Mean Girls 2024 Cast on Diversity and Identity in New Film

The very first shot of the 2024 musical reimagining of “Imply Ladies” is a vertical body. Two characters, Janis (performed by Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), movie themselves singing a tune that units the stage for the story to observe. They’re troubadours for the TikTok set — and it is a “Imply Ladies” for a brand new era.

The Cady Heron, Regina George, and Aaron Samuels of the unique movie, launched in 2004, had by no means seen an iPhone — these would not debut for one more three years. “Instagram,” “Twitter,” and “Snapchat” would have gave the impression of gibberish. Karen was only a title, and Donald Trump was only a enterprise mogul.

Twenty years later . . . effectively, issues are totally different. We have seen not only a technological revolution, however a cultural one. Extra Individuals have change into extra conscious of how rampant racism and discrimination — from microaggressions to hate crimes — are on this nation. And whereas we nonetheless have a protracted option to go, individuals have a larger understanding of the hurt brought on by failing to adequately characterize a variety of identities on display.

In 2004, the unique movie did make jokes about racial stereotypes (“When you’re from Africa, why are you white?”), nevertheless it did not go as far as to solid an individual of colour in any of the primary roles. (Really, that was a joke within the unique film, too: Kevin G asks Janis if she’s Puerto Rican. “Lebanese,” solutions Janis, performed by Lizzy Caplan, who’s white.)

The brand new “Imply Ladies” solid is notably extra various than the unique, and the solid tells POPSUGAR that they are grateful for the power to carry their characters into 2024 by integrating extra of their particular person identities.

“I acquired to carry a bit little bit of myself to the character,” says Bebe Wooden, who performs Gretchen Wieners. “I used to be speaking with [director Arturo Perez Jr.] and he was like, ‘Wait, I heard someplace that you just’re Latina . . . We must always simply add one thing in there.'”

The addition to the script was small — a single point out of her abuelito — however for Wooden, the influence was big. “I’ve by no means been capable of play Cuban American earlier than,” she says. “So it was thrilling so as to add just a bit nod to my heritage inside the function.”

Avantika, who performs Karen Shetty within the new movie, was equally grateful to have the ability to embrace her background on display. “It actually meant loads when . . . on the preliminary desk learn, [screenwriter Tina Fey] was like, ‘Is there something in regards to the title like Karen Smith that you just wish to change?'” Avantika says. “And I used to be like, ‘I am South Indian, I’ve by no means gotten to play somebody who’s overtly South Indian, and I communicate Telugu at dwelling; wouldn’t it be attainable to usher in the final title from my tradition?’ . . . And so we selected Karen Shetty. That is actually particular to me that [Fey] gave me the area and freedom to carry that.”

Karen is not the one character to get a brand new title: Janis Ian is now Janis ‘Imi’ike, reflective of Cravalho’s Hawaiian heritage. Cravalho desires to get to a spot the place variety in movie is the rule, somewhat than the exception. “Each movie that I am in, I get requested about: ‘Why is illustration necessary in movies?'” she says. “Thanks for asking me that query — however can we transfer on a bit bit? An area that I am attempting to maneuver out of is being requested at all times about, ‘How necessary is it to you to be the primary pioneer?’ I am excited to open the doorways and simply break via. [But] I do not wish to be the primary.”

This name-claiming is particularly significant in a movie the place name-calling and misnaming trigger a lot hurt. The Plastics, “fugly slut,” “dyke” (within the new model, up to date to “pyro lez”): they’re all names and labels doled out like candy-cane grams, and the scholars of North Shore Excessive really feel the burn.

Spivey says that he tries to disregard labels that different individuals stick on him; they are not the reality, he says. “Even within the movie, Regina calls Karen silly, so due to this fact Karen looks like she’s silly. However I’ve a robust feeling if Karen did not hear, she would not really feel silly. You recognize what I imply?” Spivey tells POPSUGAR. “So for me, I feel lots of people will be like, ‘Oh yeah, you are a plus-size queer actor.’ I’m, however I am additionally simply an actor. So possibly you do not label me and I will not label myself and I can simply be no matter I would like.”

This sentiment is echoed by this era’s Regina George, Reneé Rapp. Rapp is overtly bisexual (and has hinted in prior interviews and on social media that her Regina won’t be as straight because the character’s relationships with Aaron Samuels and Shane Oman may point out). However she additionally makes clear that solely she has the appropriate to touch upon her sexuality.

“I’ve come out lots of totally different occasions in my life and with a few various things, and it not too long ago has modified loads for me,” says Rapp, maybe referring to her portrayal of Leighton Murray, a school freshman who comes out as a lesbian on “The Intercourse Lives of Faculty Ladies.” “However I can’t let you know what number of occasions I’ve acquired feedback within the final month or two which are identical to, ‘Oh, congrats on [coming out] once more,'” she says, her tone altering to the vocal equal of a watch roll. “And I used to be like, bro, truly fuck you. You suck.”

There’s energy in claiming and coming into your id. And the individuals who attempt to put you in a field or use your individuality to harm you? Rapp is true: they suck.

Angourie Rice says she’s studying to let go of the opinions and expectations others have of her — not not like her character, Cady Heron. “Once I was 17, I had a very nice yr by way of work and publicity, and it was my remaining yr of highschool and I graduated. And that felt like a very profitable yr for me. I feel once you’re a teenager working within the business and also you get success at a specific level in your life, there’s possibly a stress to kind of keep at that time in your life,” she says. “[You think], ‘Oh, that is after I acquired probably the most validation, due to this fact I needs to be like that at all times.'”

However Rice is seeking to develop and sees how counting on exterior affirmation for her sense of self-worth might be holding her again. “For me, [I’m working on] releasing that fixed want for validation as a result of I acquired it a lot at this specific level in my life,” she says. “I am not 17 anymore.”

Entering into the function of final teen heartthrob Aaron Samuels got here with comparable pressures for Christopher Briney. However in taking part in Aaron, “I simply tried to be Chris,” he says. “I actually needed to interrupt freed from expectations of what I believed individuals needed to see after they see Aaron Samuels.”

It takes a particular type of setting to have the ability to foster a lot freedom and vulnerability within the actors’ performances — and the solid says they felt supported by each other instantly.

“The friendships got here straightforward. It was really easy, so enjoyable to work with these individuals. I cherished it a lot,” Rice reminisces. “I feel additionally we have been all so dedicated to creating the film one of the best it might probably be, and I discovered loads from each Jaquel and Auli’i. Auli’i stands up for herself a lot. Jaquel is without doubt one of the funniest performers I do know. And so simply being in a room with these two individuals and studying a lot from how they work and who they’re was a deal with.”

Spivey agrees. In spite of everything, he says, Fey set the tone from day one which the entire movie is about highschool — that you must have enjoyable for it to actually translate. As he places it, “It is an actor’s dream to have the ability to step into an area and really feel snug sufficient to play — and to play as a lot as you may and uncover.”