The New “Mean Girls” Cast Looks Different Than the Original — and That’s the Point

The very first shot of the 2024 musical reimagining of “Imply Ladies” is a vertical body. Two characters, Janis (performed by Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), movie themselves singing a tune that units the stage for the story to observe. They’re troubadours for the TikTok set — and it is a “Imply Ladies” for a brand new era.

The Cady Heron, Regina George, and Aaron Samuels of the unique movie, launched in 2004, had by no means seen an iPhone — these would not debut for one more three years. “Instagram,” “Twitter,” and “Snapchat” would have appeared like gibberish. Karen was only a title, and Donald Trump was only a enterprise mogul.

Twenty years later . . . effectively, issues are completely different. We have seen not only a technological revolution, however a cultural one. Extra Individuals have change into extra conscious of how rampant racism and discrimination — from microaggressions to hate crimes — are on this nation. And whereas we nonetheless have a protracted approach to go, individuals have a better understanding of the hurt attributable to failing to adequately signify a variety of identities on display.

In 2004, the unique movie did make jokes about racial stereotypes (“In the event you’re from Africa, why are you white?”), nevertheless it did not go as far as to solid an individual of shade in any of the primary roles. (Truly, that was a joke within the authentic film, too: Kevin G asks Janis if she’s Puerto Rican. “Lebanese,” solutions Janis, performed by Lizzy Caplan, who’s white.)

The brand new “Imply Ladies” solid is notably extra numerous than the unique, and the solid tells POPSUGAR that they are grateful for the power to carry their characters into 2024 by integrating extra of their particular person identities.

“I received to carry a bit little bit of myself to the character,” says Bebe Wooden, who performs Gretchen Wieners. “I used to be speaking with [director Arturo Perez Jr.] and he was like, ‘Wait, I heard someplace that you simply’re Latina . . . We should always simply add one thing in there.'”

The addition to the script was small — a single point out of her abuelito — however for Wooden, the influence was big. “I’ve by no means been capable of play Cuban American earlier than,” she says. “So it was thrilling so as to add just a bit nod to my heritage inside the position.”

Avantika, who performs Karen Shetty within the new movie, was equally grateful to have the ability to embrace her background on display. “It actually meant so much when . . . on the preliminary desk learn, [screenwriter Tina Fey] was like, ‘Is there something in regards to the title like Karen Smith that you simply need to change?'” Avantika says. “And I used to be like, ‘I am South Indian, I’ve by no means gotten to play somebody who’s brazenly South Indian, and I converse Telugu at residence; would it not be doable to usher in the final title from my tradition?’ . . . And so we selected Karen Shetty. That is actually particular to me that [Fey] gave me the house and freedom to carry that.”

Karen is not the one character to get a brand new title: Janis Ian is now Janis ‘Imi’ike, reflective of Cravalho’s Hawaiian heritage. Cravalho desires to get to a spot the place variety in movie is the rule, quite than the exception. “Each movie that I am in, I get requested about: ‘Why is illustration vital in movies?'” she says. “Thanks for asking me that query — however can we transfer on a bit bit? An area that I am attempting to maneuver out of is being requested all the time about, ‘How vital is it to you to be the primary pioneer?’ I’m excited to open the doorways and simply break by. [But] I do not need to be the primary.”

This name-claiming is particularly significant in a movie the place name-calling and misnaming trigger a lot hurt. The Plastics, “fugly slut,” “dyke” (within the new model, up to date to “pyro lez”): they’re all names and labels doled out like candy-cane grams, and the scholars of North Shore Excessive really feel the burn.

Spivey says that he tries to disregard labels that different individuals stick on him; they don’t seem to be the reality, he says. “Even within the movie, Regina calls Karen silly, so subsequently Karen looks like she’s silly. However I’ve a powerful feeling if Karen did not hear, she would not really feel silly. You recognize what I imply?” Spivey tells POPSUGAR. “So for me, I feel lots of people could be like, ‘Oh yeah, you are a plus-size queer actor.’ I’m, however I am additionally simply an actor. So perhaps you do not label me and I will not label myself and I can simply be no matter I need.”

This sentiment is echoed by this era’s Regina George, Reneé Rapp. Rapp is brazenly bisexual (and has hinted in prior interviews and on social media that her Regina may not be as straight because the character’s relationships with Aaron Samuels and Shane Oman may point out). However she additionally makes clear that solely she has the best to touch upon her sexuality.

“I’ve come out a number of completely different instances in my life and with a few various things, and it just lately has modified so much for me,” says Rapp, maybe referring to her portrayal of Leighton Murray, a school freshman who comes out as a lesbian on “The Intercourse Lives of School Ladies.” “However I can’t let you know what number of instances I’ve obtained feedback within the final month or two which might be identical to, ‘Oh, congrats on [coming out] once more,'” she says, her tone altering to the vocal equal of an eye fixed roll. “And I used to be like, bro, really fuck you. You suck.”

There’s energy in claiming and coming into your identification. And the individuals who attempt to put you in a field or use your individuality to harm you? Rapp is correct: they suck.

Angourie Rice says she’s studying to let go of the opinions and expectations others have of her — not in contrast to her character, Cady Heron. “After I was 17, I had a very nice 12 months when it comes to work and publicity, and it was my last 12 months of highschool and I graduated. And that felt like a very profitable 12 months for me. I feel if you’re an adolescent working within the business and also you get success at a selected level in your life, there’s perhaps a stress to kind of keep at that time in your life,” she says. “[You think], ‘Oh, that is once I received probably the most validation, subsequently I must be like that all the time.'”

However Rice is seeking to develop and sees how counting on exterior affirmation for her sense of self-worth may very well be holding her again. “For me, [I’m working on] releasing that fixed want for validation as a result of I received it a lot at this specific level in my life,” she says. “I am not 17 anymore.”

Getting into the position of final teen heartthrob Aaron Samuels got here with related pressures for Christopher Briney. However in enjoying Aaron, “I simply tried to be Chris,” he says. “I actually wished to interrupt freed from expectations of what I assumed individuals wished to see after they see Aaron Samuels.”

It takes a particular sort of setting to have the ability to foster a lot freedom and vulnerability within the actors’ performances — and the solid says they felt supported by each other instantly.

“The friendships got here simple. It was really easy, so enjoyable to work with these individuals. I beloved it a lot,” Rice reminisces. “I feel additionally we have been all so dedicated to creating the film the perfect it may probably be, and I discovered so much from each Jaquel and Auli’i. Auli’i stands up for herself a lot. Jaquel is likely one of the funniest performers I do know. And so simply being in a room with these two individuals and studying a lot from how they work and who they’re was a deal with.”

Spivey agrees. In any case, he says, Fey set the tone from day one which the entire movie is about highschool — that it’s a must to have enjoyable for it to actually translate. As he places it, “It is an actor’s dream to have the ability to step into an area and really feel comfy sufficient to play — and to play as a lot as you may and uncover.”