Though NBC’s pair of Law & Order series remain lawful and orderly in the broadcast realm, the franchise’s latest streaming push was cut short, as Law & Order: Organized Crime was canceled at Peacock. It was a blow to fans, but arguably a bigger blow to the cast and crew putting it together. At least Christopher Meloni was able to keep good company in the aftermath of the news, in the forms of Mariska Hargitay and Rachel McAdams.

Not that it’s completely unheard of for Meloni and Hargitay to be hanging out well beyond the sets of any and all procedural dramas; their off-screen friendship has gone a long way to keeping fans so interested in their characters Stabler and Benson sharing a lusty and romantic future together, despite all odds. (I mean, the actual crossover appearances haven’t hurt.) But this get-together comes at an awkward and bittersweet crossroads, so soon after he learned his latest run as the dutiful investigator was extinguished. Check it out below.

It’s impossible to tell that anyone in those photos is dealing with a career setback, but I can imagine it’d be hard to hold anything but a smile on one’s face while sharing a meal with this trio. (Despite his endlessly stern looks within the L&O world, his comedy chops in the Wet Hot American Summer movie and Netflix series is top-notch.) Now, would it have been fun to see Hargitay and McAdams wiping tears from either side of Meloni’s face with napkins? “Fun” might be too far, but “unique” counts, I think.

The comment section was unsurprisingly lit up with fans and followers’ excited reactions to seeing the trio spending time together, with a couple of familiar faces among them.

• ❤️❤️ - DEBI MAZAR
• My two favorites. Miss you both! - NICKY TORCHIA
• How about you work part time on SVU as Olivia’s partner. Her other half. ;) We can’t not ever see Stabler again. He’s the stabler! - @mwkline
• Stable BETTER end up w Olivia in svu I swear!!!!😍😩 - @mrsrachelcecil
• Yea yall look good together on and off tv 😍 - @deena_dean
• JUSTICE FOR ELIOTT STABLER!! - @paigeclewiis
• She needs to convince Dick Wolf to bring elliot to svu again. 🥹😭 cause peacock and wolf is f-n up…AGAIN - @future_so0_bright
• I’m just going to pretend this is Olivia and Stabler having a romantic dinner and planning their wedding. - @daniplz12
• What’s Regina George doing with them?! - @jonatan_huazano

I’d much prefer these kinds of happy posts, compared to, say, Meloni looking back on 17 years of playing Elliot Stabler (non-continuously) and making me feel all sad and extremely old simultaneously. But I’ll take more of those as well, because duh.

One silver lining here is that Meloni was able to gab it up with Hargitay and McAdams because he was still in Los Angeles fresh off of finishing up the production on the new series The Land, the football-centric new drama from This Is Us and Paradise creator Dan Fogelman. So we'll hopefully see him popping up later in the 2026 TV schedule, even if it isn't as Elliot Stabler.

Although let’s be real: unless Chris Meloni has heaps of unreported beef with someone behind the scenes of this franchise, the chances are extremely high that he’ll show up again in some capacity on Law & Order: SVU in a future season, even if it doesn’t happen immediately. Until then, the Law & Order franchise is available to stream via Peacock subscription.

SPOILER ALERT! This contains big spoilers for both Send Help and Hallmark’s Lost in Paradise.

Rachel McAdams has made a name for herself over the past couple of decades for projects like The Notebook and Spotlight, while Lacey Chabert has become the queen of Hallmark. However, these actresses may always be known best for starring in Mean Girls — one of the best movies of the 2000s. A strange thing happened recently, when they both released 2026 movies within weeks of each other, and we need to talk about how McAdams’ Send Help has the same plot as Chabert’s latest Hallmark offering, Lost in Paradise.

Send Help won the weekend box office when it premiered, as critics hailed Sam Raimi’s return to the horror genre (CinemaBlend’s review gave it 4 out of 5 stars). It’s been called a throwback to the Evil Dead era and the perfect companion movie to Rachel McAdams’ Red Eye, so how in the world could this gory, unhinged, homicidal survival horror have anything in common with one of Hallmark’s predictably quaint romances? I’m glad you asked.

