Drew Barrymore profusely thanked “Mean Girls” star Renée Rapp on Friday’s episode of “The Drew Barrymore Show” for helping her out when a stalker crashed the stage at a Q&A event last year.
“You and I, by the way, you’re my protector,” Barrymore raved to Rapp. “Reneé and I had an incident recently where this guy came to attack me on a stage that I was [on] with Reneé, and she mama-beared out and protected me so well.
Barrymore praised Rapp for being so “protective and amazing,” during the incident, which was “one takeaway from that moment” that the host appreciated.
Last August, Barrymore was interviewing Rapp about her debut album, “Snow Angel,” at 92NY in New York City when a man ran towards the stage. Rapp reacted by jumping out of her chair and grabbing Barrymore, whom she led offstage to safety.
Barrymore and Rapp soon returned to the stage safely, with the talk show host exclaiming at the time that Rapp “went full ‘Bodyguard,’” referring to the 1993 thriller. “You are my Kevin Costner,” she said.
The alleged stalker, Chad Michael Busto was temporarily detained outside Barrymore’s New York home the day after the stage incident. He was later charged with stalking in the fourth degree, a Class B misdemeanor, and ordered to stay away from the “Charlie’s Angels” star.
In September 2023, Busto was arrested again during New York Fashion Week after breaking into a dressing room in apparent attempt to find “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson, whom he said he wanted to marry.
Busto, a resident of Washington, D.C., according to police, is reported to have also stalked “Aquaman” actress Amber Heard.
Rapp previously played Leighton Murray in the Max TV series “Sex Lives of College Girls.” She plays Regina George, the Queen Bee of the popular high school clique in the new “Mean Girls” movie, a musical based on the Broadway musical, which itself was inspired by the beloved 2004 comedy. The role was played by Rachel McAdams in the original.
Watch a clip from the “Mean Girls” cast interview in the video above.
