Warning: This post contains spoilers for “Mean Girls.”
"Mean Girls" is back and set to a melody. The 2024 movie musical has a lot in common with the 2004 movie that inspired it, beyond the plot points. Some of the original cast returned, too — including Lindsay Lohan.
Though Lohan walked on the red carpet for the movie's premiere, her cameo was kept secret until the Jan. 12 release date. Lohan famously played Cady Heron in the original film, a teenager who moves to a Chicago suburb after growing up in Africa to scientist parents.
This time around, Lohan is the adult in the room, and a new set of young actors has taken her place. Angourie Rice plays Cady, who — yet again — is thrown headfirst into the cafeteria social arena of North Shore High School. And at one point, she comes face-to-face with her former self (kind of).
What happens during Lindsay Lohan's 'Mean Girls' cameo?
Lindsay Lohan appears at the climax of the movie, when Cady is competing with the mathletes. Lohan is the host of the competition, and moderates the tie-breaking question between the two teams.
The question is about limits — a topic Cady totally zoned out of because she was distracted by Aaron Samuels' presence. When the other team botches the answer ("the limit is negative one"), Cady summons her inner strength to remember her calculus.
Then, she emerges with a triumphant response: "The limit does not exist." Whereas Lohan once delivers that line, this time, she looks on as Rice does.
The cameo is symbolic. The scene represents the moment Cady accepts herself for the way she used to be, before she got spun around by the Plastics: She is good at math.
Has Lindsay Lohan said anything about the cameo?
Lohan has been fielding questions about a "Mean Girls" sequel for years — and wanted it to happen seemingly as much as fans.
In a 2017 interview with "L'Officiel," Lohan said she wrote a treatment for a sequel and sent it to Lorne Michaels, who produced both the 2004 and 2024 films: "Please help me petition to make it happen!"
Who else from the original cast returned for the new 'Mean Girls'?
Tina Fey is back as Ms. Norbury, who is still teaching calculus and still has assemblies — her character often remarks about déjà vu.
Her life has changed a bit, though: She's married to Principal Duvall (Tim Meadows, yet again) this time! In the original movie, he paid her a compliment during the assembly scene, where they confront the school's junior class for their bullying. Now, they talk about walking their shared dogs.