2004’s Mean Girls became an instant classic when it hit theaters, and has remained a beloved part of pop culture in the years since. In addition to be endlessly quotable, it was also adapted into a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Now that musical is getting its own movie, further cementing the franchise’s legacy. The new Mean Girls features Moana star Auliʻi Cravalho in the role of Janis. And she recently revealed her reaction to Janis’ queerness in the new adaptation.
In the original Mean Girls, Janis is accused by Regina of being a lesbian, but we learn in its final moments that she ends up dating Kevin Gnapoor. Tina Fey and company brought a ton of surprises to the new movie, including making Janis queer. As you can see in the video above, I had the privilege of speaking with the Mean Girls cast ahead of the film’s release. I asked Cravalho her reaction to his change in her character, and she responded by saying:
We might not agree with the fact that Janis is a pyro freak, but I do kind of think that being called a pyro-lez is actually like really fucking hot. And we lean into that as well. Janis is someone who is not trying to fit into other people’s molds. It is more difficult to fit into a clique than it is to sit at your own table at lunch and sit alone.
Some points were made. Part of what makes Janis such a beloved character in Mean Girls is because she’s got more self-confidence and a sense of self than the rest of her High School peers. So her standing confidently as someone in the LGBTQ+ community makes a ton of narrative sense.
In CinemaBlend’s Mean Girls review, I praised Cravalho for her performance as Janis, especially during her 11 o’clock number “I’d Rather Be Me.” While her character is tormented and called a “pyrolez” throughout the film’s runtime, the Moana actress things that’s a badge of honor. Hey, many of us have been called much worse.
Janis being a queer woman also makes her saying Damian is “almost too gay to function” feel less prickly, as she’s also a member of the LGBTQ+ community. So there’s plenty of reasons why the new movie made this change.
The pressure is on for the new musical comedy to deliver for hardcore fans, many of whom can quote every word of the original blockbuster. Critics seem impressed with Mean Girls, but only time will tell how it performs at the box office. While plenty of projects have struggled in a post-pandemic world, musicals have largely performed well.
Mean Girls hits theaters on January 12th. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.