Let’s Start With The Plots Of Send Help And Lost In Paradise

It’s wild that the actresses who played two of the Plastics in Mean Girls — Rachel McAdams’ iconic villain Regina George and Lacey Chabert’s Gretchen Wieners — would be starring in such wildly different movies that from their synopses sound like they could be the same film. In fact, when I started writing a different article about Send Help, I immediately got déjà vu from something I’d seen on the Hallmark movie schedule.

Just like Lost in Paradise, Send Help was described as two people getting stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash, with tension building as they work together to survive. After seeing both of the movies, I can confirm that of course the movies are wildly different in tone. One has way more blood, vomit and eye-gouging, while the other inexplicably throws in a shark and possible pirates. And that tension building between the two sets of castaways? Very different kinds. However …

Send Help Had Way More Similarities To Lacey Chabert’s Hallmark Movie Than I Was Ready For

I was surprised to find that there were some pretty notable similarities between the two movies. For instance:

• Both movies saw their characters traveling overseas for work when a storm caused their plane to go down. While Send Help’s Laura Liddle and Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) had a pretty hostile employee-employer relationship, Lost in Paradise’s main couple, Sophia and Max (Ian Harding), were strangers.
• In both movies, the guys insist their best first move is to make a “HELP” sign out of branches on the beach, though only in Send Help does Bradley misspell his “HEPL.” Also, Bradley and Max both neglect to protect themselves from the sun and get burned, while Laura and Sophia do not (the Plastics would never).
• Both Laura and Max are Survivor super fans, with Rachel McAdams’ character having auditioned for the show and prepared extensively to survive in the conditions she finds herself in. However, despite claiming to have seen every episode, Lost in Paradise's male lead doesn’t contribute nearly as much to his and Sophia’s predicament.
• Laura and Sophia also both weave super-fetch hats out of plant fronds, and they each also fashion weapons that they use for spearfishing.

• Both Lost in Paradise and Send Help have a scene in which the man cooks a romantic dinner for his fellow island-dweller, with Laura and Sophia each trying to fancy up their look by sporting a tropical flower behind their ear. This works out better for Lacey Chabert’s character, as Max is a celebrated chef. Bradley, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to poison Laura and try to escape on his makeshift raft. Oh, that’s another similarity — both flicks include makeshift rafts that don’t work as well as intended.
• Sophia and Laura also end up letting their guard down, opening up to Max and Bradley, respectively, about why their previous relationships failed.
• Both women also have pets whose fates I questioned at one point or another in the movie. For Laura, it was a bird, who we see her reunited with at the end, while Sophia’s dog Gianni goes missing for longer than I was comfortable with during Lost in Paradise.
• This is a pretty big spoiler, so I’ll keep it semi-vague (and feel free to skip ahead), but in both movies the stranded couple ended up being a lot closer to civilization than they realized.
• Finally, both movies have a flash-forward sequence at the end that shows our leading ladies living their best lives after going through quite a transformation during their time as castaways.

Send Help Felt Like It Could Easily Have Slipped Into Rom-Com Territory

While Send Help was definitively a violent horror film that saw Bradley being personally victimized by Laura, there were several scenes where I thought they might just bond over their shared experience enough for romance to bloom. Critics validated my response in their reviews, with Eric Eisenberg writing for CinemaBlend that “the premise could easily veer into romantic comedy/drama territory.”

Mashable noted that “some scenes hint at an enemies-to-lovers arc, where, forced to survive together, Linda and Bradley find the good in each other, despite their differences,” while IGN’s critic wrote that, “From moment to moment, it’s never clear whether these two are going to kill or kiss each other.”

Hallmark Movies Sometimes Feel Like They Could Easily Veer Into Horror

The reverse is also true, and while I never really felt like Lacey Chabert’s character was in danger with Max, this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found parallels between horror plots and Hallmark movies. In fact, Hallmark’s 2022 flick Love in the Villa started out surprisingly similar to that year’s horror hit Barbarian.

It’s one of those things you can’t overthink if you like Hallmark movies, because it can be really distracting to realize how easily some of those sweet romances could take a dark turn. During one recent Hallmark binge, my teenager was actually shouting horror movie-style at the woman on TV to, “Share your location!” as she was swept away by a sexy stranger for an adventure in an unfamiliar foreign land. It’s the Hallmark version of, “Don’t go in there!”

