Rachel McAdams has passed on the Regina George crown—everyone, make way for Reneé Rapp!
Marked with a new set of Plastics and more musical numbers, the 2024 Mean Girls is slated for a new gen, led by the alpha queen of North Shore High School. Adapted from the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical of the same name, the film finds its latest silver-screen lead with the 24-year-old actress. Get to know the woman behind the teen queen with our quick fact sheet below!
1. Renee Rapp is a Capricorn.
The young actress was born in Huntersville, North Carolina, United States on January 10, 2000, making her an ambitious Capricorn.
2. Renee Rapp played Regina George in the Broadway musical staging of “Mean Girls.”
The 2024 version of Mean Girls isn’t Reneé’s first foray into the mind of queen bee Regina George. In fact, the actress had already portrayed the character in the Broadway musical, which the film is based on. In 2019, Reneé took over the role originated by Taylor Louderman.
Original writer Tina Fey and producer Lorne Michaels had convinced Reneé to fill in the role, just as Reneé was planning to focus on her music. “She actually said she wasn’t sure she wanted to do Broadway,” Tina said. “Lorne and I convinced her she’d be wasting her talent if she didn’t take a run at this.”
3. Renee Rapp received a $10,000 scholarship for theater.
During high school, Reneé was already a star in her own right, as she was lauded by her theater teachers. Her performance in her high school’s production of Big Fish received a grand distinction at the 2018 Jimmy Awards, where she was one among the two awarded the top prize–a $10,000 scholarship!
4. Renee Rapp starred in several other theater productions.
In 2018, Reneé made her professional theater debut as Wendla in Theatre Charlotte’s regional production of Spring Awakening. She also participated in the Educational Theatre Foundation's annual Broadway Back to School at Feinstein's/54 Below, and read the role of Monteen in Roundabout Theatre Company’s reading of Parade.
5. Renee Rapp came out as a lesbian.
The actress had previously been vocal about identifying as a bisexual woman. In 2024, however, Reneé had opened up about her sexuality and her realization that she “didn’t like boys,” and referred to herself as a lesbian on several occasions.
6. Renee Rapp starred in the TV series “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”
Aside from the stage and the silver screen, Reneé can be spotted on the HBO Max series The Sex Lives of College Girls, where she portrays Leighton Murray, a wealthy lesbian student grappling with her mother’s high expectations.
7. Renee Rapp is a pop singer.
While she may flourish as an actress, Reneé has often stressed that her priority is her music, stating that she “wanted to be a pop star.” The all-around performer released her debut EP in 2022 titled Everything to Everyone, and followed it up with her full-length studio album Snow Angel in 2023. Her record debuted at number 44 on the US Billboard 200!
8. Renee Rapp opened up about her struggles with body image and eating disorders.
With her stint as Regina George both on-screen and onstage, the actress wasn’t immune to body-shaming comments. In an interview, Reneé recalled a message she received during her run on Broadway, which stated that she was “way too big to play Regina.”
Reneé had admitted to breaking into sobs and being in the throes of “an eating disorder.” “I think my relationship with my body and eating disorders at large is very complicated,’ she said in a more recent interview. “Right now, I’m not going to say, ‘I’m doing amazing and it’s all better.’ It’s incredibly not. And I think it’s just going to be like that for a while. But that’s fine for me. If I’m safe and not putting myself in danger, then I consider that a win. Because I’ve been not in that place before, so this feels good.”
9. Renee Rapp portrayed Regina George with her own personal spin.
The original Regina George Rachel McAdams may be one of her inspirations, but Reneé has spun the role with her own unique take. “I’m a serial flirt. So I’m flirting with everybody, especially the girls, right?” she said in an interview with Vanity Fair. “I have a bitchy attitude, so I’m going to be bitchy. I also am very dry, so she’s going to be dry.”
10. You can follow Renee Rapp on Instagram.
Get updated on all things Reneé through her Instagram page!
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