{"id":2260064,"date":"2026-01-31T18:22:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T18:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2260064"},"modified":"2026-01-31T18:22:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T18:22:22","slug":"this-is-a-futile-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/this-is-a-futile-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;This is a futile exercise&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-lg font-bold\">Key points<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Rachel McAdams originally auditioned to play protagonist Cady Heron in <em>Mean Girls<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">However, the film&#8217;s director, Mark Waters, told her that she was &#8220;too old&#8221; for the part when she was 25.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">McAdams was ultimately cast as the villainous Regina George, a role Lindsay Lohan originally wanted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/person\/rachel-mcadams\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Rachel McAdams;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Rachel McAdams<\/a> played an iconic villain in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/mean-girls\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Mean Girls;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>Mean Girls<\/em><\/a> \u2014 but she didn&#8217;t originally want the part.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The actress recently reflected on auditioning for Cady Heron, the protagonist <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/person\/lindsay-lohan\/?page=4\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Lindsay Lohan;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Lindsay Lohan<\/a> portrayed in the 2004 comedy classic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I remember thinking, &#8216;This is a futile exercise. I will never be hired for Cady,'&#8221; McAdams <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/rachel-mcadams-recalls-being-told-25-was-too-old-to-play-the-lead-in-mean-girls-i-took-it-as-a-compliment-exclusive-11895890\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:told PEOPLE;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">told PEOPLE<\/a> in a new interview, noting that she didn&#8217;t feel like she had enough experience to lead a studio comedy. &#8220;I was just starting out, and it was the main character.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><i>Rachel McAdams in London on Jan. 29, 2026 <\/i><\/p>\n<p>Karwai Tang\/WireImage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">McAdams didn&#8217;t expect to get the role. &#8220;I just did not think I was at that point in my life where I would be chosen for that. So I just kind of went in and had fun,&#8221; she said, adding that she would have been thrilled to play <em>any<\/em> part in Tina Fey&#8217;s teen comedy. &#8220;I loved the script so much. I remember closing that script and calling up my manager and saying, &#8216;Please, even just playing a character that has one line I would take.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The <em>Game Night<\/em> actress said <em>Mean Girls<\/em> filmmaker Mark Waters ended up offering her a very different part instead. &#8220;&#8216;You&#8217;re too old to play Cady, but you&#8217;re just right for Regina [George],'&#8221; McAdams, who was 25 when the film was shot, remembered Waters saying. &#8220;[He said,] &#8216;Regina has been around the block a few times and maybe has a, I don&#8217;t know if I&#8217;d call her an old soul, but she&#8217;s got a few more miles on her than Cady&#8217;\u2026 so I took it as a compliment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Waters, who had directed Lohan in <em>Freaky Friday<\/em> the year before <em>Mean Girls<\/em>, said he <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2025\/film\/features\/freaky-friday-director-mark-waters-not-invited-back-sequel-1236489728\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:originally envisioned the Parent Trap actress as Regina;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">originally envisioned the <em>Parent Trap<\/em> actress as Regina<\/a>. &#8220;I convinced everyone that Lindsay should be playing Regina, not Cady,&#8221; he told <em>Variety<\/em> in 2024. &#8220;Lindsay&#8217;s energy is much more like Regina \u2014 I don&#8217;t mean that in a negative way \u2014 she&#8217;s just much more forceful and a really strong personality. I remember reading the Regina scenes with her and she was amazing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Casting Lohan as Regina, however, made it tough to find the right Cady.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;When we went to cast Cady, we couldn&#8217;t find anybody,&#8221; he recalled. &#8220;I actually read an actress from Canada for the part and I told her, &#8216;You&#8217;re way too old for this part, but I think you&#8217;re a movie star, you&#8217;re amazing.&#8217; It was Rachel McAdams.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Lacey Chabert, Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, and Amanda Seyfried in 'Mean Girls' Paramount Pictures\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/qu2zKnlUchzoud.UEfqCOQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/entertainment_weekly_785\/473c92c01af3b9ae02aa16d946d63cae\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><i>Lacey Chabert, Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, and Amanda Seyfried in &#8216;Mean Girls&#8217; <\/i><\/p>\n<p>Paramount Pictures<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Waters and the rest of the <em>Mean Girls<\/em> team realized that there was still a place for McAdams in the cast. &#8220;When we couldn&#8217;t cast Cady, we went back to Rachel for Regina,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And her reading a little bit older worked because it brought a certain power and maturity to it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The filmmaker added that Lohan seemed a little hesitant to abandon the role of Regina. &#8220;She was a little bummed \u2014 she thought Regina was more fun,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But she ended up embracing it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">McAdams told PEOPLE that she enjoyed portraying Regina. \u201cPlaying the villain is the best,\u201d she said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve heard that maybe luck gets your foot in the door, but it doesn&#8217;t keep you in the room. I don&#8217;t know who said that, but I think that&#8217;s really true.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong><em>Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/ew-dispatch-newsletter-11812417\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:EW Dispatch newsletter;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">EW Dispatch newsletter<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">McAdams can currently be seen in <em>Send Help<\/em>, the latest horror-comedy from Sam Raimi, with whom she previously worked for 2022&#8217;s <em>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I wanted to have a big, splashy, normal-sized experience with Sam,&#8221; she <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/sam-raimi-shares-scene-doctor-strange-2-made-him-want-work-rachel-mcadams-11895506\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:told Entertainment Weekly;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">told <em>Entertainment Weekly<\/em><\/a> after working on the Marvel blockbuster. &#8220;It really felt like it was just a taste, and I wanted more.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Send Help<\/em> is playing now in theaters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Read the original article on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ew.com\/rachel-mcadams-told-too-old-for-mean-girls-lead-role-11896836\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Entertainment Weekly;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Entertainment Weekly<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key points Rachel McAdams originally auditioned to play protagonist Cady Heron in Mean Girls. However, the film&#8217;s director, Mark Waters, told her that she was &#8220;too old&#8221; for the part when she was 25. McAdams was ultimately cast as the villainous Regina George, a role Lindsay Lohan originally wanted. Rachel McAdams played an iconic villain [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2260065,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[386511,23209,326169,344464,387330],"class_list":["post-2260064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-cady-heron","tag-lindsay-lohan","tag-mark-waters","tag-rachel-mcadams","tag-regina-george"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/This-is-a-futile-exercise.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2260064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2260064"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2260064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2260066,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2260064\/revisions\/2260066"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2260065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2260064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2260064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2260064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}