
Still acting as of 2023
Since she was a child, Lacey Chabert had been doing voice work and acting in films and TV shows, including All My Children and Party of Five, by the time she starred in Mean Girls. Chabert played Gretchen Wieners, Regina’s sidekick who “knows everything about everyone.” Since Mean Girls, Chabert has continued to do a ton of voice work and star in a number of Hallmark Christmas movies. Besides voicing Supergirl in the animated Harley Quinn series, Chabert’s recently appeared in the TV movie The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango. Chabert was also one of the Mean Girls cast members in the Walmart Black Friday commercial.
Amanda Seyfried as Karen Smith
Still acting as of 2023
Seyfriend only had two television roles to her name prior to starring in Mean Girls as Karen Smith, one of the Plastics who is described as “one of the dumbest people you will ever meet.” Seyfried went on to star in a number of films like Jennifer’s Body, Dear John, Letters to Juliet, Lovelace, Ted 2, and Mank. Most notably, she played lead roles in the film adaptations of iconic stage musicals, Mamma Mia! (as well as the film’s sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and Les Misérables.
Seyfried also played Elizabeth Holmes in the miniseries, The Dropout, in 2020, and later appeared in the movie Seven Veils. Seyfried was yet another one of the Mean Girls cast members who reunited with her co-stars in the Walmart Black Friday commercial.
Jonathan Bennett as Aaron Samuels
Still acting as of 2023
Jonathan Bennett had a handful of acting roles under his belt when he starred as teen heartthrob, Aaron Samuels, Cady and Regina’s love interest, in Mean Girls. Like his Mean Girls co-star, Lacey Chabert, Bennett has starred in a number of Hallmark Christmas movies. In 2018, Bennett reprised his role as Aaron Samuels in Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” music video, which featured recreations of scenes from iconic early 2000s “chick flicks,” including Mean Girls. Bennett’s most recent role was in the film, The Plus One.
Lizzy Caplan as Janis Ian
Still acting as of 2023
Lizzy Caplan had done a couple of film and TV roles before starring as Janis Ian, the mastermind behind Cady’s takedown of Regina George, in Mean Girls. After Mean Girls, Caplan went on to star in films like Hot Tub Time Machine, 127 Hours, Bachelorette, The Interview, The Night Before, and Now You See Me 2. She also landed a lead role on the TV series, Masters of Sex, and did guest spots on shows like True Blood and New Girl, as well as the movie Cobweb.
Daniel Franzese as Damian
Occasionally acting as of 2023
Daniel Franzese had only starred in a couple of films before playing the role of Damian, Janis’ gay best friend, in Mean Girls. Franzese went on to star in Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, as well as numerous TV shows like Electric City, Looking (as well as the TV movie from the same franchise), and Recovery Road. Though he’s only done a few roles in the past few years, Franzese is still acting, including the TV series Not So Straight in Silver Lake. He also participated in the Mean Girls reunion for the Walmart Black Friday commercial.
Tina Fey as Ms. Norbury
Still acting and writing as of 2023
Tina Fey was still a regular cast member and head writer on Saturday Night Live (SNL) when she wrote and starred in Mean Girls in 2004. Fey played the role of Ms. Norbury, Cady’s recently divorced Calculus teacher and Mathlete coach. She recruited some of her fellow SNL co-stars and alum to star in Mean Girls, including frequent collaborator and future “Weekend Update” co-host, Amy Poehler.
A few years after Mean Girls, Fey left SNL and created and starred as Liz Lemon in the sitcom, 30 Rock, a fictionalized, satirical take on her time at SNL. After 30 Rock ended in 2013, Fey created another sitcom, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Fey also starred in a number of films, including Date Night, This Is Where I Leave You, and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, as well as Baby Mama, Sisters, and Wine Country with Poehler.
Mean Girls had such magnetic staying power in pop culture that Fey went on to adapt a musical version for the stage. After premiering in October 2017, the Mean Girls musical opened on Broadway in April 2018. Now, Fey is adapting the Mean Girls Broadway musical into a film. Fey will be reprising her role as Ms. Norbury in the new Mean Girls, which is set to be released on January 12, 2024, almost 20 years after the original.
Amy Poehler as Mrs. George
Still acting as of 2023
Amy Poehler had yet to become “Weekend Update” co-anchors with SNL co-star, Tina Fey, when she signed on to Fey’s movie, Mean Girls. Poehler plays Regina’s mom, Mrs. George, “not a regular mom,” but “a cool mom” who tries way too hard to fit in with Regina and the Plastics. After Fey left SNL in 2006, Poehler continued as a “Weekend Update” anchor alongside SNL cast member and head writer, Seth Meyers.