I am quite amused at the fact that Mean Girls queens Rachel McAdams and Lacey Chabert both have movies out now about being stranded with a guy on a deserted island, regardless of how different they actually are — especially because they’re more alike than you might think at first. Send Help is in theaters now, while Lost in Paradise can be streamed on Hallmark+.

Over 20 years after being in Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams remains a standout star. From blockbusters like Doctor Strange to beloved romance like The Notebook to acclaimed dramas like Spotlight to fun comedies like Game Night, she has demonstrated wonderful range and skill, and she has also proven to be a box office draw (as demonstrated just this past weekend with the #1 debut of Send Help). Her talent has been apparent from the beginning, so one would be understood asking this question: why didn’t she play the leading role of Cady Heron in Mean Girls instead of the villainous Regina George?

For what it’s worth, McAdams auditioned for the movie thinking that she wouldn’t get any role at all – as she revealed in a recent interview with People. She initially went out for the role of Cady, but she recalls not having any real confidence in herself to land the role. Said the actress,

At the time, Rachel McAdams was in the earliest era of her career. Her filmography included a couple of TV movies, a couple of single-episode TV show appearances, a couple of indies… and the female lead of the critically panned Rob Schneider comedy The Hot Chick. She was just starting out – but she did love the Mean Girls screenplay written by Tina Fey and wanted any kind of part in it.

It wasn’t her audition itself that stopped her from landing the role of Cady, however. At the time, she was in her mid-20s, and while it’s far from uncommon for actors that age to play high schoolers, McAdams wasn’t deemed right for the ingénue lead… but she was deemed to have the right look for the movie’s antagonist. The actress recalls director Mark Waters explaining it to her, saying:

Lindsay Lohan was the big headlining star and earned the lion’s share of the acclaim when the teen-centric comedy went on to make $130.1 million at the global box office – but it certainly doesn’t seem like Rachel McAdams is complaining about how things turned out.

Should you care to see her excellent talent exhibited in her latest work, the aforementioned Send Help, directed by Sam Raimi and co-starring Dylan O’Brien, is now playing in theaters everywhere.

There are plenty of sweet BTS facts about Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies. Something die-hard fans probably know about the franchise by now is that a fourth installment was planned and later scrapped. Over the years, various rumors have cropped up in regard to the unmade superhero flick. Among the assertions is the claim that Rachel McAdams was being courted for a role way back when. CinemaBlend actually had the chance to ask Raimi about this, and he provided his take.

It’s long been alleged that McAdams was specifically being eyed for a villainous role in the proposed Spider-Man 4, which was reportedly in development during the late 2000s. Raimi himself has occasionally discussed his since discarded comic book movie, setting the record straight when it comes to certain topics. So, when we recently spoke with the filmmaker (who was promoting his newest film, Send Help), we flat-out asked if there was ever a conversation with the Mean Girls alum. Raimi shared an honest answer:

The idea of Sam Raimi pursuing Rachel McAdams for a role in a fourth Spider-Man movie isn’t all that wild. After all, even then, McAdams was a hot commodity in Hollywood, having proven herself with films from varying genres. Felicia Hardy a.k.a. Black Cat (who’s admittedly something of an antihero) could’ve been a solid fit for McAdams at the time. Alas, neither she nor any other actress had the opportunity to audition way back when. Raimi did, however, sit down with another major star for a key role in the movie:

The Drag Me to Hell helmer has been transparent about the fact that he wanted Malkovich to play one of the web-slinger’s classic rogues. During a Reddit AMA held several years ago, Raimi explained why he pursued Malkovich for the role. The filmmaker explained that he found Malkovich to be “such a powerful actor,” who could make him worry about the fate of Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). I have to say I’m also intrigued by the notion of the Con Air alum playing a version of Adrian Toomes a.k.a. Vulture.

Michael Keaton plays a version of Toomes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man series, which is about to expand with its own fourth installment, Brand New Day. While that franchise is ongoing, the last few years have seen calls for the Raimi-verse to be revived. That campaign really gained momentum after Maguire reprised his role as Parker in 2021’s No Way Home. Raimi has heard the chatter, and he’s been adamant that he’s not presently working on any more stories involving the famous wall-crawler.

