“Mean Girls: The Musical” is adding more talent to its ensemble, with comedy stars Busy Philipps (“Girls5Eva”) and Jenna Fischer (“The Office”) tapped to play moms to the characters Regina George and Cady Heron, respectively.
“Obviously I’m not a regular mom…” Philipps teased of the announcement on Instagram Wednesday, nodding to the scene-stealing work of Amy Poehler in the original feature film.
Based on the Tony-nominated musical, which itself was adapted from the Tina Fey-penned teen comedy film from 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, the upcoming movie musical begins production March 6.
Fey and co-star Tim Meadows recently confirmed they’re returning to play their characters Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall, while newcomers to the property Angourie Rice (“Mare of Easttown”) and Reneé Rapp (“The Sex Lives of College Girls”) are on board to star as new kid on the block Cady and the mean queen bee Regina. Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey co-star as Janis Ian and Damian Leigh.
Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne are directing with Tina Fey writing the adaptation. Plot details for the adaptation, produced by Fey and Lorne Michaels, are being kept under wraps. Of course, the 2004 film, “Mean Girls,” focused on the story of Cady Heron, who moves to suburban Illinois after being homeschooled in Africa, and wants to be popular. She takes on The Plastics and becomes frenemies with Regina George. But soon, she learns the hard way that you just shouldn’t mess with the Queen Bee.
Paramount Pictures is adapting the new film for Paramount+.
Erin David, Caroline Maroney, and Micah Frank are overseeing for Broadway Video, and Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond for Little Stranger.
Philipps is repped by Range Media Partners and Gang, Tyre, Ramer. Fischer is repped by WME, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.