The actress revealed in a 2022 interview with Vogue that she originally pursued a completely different character when she joined “Mean Girls,” only to see the filmmakers steer her in another direction. As Lohan celebrates her 40th birthday, the story offers a fresh look at one of the most surprising casting decisions behind the beloved comedy.
Lindsay Lohan Originally Had Her Eyes on Regina George
Looking back on “Mean Girls,” Lohan admitted she wasn’t immediately drawn to the role audiences now associate with her. “I wanted to play Regina,” she recalled, revealing that she initially envisioned herself as the leader of the Plastics instead of the film’s newcomer, Cady Heron.
Source: IMDb
Her reasoning came down to where she was in her career. Having just finished “Freaky Friday,” Lohan explained that she wanted “to play a pretty normal girl now” rather than take on “the ‘damaged teenager’ again.” She was especially excited by Regina because the character offered a chance to portray someone completely different from the roles audiences had come to expect from her.
Director Mark Waters and writer Tina Fey, however, had another plan. According to Lohan, both were convinced she belonged in the lead role, repeatedly telling her, “No no no, you’re the lovable one, you have to play Cady.” Although she eventually embraced their vision, she admitted she was “so eager” to reach the point in the story where Cady transforms from an outsider into the school’s new queen bee.
Released in 2004, “Mean Girls” became both a critical and commercial success, earning more than $130 million worldwide and establishing itself as one of the defining teen comedies of its era. Rachel McAdams‘ Regina George and Lohan’s Cady Heron became equally iconic, proving that the casting choice the actress initially questioned ultimately helped shape a film that continues to resonate with audiences more than two decades later.