Thankfully, though, Sam Raimi is still making movies, and his 2026 movie schedule entry, Send Help, is a real doozy. It’s a survival film about two people trying to stay alive while marooned on a deserted island, and it reunites him with Rachel McAdams (who he worked with on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). McAdams isn’t sporting a comic book-birthed costume of any kind in the film and is, instead, covered in fake blood and vomit that apparently tasted like candy.

Check out Send Help in theaters now, and take in the thrills and chills of Raimi and McAdams’ latest collaboration. Also, those feeling nostalgic for Raimi’s Spider-Man movies can stream them with a Disney+ subscription.

The 2026 movie schedule has been blessed with a new film from horror master Sam Raimi, and it’s called Send Help. A survival flick, Raimi’s latest feature centers on two co-workers who try to survive after being stranded on a deserted island. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien play those two characters, and Raimi really put them through the ringer. To that point, McAdams and O’Brien had to be covered in (fake) vomit for the film, but that’s not even the wildest thing CinemaBlend was told about that particular portion of production.

We’re not going to get into the specifics of how and why McAdams and O’Brien’s Send Help characters end up covered in vomit, as that’s something people need to witness in a theater for themselves. Something that should be known is that Raimi adeptly staged everything, and it all goes off without a hitch on screen. While the content is enough to make a person lose their own lunch, what really makes me want to barf is producer Zainab Azizi comparing the fake vomit to candy. As Azizi told CB after being asked about the vomiting:

Does anyone have a bag I can borrow? Seriously – and this is coming from someone who loves candy – I don’t think I’d be able to stomach fake vomit no matter what it tastes like. Now, I’m getting mental pictures of the two stars consuming it on set. My queasy feelings aside, though, Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien are champs for the way in which they pushed through the shoot. Raimi had nothing but praise for his two lead actors while recalling the various “challenges” they overcame amid filming:

Considering how grandiose Sam Raimi’s movies can be, it’s not too wild to hear that the stars of his latest film really had to commit. Vomit wasn’t all they were covered in either, as they were also doused with fake blood. Raimi also told us that while he delights in covering people in blood, though he also admitted he himself is squeamish by nature.

There are plenty of scenes in the critically acclaimed Send Help that are sure to make viewers squeal as well. In CinemaBlend’s own review of the film, Eric Eisenberg lauded the film’s giggle-inducing nastiness. While some have tried to compare the movie to Misery, rest assured that this is something totally different and unique. The only similarity is that fans will likely have the same kind of gasps, which will surely be induced by the aforementioned (candy-like) fake vomit and blood viewers will see on screen.

Send Help is now playing in theaters nationwide, so be sure to head to your local listings to see what it’s playing near you. Also, be sure to read up on upcoming horror movies.

Rachel McAdams has covered a lot of genres in her multi-decade career, but not since 2005’s Red Eye have we seen her go full thriller — and it’s possible she’s never tackled anything quite as dark as Send Help, which hits the 2026 movie calendar on January 30. Speaking of waiting decades for something, this upcoming horror movie features Sam Raimi’s first true foray into the genre since 2009, and it’s surprising to see just how funny critics find the gross-out horror.

First reactions to this “nasty little fucker” were generally positive, particularly for the director and his leads, Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. In CinemaBlend’s review of Send Help, Eric Eisenberg praises the actors for bringing the needed charisma to their stranded characters, admitting that the “tense ride” also inspires “plenty of sinister giggles.” Overall, though, our critic is just relieved to have Sam Raimi back in the horror genre. He rates the movie 4 out of 5 stars and says:

Anyone familiar with Sam Raimi’s horror knows he likes to add a side of humor to lots and lots of blood (and other assorted liquids), but even so, Kristy Puchko of Mashable says you're not ready for Rachel McAdams' “darkly, darkly funny” performance. Puchko describes her showing in a theater full of critics “yelping in shock and deranged delight,” writing:

Tom Jorgensen of IGN gives the movie an “Amazing” 9 out of 10, saying that Rachel McAdams’ range shows through, as she handles the humor and heaviness that are crucial to Linda Liddle’s story. This critic also writes of the giddiness induced by Sam Raimi, saying:

Alison Foreman of IndieWire gives it an A-, writing that not only is Send Help the most “purely enjoyable” Sam Raimi film in years, it’s Rachel McAdams’ “best comedy since Mean Girls.” This blend of humor and horror makes the critic imagine “how much fun Raimi would’ve had handing her a chainsaw in the ’80s.” Foreman continues:

Frank Scheck of THR says he can imagine screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift “cackling” as they predicted audiences’ gasps throughout the “darkly comic horror.” Also, the critic says it’s delightful seeing Rachel McAdams “let her freak flag fly.” Scheck continues:

Sam Raimi has a penchant for balancing out his horror with some laughs, and clearly from how many times critics talking about “giggles” and “cackling” and Rachel McAdams’ comically unhinged performance, Send Help is no different. The movie so far has compiled a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, so if you want to see how funny this flick is, hit that theater starting Friday, January 30.

