Mean Girls became an everlasting cultural phenomenon when it hit the big screen in 2004. Now, 20 years later, the musical remake attempts to offer an updated version that closely follows the original plot. But at House Beautiful, we're most obsessed with production design. While we're clocking fresh one-liners like everyone else, we're paying special attention to how the 2024 iteration tackles the nostalgic setting of the original film. Both movies revolve around a public high school, but a pivotal location lies off campus: Regina George’s house, and specifically her bedroom, where the infamous Burn Book lives and "homeschooled jungle freak" Cady Heron gets a makeover initiation into the Plastics. If anything were to make fetch happen, it'd be the vicious clique leader's enviable mansion. So, get in loser; we're taking a look at how the opulent residences stack up against each other and act as teen royalty’s evil lair.
Mean Girls (2024)
During the musical movie adaption, Regina (Reneé Rapp) pulls up to her family home in an orange Jeep Wrangler sans doors with her followers in tow. With a circular exterior and two levels significantly comprised of floor-to-ceiling windows, the house almost looks like it belongs in California rather than the Midwest. Nevertheless, it gives off new money energy and makes for an impressive introduction to its occupants’ lives.
Inside, the luxe residence boasts a contemporary look with white marble flooring, a dramatic black staircase in the entry, glass railings, and pops of color through art. Regina’s bedroom is fittingly outfitted with trendy furniture and decor, including a pink scalloped headboard and pendant lighting with colorful chains à la Emma Chamberlain. The pink bedding and white furry throw are somewhat reminiscent of Maddy’s bed in Euphoria. A floating bench and what seems to be an electric fireplace elevate the room’s cool factor. Other popular decor materializes as a mushroom lamp, a pink-and-orange lucite end table, and colorful throw pillows with checkered and wavy patterns.
A few features in Regina’s bedroom fall a bit flat. The white arched floor-length mirror is cute, but the celebrity-loved, $10,000 Ultraforgola mirror could've taken it up a notch. A cutout in the hallway, used as a partial closet, is shaped like Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs—making the overall space feel more confined and less lavish. Then there’s the size of the room. While it appears larger than many studio apartments, it doesn’t feel quite as spacious as the one in the original film, which brings us to…
Mean Girls (2004)
In the original film, we’re introduced to Regina’s (Rachel McAdams) home as she drives up in a silver convertible with the rest of the Plastics while “Milkshake” by Kelis sets the tone. Before entering, Cady says, “Wow, your house is really nice,” to which Regina responds, “I know, right?”
The home’s exterior is portrayed by a Toronto mansion that’s currently on the market for nearly $20 million. The 13-bedroom, 14-bathroom home is marked by a gated entrance with a water fountain at the front. Made of solid stone and featuring dramatic columns, the exterior of the 18,276-square-foot home is striking. The property also has a detached coach house suite, adding to its magnitude.
While the interiors seem to have been filmed at a different location, they match the exterior’s old-money aesthetic. Statues, interior columns, and an intricate living room mantel stand out on the main floor, which is completely drenched in beige materials, fabrics, and paint. The color palette establishes an aged, European spirit. Regina’s bedroom is the cherry on top of the home’s grandeur. “It was my parents' room, but I made them trade me,” Regina brags when Cady comments on the size of her bedroom.
At the center of the main suite is a silky pink-and-red canopy bed that sits on a purple-carpeted platform. The gold headboard is reminiscent of a crown, an idea that’s further enforced through the gold lettering above it that reads “princess.” Across from the bed lies a carved stone mantel with pink-and-orange striped seating nearby. There’s also a private balcony with lake views and a bedroom jacuzzi (a feature we should totally bring back) surrounded by columns in the adjoining bathroom, which connects to a walk-in closet.
While the 2024 version of Regina’s house likely measures up to the cost of its 2004 counterpart, it’s a tier or two less impactful. But, alas, it’s hard to live up to an iconic piece of movie history in every way.
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