Where are the original Mean Girls now? - from motherhood to Mamma Mia

As a new musical version of Mean Girls hits cinemas, Express.co.uk has taken a look at what the original cast has been up to in the twenty years since the classic movie came out.

By Fran Winston, Showbiz Reporter

Mean Girls cast reprise roles in Walmart ad

When the cast of Mean Girls reunited for a Walmart advert last year fans were thrilled. Twenty years after the iconic movie was released it remains as beloved as ever. It proved a bona fide box office hit in 2004 and has spawned quotes that made a million memes. There has also been a made-for-TV movie sequel and a Broadway musical.

The story of high school hierarchy resonates just as much now as it did 20 years ago and shows no sign of waning in popularity. Leading lady Lindsay Lohan had been a child star and already had a slew of hits under her belt but this movie cemented her teen queen status. It also broke through her co-stars including Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried.

With the movie adaptation of the Broadway version hitting cinemas, bringing the Plastics to a whole new generation, Express.co.uk takes a look at what the original cast has been up to since the film came out.

Lindsay Lohan - Cady Heron

Cady Heron Lindsay Lohan split image

Lindsay Lohan was already a big star when she played Cady Heron in Mean Girls (Image: Getty)

Lindsay Lohan's post-Mean Girls ups and downs have been well documented. However, despite this, she did manage to keep her career going appearing in movies such as Just My Luck (2006), Georgia Rule (2007), I Know Who Killed Me (2007), Machete (2010), and The Canyons (2013). She even starred as screen icon Elizabeth Taylor in the 2012 Lifetime movie Liz & Dick.

In May 2018, in a surprising career move, she opened a club on the Greek island Mykonos called Lohan Beach House Mykonos, which was soon followed by a second one on Ialysos Beach, Rhodes, called Lohan Beach House Rhodes. it was later revealed that she and MTV were producing a reality series set at the Mykonos Club.

But the lure of movies proved too strong and she returned to acting in a 2022 Netflix holiday rom-com, Falling for Christmas, followed by another Netflix rom-com, Irish Wish in 2023.

In 2022, she married financier Bader Shammas and in March 2023, they revealed that they were expecting their first baby. Their son Luai arrived that July and Lindsay posts about her motherhood journey on Instagram. Somewhat bringing her story full circle she has a cameo in the new Mean Girls movie.

Rachel McAdams - Regina George

Regina George Rachel McAdams split image

Rachel McAdams played Regina George in Mean Girls (Image: Getty)

Although she was playing a high school student, Rachel actually turned 25 during the filming of Mean Girls in which she played the iconic Queen Bee, Regina George. Following the movie's success, her career went from strength to strength.

She starred in the beloved romantic drama The Notebook the same year and the hugely successful comedy Wedding Crashers, a year later in 2005.

She earned an Oscar nomination for Spotlight in 2015 and she also had a lead role on the second season of HBO's True Detective.

In 2022, she reprised her role as Dr. Christine Palmer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Just last year, she starred in the film adaptation of Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

In her personal life, she has two children with screenwriter Jamie Linden.

Amanda Seyfried - Karen Smith

Karen Smith Amanda Seyfried split image

Amanda Seyfried went on to star in Mamma Mia after playing nice but dim Karen Smith in Mean Girls (Image: Getty)

Mean Girls was Amanda Seyfried's big-screen debut and she made quite the impression playing Karen Smith, the Plastics' resident airhead.

She followed it up with a long run on the hit TV show Big Love, leading to roles in both Mamma Mia! movies and also the role of Cosette in Tom Hooper's star-studded 2012 big-screen adaptation of Les Misérables.

In 2020, she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for playing actress Marion Davies, the classic Hollywood beauty, in Mank.

In September 2022, she won an Emmy for her portrayal of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout. She is also a Lancôme ambassador.

In her personal life, she has a daughter and son with her husband Thomas Sadoski.

Lacey Chabert - Gretchen Wieners

Gretchen Wieners Lacey Chabert split image

Gretchen Wieners was played by Lacey Chabert in Mean Girls (Image: Getty)

Much like co-star Lindsay Lohan, Lacey Chabert already had a career as a child actress before Mean Girls, although primarily in voice roles in movies like Anastasia (1997) and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and on the Nickelodeon series, The Wild Thornberrys. She also played Claudia Salinger for all six seasons of Party of Five.