After leaving SNL in 2008, Poehler landed the lead role on the sitcom, Parks & Recreation, which ran from 2009-2015. As mentioned, Poehler and Fey were frequent collaborators, including as co-hosts of the Golden Globes a total of 5 times. Poehler also went on to star in films like Blades of Glory, The House, and Moxie (which she directed), and voice characters in films like Shrek the Third, Horton Hears A Who, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Inside Out. Poehler will be reprising her role as Joy in the upcoming Inside Out sequel, Inside Out 2.
Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall
Still acting as of 2023
A fellow SNL alum, Tim Meadows had already left the iconic sketch comedy show 5 years prior to starring as Principal Duvall in Mean Girls. Meadows went on to star in films like The Benchwarmers, Semi-Pro, Grown-Ups 2, and Trainwreck. He also starred in the TV series, The Goldbergs, and the prequel spinoff, Schooled. Meadows was the only member of the original Mean Girls cast to reprise his role in the sequel, Mean Girls 2. Alongside Fey, Meadows will reprise his role as Principal Duvall in the upcoming film adaptation of the Mean Girls stage musical, based on the original film.
Ana Gasteyer as Cady’s Mom
Still acting as of 2023
Another fellow SNL alum, Ana Gasteyer had also already left the iconic sketch comedy show prior to playing Cady’s mom in Mean Girls. Gasteyer went on to star in films like That’s My Boy, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, and Happiest Season, as well as televised live musicals like Grease Live! and A Christmas Story Live! She also landed lead roles in TV series like Suburgatory and American Auto and starred in the film Wine Country in 2019 with Mean Girls co-stars, Fey and Poehler, along with fellow SNL alums, Maya Rudolph and Rachel Dratch, as well as SNL writers, Paula Pell and Emily Spivey.
Neil Flynn as Cady’s Dad
Still acting as of 2023
Primarily a TV actor prior to Mean Girls, Neil Flynn had 20+ years of acting experience by the time he played the role of Cady’s dad. After Mean Girls, Flynn landed lead roles on two sitcoms: Scrubs followed by The Middle. Flynn went on to star in films like Hoot and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, as well as voice work on projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Carcerem, and The Santa Clauses.
Rajiv Surendra as Kevin Gnapoor
Quit acting in 2005
Rajiv Surendra only had three acting credits to his name when he played Kevin Gnapoor, the smooth-talking mathlete, in Mean Girls. Besides one short film titled 6 ft. in 7 min. in which he played a character named Rajeev, Mean Girls was Surendra’s last film role. He quit acting after losing out on the lead role in the 2012 film, Life of Pi, an experience he writes about in his memoir, The Elephants in My Backyard, published in 2016. Surendra reprised his Mean Girls’ role in the Walmart Black Friday commercial with his fellow Mean Girls co-stars.
Dwayne Hill as Coach Carr
Still acting as of 2023
Dwayne Hill starred as Coach Carr, a high school football coach and incompetent sex education teacher who is exposed and arrested for having sexual relations with multiple underaged students. Hill continued his voice work on the animated series, Jacob Two-Two, and went on to voice multiple characters in a number of shows like Jimmy Two-Shoes, Bolts & Blip, Crash Canyon, Scaredy Squirrel, Numb Chucks, Camp Lakebottom, and Peg+Cat. He also appeared in a podcast series, The Foxes of Hydesville.
Daniel DeSanto as Jason
Still acting as of 2022
Daniel DeSanto was a child actor doing voice work and starring as a series regular on the Canadian anthology series, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, when he starred as Jason, Gretchen’s love interest, in Mean Girls. DeSanto continued to do voice work on the animated series, Braceface and Beyblade. His most recent role was in the TV series, Titans, in 2022.
Diego Klattenhoff as Shane Oman
Still acting as of 2023
Diego Klattenhoff starred as Shane Oman, the jock Regina cheats on Aaron with who later becomes her boyfriend, in Mean Girls. Klattenhoff went on to star in films like Ice Princess, Pacific Rim, and After Earth. From 2011-2013, he starred in the TV series, Homeland, before landing a main role on The Blacklist, from 2013-present. Other than The Blacklist, Klattenhoff’s most recent role was in the film Radius in 2017.
Mean Girls (2004)
- Release Date:
- 2004-04-30
- Director:
- Mark Waters
- Cast:
- Amy Poehler, Lacey Chabert, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan
- Rating:
- PG-13
- Runtime:
- 97 minutes
- Genres:
- Comedy
- Writers:
- Tina Fey
- Summary:
- Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
- Budget:
- $17 million
- Studio(s):
- Paramount Pictures
- Distributor(s):
- Paramount Pictures
- Sequel(s):
- mean girls 2
