Top 10 Mean Girls Stars: Where Are They Now?
#10: Rajiv Surendra (Kevin Gnapoor)
Rajiv Surendra may have only had a small role in “Mean Girls”, but he certainly made the most of it. His turn as the rapping mathlete Kevin Gnapoor was a scene-stealer, and provided the film with some of its most memorable quotes. The movie wound up being the high point of Surendra’s film career, and he’s since focused his attention on other artistic endeavors. In 2016 he published a memoir about his fight to land the lead in 2012’s “The Life of Pi” titled The Elephants in My Backyard and today works as an artist in New York City.
#9: Daniel Franzese (Damian)
Damian leapt off of the screen and into our hearts thanks to a delightfully hilarious performance from Daniel Franzese. Unsurprisingly, Franzese had little trouble finding work after “Mean Girls”. The New York native landed roles in a number of films and TV shows before scoring a prominent role in the second season of the short-lived HBO series “Looking”. In addition to acting, Franzese – who publicly came out in 2014 – continues to fight for LGBTQ rights and currently serves as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation.
#8: Jonathan Bennett (Aaron Samuels)
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Where would a modern “Mean Girls” fan be without Jonathan Bennett? After all, it was his character who famously asked Cady what day it was, inspiring scores of fans to celebrate the film every October 3rd. Bennett’s turn as Aaron earned him a couple of Teen Choice Award nominations, not to mention some pretty sweet exposure. Since 2004, he’s appeared in countless films and TV shows including “Veronica Mars” and “Cheaper by the Dozen 2”, and even appeared as a contestant on season 19 of “Dancing with the Stars”. He also served for nearly two years as the host of “Cake Wars” on the Food Network.
#7: Amy Poehler (Mrs. George)
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Prior to “Mean Girls”, Amy Poehler was best known for her work on “Saturday Night Live”. Since then, however, her star has risen considerably and Poehler has appeared in a number of high profile roles, most notably her Golden Globe-winning performance as Leslie Knope in “Parks and Recreation”. She’s also been a frequent collaborator of “Mean Girls” director and “SNL” alumni Tina Fey, with the two teaming up to host the Golden Globes three years in a row. Poehler also voiced the character of Joy in the Disney/Pixar film “Inside Out”. In short, she’s busy!
#6: Lizzy Caplan (Janis Ian)
Much like her on-screen bestie Damian, Lizzy Caplan’s Janis Ian was a total scene-stealer. Ever since production on “Mean Girls” wrapped, Caplan’s kept extremely busy, appearing in a constant stream of hit films and TV shows – from supporting turns in “Hot Tub Time Machine” and “True Blood” to starring roles in “Now You See Me 2” and “Masters of Sex”. The latter earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In 2017 she married her husband, actor Tom Riley, who she’d met two years earlier.
#5: Tina Fey (Ms. Norbury)
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Tina Fey is the definition of multi-talented. She’s been behind some of Hollywood’s most successful films and TV shows, and while “Saturday Night Live” was undoubtedly where it all started, “Mean Girls” proved she had what it took to make it on her own. The film was a resounding success, and gave Fey the freedom to pursue other projects. She’d follow “Mean Girls” up by creating, producing, writing and starring in “30 Rock”, ultimately taking home a trio of Golden Globes for her effort. Fey has served as the guiding force behind a slew of hits, and has plenty of hardware to show for it.
#4: Amanda Seyfried (Karen Smith)
Karen Smith may be “one of the dumbest girls you will ever meet,” but Amanda Seyfried definitely isn’t! She's had an incredible post-“Mean Girls” career that’s included films like “Jennifer’s Body”, “In Time”, “Les Misérables” and “Mamma Mia” as well as its sequel. The latter allowed her to show off her impressive singing skills, which has led to her contributing songs to a number of her films’ soundtracks. On a personal level, Seyfried married fellow actor Thomas Sadoski in 2017 and the two had their first child, a daughter, shortly after. We wonder if she’ll ever dress her up as a mouse for Halloween.
#3: Lacey Chabert (Gretchen Wieners)
The years have been good to Lacey Chabert, despite fetch never becoming a thing. In her post-“Mean Girls” life, she’s managed to stay relevant by appearing in not one, but twelve Hallmark Channel movies. The longtime actress remarked, “I love working for Hallmark. They've been so good to me.” In addition to her Hallmark work, Chabert has lent her voice to a handful of animated TV shows, including “Robot Chicken” and “Transformers: Rescue Robots” – not to mention video games like “Star Wars: The Old Republic – Knights of the Fallen Empire”.
#2: Lindsay Lohan (Cady Heron)
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From teen idol to cautionary tale, Lindsay Lohan’s career has had its ups and downs, and arguably peaked with Cady Heron and “Mean Girls”. After the film wrapped, things appear to have gotten progressively worse for the former child star, with stints in rehab and multiple arrests for DUIs and possession tarnishing her image. While Lohan has managed to keep her acting career afloat with minor roles in films like “Machete” and “Scary Movie 5”, the promise shown by her early work seems to have disappeared. Things seem to be stabilizing and improving for her, but you can't help but wonder: What if?
#1: Rachel McAdams (Regina George)
It's clear now that 2004 was the year that changed everything for McAdams. The roles of Regina George in “Mean Girls” and Allie Hamilton in “The Notebook” turned her into a household name, and she’s remained a Hollywood A-lister ever since. She’s proven time and time again that her genre is literally everything, appearing in raunchy comedies like “Wedding Crashers”, major franchises like “Sherlock Holmes”, touching rom-coms like “About Time” and Oscar darlings like “Midnight in Paris” and “Spotlight”; the latter of which earned her an Academy Award nomination. She’s also an avid philanthropist, donating her time and money to multiple causes.