Since we’re still in the first month of the 2026 movie release schedule, I don’t necessarily expect one of the first new films of the year to really dazzle me, but wow, Send Help did it. As a longtime fan of Sam Raimi, I had a good feeling about what he was going to bring to his latest directorial effort. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m not only impressed, there’s also something about the end I really need to talk about. SPOILERS ahead!

The Pivotal Send Help Moment That I Don’t See Enough In Horror Movies

When Send Help got its start, I thought I had it figured out. I thought it would be a fun horror movie more in the vein of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead era than we’ve seen from the filmmaker lately. I knew it was about a woman and her boss and how their dynamic turns around once they get deserted on a tropical island together. However, the concept works even better than I imagined, particularly regarding Rachel McAdam’s complex role of Linda Liddle.

Sure, the movie’s comparisons to Misery are valid, but Linda ended up being a much more well-rounded character than what I’ve typically seen in the horror genre. The moment towards the end that really struck me was after Linda kills her boss, Bradley’s fiancée and her guide. Rather than her suddenly turning into this evil villain, there’s a moment where she’s really queasy and regretful about her actions. I especially loved the moment where she pictures Bradley’s fiancée emerging from the beach and there’s that big old jump scare.

It really humanizes these kills in a genre where its characters often treat death like they're playing a video game. Ultimately, Send Help is a gory blast, but I really appreciated that the movie opted for this moment.

And, I Loved How Send Help’s Twists Just Kept Coming After That

Not only was it great to see Rachel McAdams back in a thriller (and a very good one at that), I also loved that the movie’s whole thing wasn’t Linda ending up going crazy on her boss. I really wasn’t expecting the remote house either – I thought I had already figured it out!

It also had a lot to say about power dynamics and the way people can exploit them. In society, Bradley was a meanie to Linda because he had power over her, and when the roles were reversed and Linda had all the power due to her survivor skills, she practically did the same thing to him. This dynamic really gave Send Help some layers. In different hands, this movie could have been a cartoony cat and mouse story, and I’m happy it had a mix of fun and depth. I could at some points also sympathize with Bradley, who was stripped of everything he had throughout the story.

I’m certainly not the only one praising the horror flick! Our Send Help review gave the movie 4 out of 5 stars, and other first reactions have called it “a massive win,” “funny as hell” and “insanely hilarious.” What a great way to start the year, horror fans!

To be blunt, Rachel McAdams isn’t really the star you think of when reflecting on Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. While the actress had a prominent role in the blockbuster’s predecessor as romantic interest Dr. Christine Palmer, she was relegated to a much smaller supporting part in the sequel, with series newcomers Elizabeth Olsen and Xochitl Gomez getting much brighter areas of the spotlight. That in mind, it’s a tad surprising that she happens to be the one star from that cast to work on director Sam Raimi’s follow-up movie Send Help – but the behind-the-curtain story is that it just took one scene to convince the filmmaker he needed to work with her again.

Raimi identified this moment while recently speaking with Entertainment Weekly about reuniting with the actress for the 2026 movie. The Marvel sequence in question is from the third act of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness and plays out when the titular master of the mystic arts is using the Darkhold to take possession of the dead Doctor Strange buried in his home universe. A penalty for using the evil book is that it opens the door for ghosts to attack Strange and Christine, and the director loved how McAdams reacted when he pitched her the scene. Said Raimi,

The sequence in Doctor Strange 2 is extremely Raimiesque, as the audience takes the perspective of the ghost and Rachel McAdams stares straight down the barrel of the camera as she screams and wrestles with the supernatural entity. There’s a brilliant blend of fear and determination on her face as she struggles for her life, and while McAdams doesn’t exactly have a long track record in the horror genre, I can understand why the scene let Raimi know that she could properly tackle the lead role in Send Help.

