09 Facts You Didn't Know About 2004's "Mean Girls"

Everyone has heard of “Mean Girls.” You’ve either watched the movie or have lived long enough to have heard its jokes, used its gifs, or recognized its most renowned talent show act, the tantalizing “Jingle Bell Rock” song. Its bawdy, satirical perspective on high school hierarchies and the competitive nature of adolescent female friendships has earned its place in the teen cinema hall of fame.

Lindsay Lohan starred in “Mean Girls” as Cady Heron, a newbie at North Shore High School where the Plastics are the most popular clique. Cady makes friends with two other misfits who push her to join the Plastics, which include queen bee Regina George (Rachel McAdams), some dumb Karem Smith (Amanda Seyfried), and try-hard Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert). But what begins as a plan to ruin Regina ends up backfiring on Cady as she begins to adopt some of the more shallow and manipulative Plastics features.

The 2004 Tina Fey cult classic hits its 20 anniversary this year, not to mention that its Broadway remake also hits the big screen. To honor this milestone, we looked back at the iconic film that made “Fetch” happen.

1. Mathlete to Regina?

Rachel McAdams originally auditioned for the role of Cady Heron, but Lindsay Lohan ended up snagging the lead. McAdams then landed the iconic role of Regina George, proving she could rock both sides of the high school spectrum.

2. Almost a completely different burn book:

The infamous burn book was almost much darker, filled with more biting insults and even darker humor. Luckily, they toned it down for the final film, keeping it just the right amount of sassy without going overboard.

3. Get in loser, we’re rewriting the script:

Remember that iconic line? It wasn’t even in the original script! Tina Fey, the film’s writer, came up with it on the fly while filming the scene. Talk about improv genius!

4. From Broadway to Burn Book:

Amanda Seyfried, who played Karen Smith, was actually on Broadway in “Mean Girls” the musical before landing the role in the film! Talk about full circle moments.

5. Fetch yourself a linguist:

The word “fetch” became synonymous with the film, but did you know it wasn’t even supposed to be a slang term? Fey simply used it as a placeholder word, thinking it would be replaced later. But the cast and crew loved it so much, it stuck!

6. More than just Wednesdays:

The Plastics’ signature pink Wednesdays weren’t always Wednesdays. In the original script, their designated color day was actually Tuesdays. But Wednesdays just sounded…fetch-ier.

7. Real Regina, real burn book:

The film was loosely inspired by Rosalind Wiseman’s book “Queen Bees and Wannabes,” which explored the real-life dynamics of teenage cliques. Wiseman even made a cameo appearance in the movie!

8. Jingle bell rockin’ royalties:

The film’s soundtrack was a chart-topping smash, and “Jingle Bell Rock” by Lindsay Lohan even stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for weeks! Talk about making Christmas iconic.

9. More than just a teen comedy:

“Mean Girls” tackled important themes like social pressure, bullying, and female friendships, earning it praise for its sharp wit and surprisingly relatable storyline.