I’ve seen it so many times! It’s one of those films that is really associated with my adolescence and youth. If I wasn’t in the new one, I would watch all the interviews and be at the theater the day it came out. To be a part of it is surreal!
Mean Girls has fans of all generations. As many people in their 20s as in their 40s have told me they grew up with the film. Some 14-year-olds I’ve met have told me it’s their favorite movie to watch while they’re sleeping over at friends’ houses. He has no age, in my opinion.
Tina Fey, who wrote the original, the Broadway musical and this one, is a great screenwriter because she is constantly adapting and evolving, and her works reflect that. I said that 2004’s Mean Girls is ageless because it’s not stuck in time. For example, Tina Fey knew that the phrase “Fetch” was bound to go out of style, so she made a joke out of it that became one of the most memorable. She made some changes for the musical and for the new film, but nothing that distorts the original.
I loved asking her about her experience making the 2004 film, but the wonderful thing about her is the freedom she gave us. We could ask him all possible questions, question certain things, rework others, without fear of being sent to pasture. This latitude made a big difference.
Sometimes, but I’ve noticed that any work environment can remind us of high school, and not necessarily in a bad way. Groups of friends who form and have dinner together or teamwork, for example. High school in Australia is quite different than in the States, so my filming doesn’t really resemble what I experienced. However, Mean Girls reminded me of other American high school films I’ve done.
Some were more ambitious than others. The directors (Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.) wanted to film a few songs in one long take, like I’d Rather Be Me. It was really fun, but also very demanding. I believe the result was worth the effort, even if you have to be attentive to realize that there is no cut.
I love playing characters who are going through a transformation. My process is always the same. I take notes while reading the script and then ask myself questions. Among other things, I noticed the first lie from Cady, who is initially a very honest person. I wondered why she lied at that time and why to this particular person. Then I assessed how his lies became more and more serious and how they led to his downfall. By doing this work at home, I arrive on set ready to start filming.