As I note in my four-star review, McAdams delivers one of the best performances of her career in the new film playing Linda Liddle, an underappreciated middle aged woman who gets the opportunity to turn the tables on her sexist, entitled boss (Dylan O’Brien) when they get stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. There are not a lot of straight lines that can be drawn between Linda and Christine as characters, but the actress most definitely does excel within the hilarious chaos that Sam Raimi enjoys bringing to the big screen.

Send Help is a giddily gross film that is super fun to watch with a crowd, so you should definitely do yourself a favor and check it out as it arrives in theaters this weekend.

Ever since the original Evil Dead, Sam Raimi has been known as a director who puts his cast through a lot. His horror films are not for the squeamish, as they often contain cartoonish levels of blood and gore. His newest film Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, is no exception. Although one of the movie’s more brutal scenes apparently wasn’t so bad. Actually, it was delicious.

Send Help sees Rachel McAdams as the overworked and under-appreciated employee of a jerk boss played by Dylan O’Brien. The pair find themselves washed up on an island after a plane crash. Needless to say, things don’t go so well for either of them. The movie does contain the request Raimi floods of fake blood covering the characters, but Rachel McAdams tells Discussing Film that one scene of her near demise was quite tasty. She explained…

I mean, if one is going to be nearly drowned, then I can think of worse ways to have it happen than in brownie mix. At least it smells good while somebody is forcing your face into liquid muck and trying to kill you.

Dylan O’Brien goes on to add that “all the things were quite tasty,” and while it’s not entirely clear what “things" he’s referring to, one infers that he’s referring to all the things that looked gross on screen were actually tasty. I don’t know what the fake blood tasted like, but I’ll hand it to the cast for making it all look as disgusting as it appears. It’s all the more impressive if it actually tasted good.

Sam Raimi is at his best when he’s balancing horror and camp. Starting with the Evil Dead trilogy, and moving to other films like the underseen Drag Me To Hell, there’s always been an element of humor balanced with the terror. Send Help is just the latest example of this, and it’s always fun when Raimi plays to his strengths.

Having seen Send Help and being just one of the critics who loved it, in full agreement with CinemaBlend's own review, the near drowning is honestly one of the lighter moments in a movie that has a tendency to go completely off the rails with its violence. Still, it does make that particular moment feel quite different when I realize that Rachel McAdams had her face shoved into brownie mix. When I do that at home, my wife says I ruined dessert.

One of the things that I respect most about Sam Raimi as a director is the impressive genre variety that can be found in his filmography. He got his start by making one of the most legendary horror titles of all time in 1981’s The Evil Dead, but he has refused to be pigeonholed, and be it a thriller, a western, a baseball drama or superhero blockbuster, “a Raimi movie” cannot be specifically defined (beyond elements of his signature style, of course).

That being said… there is also what could perhaps be described as a more selfish side of me that doesn’t particularly care about him exploring the range of his creative expression and wishes that he just dedicated his entire career to making scary movies. Simply put, he is really goddamn good at it, and he makes them all too rarely. Send Help, his first big screen contribution to the genre since 2009’s Drag Me To Hell, only reinforces this fact, as it properly delivers as a dark, gross delight.

While Rachel McAdams isn’t specifically recalled as one of the more memorable presences in Raimi’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, she is brilliant in a film that takes the basic premise of Lina Wertmüller’s Swept Away, but strips out all of the romance and substitutes it with some Misery vibes. It’s a mean little movie with impish sensibilities that offers dark fantasy in an analysis of gender and class dynamics, and it offers a tense ride with its main characters while inspiring plenty of sinister giggles.

McAdams plays the appropriately named Linda Liddle – a smart, resourceful lonely woman with a nerdy energy that puts off her colleagues at work. Despite her lack of popularity, she has all of her hopes pinned on a big promotion that she hopes will help improve her life, but all of that goes to hell when her boss dies and leaves the company in the hands of his entitled and sexist son Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who proceeds to give the open job to a golfing buddy.

As a consolation prize, Bradley invites her to come along to an important business meeting in Bangkok, and while he plans to fire her at the end of the trip, he never gets the chance because their plane crashes midflight. The two of them end up being the only survivors and stranded on island, he with a badly injured leg, and it’s a circumstance that flips their relationship: while he is desperate and skill-less, Linda is a devoted Survivor fan who knows exactly what to do to survive and he is thusly at her mercy.

