Without Janis ‘Imi’ike (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian Hubbard (Jaquel Spivey) to take readers through the cast and characters of the 2024 “Mean Girls” film as they do in the movie musical for one Cady Heron (Angourie Rice), TheWrap steps in to guide you through the ensemble, down and detailed. North Shore High School in Chicago remains the setting of the cult classic story, originally brought to life in the 2004 film starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Tim Meadows and the film’s screenwriter, Tina Fey.
Fey has taken the story from Rosalind Wiseman’s book “Queen Bees and Wannabees” to the original film, then a Broadway musical and now from the musical back to a movie (which includes songs from the musical).
The social jungle of teenagers in high school may have gotten past certain problems young women faced in the early 2000s, but a whole host of new problems face teenage girls nowadays in the new age of social media. Navigating those challenges proves complicated for both the students, their teachers and even Tim Meadows’ Principal Duvall.
As “Mean Girls” is now streaming on Paramount+, let us take you behind the scenes as Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood) would do, but not by spilling all their secrets:
Cady Heron (Angourie Rice)
Cady goes from growing up in Africa thanks to her research scientist mom’s work, but when her mother takes a position teaching at Northwestern to grant Cady’s wish of going to a normal high school, she gets her chance at the conventional teenage lifestyle in attending North Shore High. Cady’s innocence makes her prey for the predators in the social food chain, but she quickly adjusts.
Angourie Rice is known for playing Betty Brant in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017), “Spider-Man: Far from Home” (2019) and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021). She also played Siobhan Sheehan, daughter of Kate Winslet’s titular Mare Sheehan in “Mare of Easttown.” More recent projects include portraying the younger version of Rebel Wilson’s Stephanie Conway in “Senior Year” (2022) and Honor Rose in “Honor Society” (2022), as well as Bailey Michaels in AppleTV+’s “The Last Thing He Told Me.” An early hit adaptation she took part in was “Every Day” (2018) adapted from the book by David Levithan. She played the role of Rhiannon.
Regina George (Reneé Rapp)
Regina George is North Shore’s queen bee. She rules the trio crowned “The Plastics” — she and her two best friends Karen Shetty (Avantika) and Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood) with an iron fist. She dated Aaron Samuels (Chris Briney) for a bit as well.
Reneé Rapp starred as Regina George in the Broadway “Mean Girls” musical from June 2019 until 2020 when the show stopped due to the COVID-19 outbreak, taking on a role originated by Rachel McAdams. She brought Leighton Murray to life in Mindy Kaling’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls” on Max for two seasons, but she has taken a step back from the role in order to focus on her music — though she’s set to make limited appearances during the show’s third season. Her debut album “Snow Angel” came out in August 2023.
Janis ‘Imi’ike (Auli’i Cravalho)
Janis used to be best friends with Regina George, but there’s a story as to why they fell out. Artsy as can be, Janis is now closest with Damian Hubbard (Jaquel Spivey) — until they add Cady to their herd.
Auli’i Cravalho is most well-known for voicing Moana in the 2016 animated movie “Moana.” More recently, she played AJ Campos in Hulu’s “Crush” (2022), Capri in Hulu’s “Darby and the Dead” (2022) and Jocelyn Cleary-Lopez in “The Power” on Prime Video.
Damian Hubbard (Jaquel Spivey)
Damian Hubbard, described by Janis as almost too gay to function, stands by Janis’ side through thick and thin, as she does with him. He manages to be in on all the girl drama just as much as guy drama around North Shore High. His talents, as showcased in the winter talent show, will take him far.
Jaquel Spivey was nominated for a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for his starring role as Usher in the Broadway theater production of “A Strange Loop.” “Mean Girls” (2024) is his first onscreen role.
Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney)
Connie baby, is that you? Nope, Aaron Samuels is quite different from Conrad Fisher, who Chris Briney plays in Jenny Han’s hit Prime Video series “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Aaron used to date Regina George, but they broke up before Cady arrived on the scene. He plays soccer, but generally he is more “witness” to all the drama and events taking place around him, as described by Briney himself.
