26/05/2026
Fun Facts from last Friday's screening of Mean Girls 2004:
Welcome to Chick Flicks at the MAC, the U.K.’s only Chick Flick Film Club for tonight’s screening of the original ‘Mean Girls’ 2004.
Written by Tina Fey, it was based on Rosalind Wiseman’s non-fiction psychology book Queen Bees and Wannabes which examines teenage girls' social dynamics, cliques, bullying, and relational aggression, offering parents and teachers strategies for them to understand and intervene.
This satirical masterpiece tracks the rapid corruption of Cady Heron. Fresh from the African savanna, Cady is dropped into the real jungle of public high school.
Things to look for:
1. Notice how the movie maps real-world female aggression. Every insult in the book is rooted in actual psychological tactics used by teenagers.
2. The Wardrobe Evolution: Watch Cady's clothes and makeup. She physically transforms from an oversized-flannel outsider into a polished, identical clone of Regina as she loses her innocence.
3. Regina George's flawless blonde hair was completely fake. Rachel McAdams point-blank refused to bleach her hair for the role. The production team had to purchase a custom, high-end wig that cost a staggering $10,000. Thus adding a layer of irony to the movie line, "I hear her hair's insured for $10,000."
4. Regina’s "Cool Mom" wasn't actually much older than her. Amy Poehler who plays the deeply unhinged, pink-velour-suit-wearing Mrs. George is only seven years older than her on-screen daughter, Rachel McAdams.
5. The Jingle Bell Rock routine was heavily censored. The director initially filmed a racy version of the talent show dance. The choreography made the studio executives so uncomfortable that it had to be heavily toned down to secure a PG rating.
6. The Principal's carpal tunnel was a real-life medical emergency. Tim Meadows broke his hand in a severe accident right before filming commenced. Because he was a close friend of Tina Fey, she refused to recast him. Instead, she hastily rewrote the script to include his wrist cast as a running joke about carpal tunnel syndrome.
7. The dog-bra secret. For the infamous scene where Regina's dog aggressively nibbles on Amy Poehler's chest, the crew had to stitch a raw piece of cocktail sausage inside Poehler’s bra to get it to cooperate on camera.
Mean Girls takes us back to High School better than any other movie in its genre. Funny, brilliant, superbly cast and with buckets of nostalgia.
We hope you enjoyed the show!