Post Mean Girls, she continued with her voice-over work alongside roles in movies like Black Christmas (2006) and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009). However, in recent years, she is best known as the queen of Hallmark Channel, having appeared in more than 30 movies for the network.

Outside of work she and her husband, David Nehdar, had a daughter, Julia, in 2016.

Lizzy Caplan - Janis Ian

Janis Ian Lizzy Caplin split image

Lizzy Caplin has had a huge career since starring as Janis Ian in Mean Girls (Image: Getty)

Lizzy Caplin has enjoyed a huge career since playing Regina George's one-time best friend Janis in Mean Girls.

She has appeared in films such as Cloverfield (2008), Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) and Now You See Me 2 (2016).

Her most prominent television role was probably as Virginia Johnson on Masters of Sex, although she has also appeared on shows like True Blood, New Girl, The League, Castle Rock, and Truth Be Told.

Last year, she made quite an impact playing Alex Forrest opposite Joshua Jackson's Dan Gallagher in the Paramount+ adaptation of the classic movie Fatal Attraction.

She married actor Tom Riley in 2017 and their son, Alfie, was born in 2021.

Jonathan Bennett - Aaron Samuels

Aaron Samuels Jonathan Bennett split image

Jonathan Bennett played Aaron Samuels the object of Cady's affections (Image: Getty)

Before Mean Girls, Jonathan Bennett was known for his recurring roles on shows like All My Children and Veronica Mars. After the film, he went on to appear in movies such as Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005) and Van Wilder: Freshman Year (2009).

He has also dabbled in the world of reality TV and made it to week six on Dancing with the Stars season 19 and appeared on season two of Celebrity Big Brother.

He also enjoys a career as a presenter, hosting shows such as Cupcake Wars and Halloween Wars.

In 2022, he made history as one of the stars of The Holiday Sitter, the Hallmark Channel's first Christmas movie with an LGBTQ couple as leads. That same year he married his longtime love, Jaymes Vaughan.

Tina Fey - Ms. Norbury

Ms. Norbury Tina Fey split image

Tina Fey reprises the role of maths teacher Ms. Norbury in the new Mean Girls movie (Image: Getty)

Tina wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls as well as starring as maths teacher Ms. Norbury - a role she reprises in the new version of the movie. She also wrote the book for the Mean Girls musical scoring, a Tony nomination for outstanding book of a musical for her work. She has now adapted that work into the screenplay for the new version.

Two years after the original movie, she left her run as a cast member and writer of Saturday Night Live. She then created and starred in the hugely acclaimed multi-award-winning sitcom 30 Rock.

Her list of writing and acting accomplishments is far too many to list but includes movies like Baby Mama (2008), Date Night (2010), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016), and Soul (2020). She also appeared in the massive hit comedy TV show Only Murders in the building.

She has won nine Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes and seven Writers Guild of America awards. and was the youngest-ever recipient of the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Tina has been married to composer-producer Jeff Richmond since 2001 and they have two daughters. Her husband wrote the score for the Mean Girls musical and also received a Tony nomination for his efforts.

Tim Meadows - Mr. Duvall

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Tim Meadows is back as school principal Mr. Duvall in the new Mean Girls movie (Image: Getty)

Saturday Night Live veteran Tim Meadows is one of the busiest men in show business.

After Mean Girls he was the only cast member to appear in the 2011 ABC Family sequel, Mean Girls 2 reprising his role as Principal Duvall. He is back for a third outing in the role in the new version.

He has also appeared in movies such as The Benchwarmers (2006), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), Semi-Pro (2008) and Trainwreck (2015). He is a regular face in Adam Sandler's projects, including Grown Ups (2010) and Hubie Halloween (2020).

On TV, he enjoyed a long stint in The Goldbergs and later starred in its short-lived spin-off, Schooled. He also has recurring roles on Bob's Burgers and Marry Me as well as appearing in dozens of other TV shows.

Tim has two sons with his ex-wife.

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