Christopher Briney is most well known for playing Conrad Fisher, the older brother in the love triangle between Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) and his younger brother Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno) in “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” He also starred as James alongside Sir Ben Kingsley and Suki Waterhouse in “Daliland” (2022) directed by Mary Harron.
Gretchen Weiners (Bebe Wood)
Gretchen Weiners holds all the keys to the North Shore High kingdom. Her hair is so big because it’s so full of secrets. Gretchen (played in the original by Lacey Chabert) is also highly insecure, but she takes comfort in her status as a member of “The Plastics.”
Bebe Wood is known for playing Lake Meriwether in “Love, Simon.” She also played Shannon O’Neal in “The Real O’Neals” and Shania Clemmons in “The New Normal.”
Karen Shetty (Avantika)
Karen Shetty (played in the original by Amanda Seyfried) is the third member to round out “The Plastics.” She might not be the brightest or sharpest, but she sure knows how to put on a good dance break. Her Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos also serve some looks.
Avantika is most well known for playing Janet in “Senior Year” (2022). She also appeared as Priya in “The Sex Lives of College Girls” for an episode. She played Rhea in “Spin” (2021), and she also appeared in “Moxie” (2021) as a girl in chemistry class.
Ms. Norbury (Tina Fey)
Ms. Norbury still teaches calculus at North Shore, and she is also Cady’s homeroom teacher. She serves as faculty advisor to the North Shore mathletes, and she teaches Cady and many of the other junior women at North Shore some valuable lessons.
Tina Fey played Ms. Norbury in the 2004 “Mean Girls” film. The “SNL” alum is also most well known for starring in “30 Rock,” which she also wrote and created, as Liz Lemon. She played Claire Foster in “Date Night” (2010) and portrayed Kate Ellis in “Sisters” (2015) alongside Amy Poehler.
Ms. Heron (Jenna Fischer)
Ms. Heron took her well-known research to a job opportunity at Northwestern University so that Cady could go to high school and become socialized in the ways of human teenagers.
Jenna Fischer is most well-known for playing Pam Beesly on “The Office.” She also played Janice in “The Giant Mechanical Man” (2012), Darlene Madison in “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (2007) and Shelby in “Sliver” (2006).
Principal Duvall (Tim Meadows)
Tim Meadows also reprised his role of Principal Duvall at North Shore High. He knows discipline, but when it comes to teenage girls fighting each other, he needs Ms. Norbury to help him out.
Meadows starred as Duvall in “Mean Girls” (2004). He also played Leon Phelps in “The Ladies Man” (2000), Harry in “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” (2016) and Sam in “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”
Madame Park (Ashley Park)
Madame Park, the French teacher at North Shore, has a great pulse on her students. She knows how to teach them French without letting them run away too much in terms of attention span. She also knows what is trending.
Ashley Park is known for playing Mindy Chen in “Emily in Paris” on Netflix. She played Audrey in “Joy Ride” (2023), Naomi in “Beef” and Kimber in Season 3 of “Only Murders in the Building.”
Mrs. George (Busy Philipps)
Mrs. George also gets what’s cool with her daughter and the young teens — or thinks she does. She tries to relate to them as best she can, even when Regina begs her to leave them alone, in a role played in the 2004 original by Amy Poehler.
Philipps currently stars as Summer Dutkowsky on “Girls5eva,” a show created by Fey associate Meredith Scardino. Philipps is known for playing Kelli Ann in “He’s Just Not That Into You (2009), Karen in “White Chicks” (2004) and Melissa in “Made of Honor” (2008). On TV, she played Laurie Keller in “Cougar Town” and Audrey Liddell in “Dawson’s Creek.”
Coach Carr (Jon Hamm)
Jon Hamm plays a modern version of Coach Carr. He teaches physical education as well as health class — or as he calls it, “Human Health and Sexuality.”
Hamm is known for playing Don Draper in “Mad Men,” FBI agent Adam Frawley in “The Town” (2010), JB in “Million Dollar Arm” and Bob Callahan in “Tag” (2018). More recently, he appeared as Gabriel on “Good Omens,” Paul Marks in Season 3 of “The Morning Show” and Roy Tillman in Season 5 of “Fargo.” He also had a memorable recurring run as the dimwitted Drew Baird on “30 Rock,” his first collaboration with Fey.