Send Help is a different kind of revenge movie built on a great dynamic between its two main characters.

As seen in the aforementioned Swept Away or, to a lesser extent, Ivan Reitman’s Six Days, Seven Nights, the premise could easily veer into romantic comedy/drama territory, with the feuding characters able to see past their mutual distaste and develop feelings for one another, but that kind of fantasy has no real place in the vision of Sam Raimi and screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. While it’s a symphony of many different notes, it’s a revenge movie at heart that offers some delicious catharsis that hits strongly as we exist here in the early weeks of 2026.

There is some key needle-threading going down, as it’s not totally satisfied with just being black and white story: there are layers to Bradley that are uncovered that reveal him as a bit more than just an arrogant nepo baby; and Linda is hardly a saint, and the movie makes no efforts to excuse her worst behavior. At the same time, however, it never loses track of who its protagonist and antagonist are, and minus a narrative lull in the second act, it’s consistently satisfying to see our heroine outplay her foe as he refuses to properly grow as a person.

Rachel McAdams is a true joy to watch while Dylan O'Brien effectively makes you hate his guts.

A great deal of credit is owed to both Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, as a great weight is put on the pair as the only characters for the vast majority of the runtime, but they both offer the ideal charisma that Linda and Bradley require as characters.

Initially, there is a bit of suspension of disbelief required as you are meant to believe that a woman who looks like Rachel McAdams would be the biggest loser at her job (even with the layer of “bird mom” energy that is applied via production stylists) – but it’s nonetheless super fun to see her transform into the best version of herself while she is stranded, and the actor’s pep is perfect as the character fully embraces the wholly new lifestyle that has been thrust upon her.

O’Brien has what might be considered the more thankless job, as one of the key aspects of his turn is being so detestable as to inspire the sadistic side of the audiences’ imaginations, but to his credit, he does it impressively well without ever being cartoonish. The Maze Runner star properly imbues the character with the all-too-familiar energy of a man who believes that the world owes him everything despite contributing nothing, and he nails the blend of anger, fear and panic that evolves from him losing all of his unearned power.

Send Help features the exact silly nastiness that is a staple of Sam Raimi horror movies.

Linda and Bradley go through quite a lot together, and those who know about Sam Raimi’s proclivities as a director know that he likes to be the guy who is personally spraying his actors with blood and all manners of goop in the more intense sequences of his movies. Watching, Send Help, one can tell that he had an absolute ball during production, as the film offers wonderful nastiness aplenty – captured with the unique flare in cinematography and editing that never lets you forget who is at the helm of this picture.

The tone is first set in this department with the spectacular plane crash sequence (an appetizer of cinematic schadenfreude to whet the palate for what’s to come), and it serves course after course of icky at every opportunity with amazing special effects, from Linda hunting a wild boar to a final confrontation that I will only lightly tease in this spoiler-free space.

While recognizing that Sam Raimi is not nearly as prolific now as he was back in the 1990s, it’s a lightly upsetting thing that we had to wait nearly two decades for his newest proper contribution to the horror cinema canon – but now that we have Send Help, we can at least say that it was totally worth the wait. Forty-five years after the premiere of The Evil Dead, the man still has a genius knack for making audiences squirm, and it only further cements his important place in genre filmmaking history.

The number of upcoming horror movies isn’t necessarily the most impressive just yet, but 2026’s movie schedule boasts something that no yearly lineup has in more than a decade: a bona fide Sam Raimi horror movie. The no-frills, high-thrills flick Send Help, which critics have thoughts about, already looked like a return to genre form for the Evil Dead franchise director, and producer Zainab Azizi seemed to back that assumption up quite convincingly.

Azizi spoke with SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend about Raimi’s cinematic follow-up to 2022’s Doctor Strange sequel, which stars Rachel McAdams as Linda, a hard-working company loyalist whose career future is suddenly put in jeopardy when her late boss’ son, played by Dylan O’Brien, takes over the business. The apple fell far from the tree with O’Brien’s Bradley, whose charm can’t overshadow that “he’s entitled, and a bit of a jerk,” per the producer. The “bits of horror” come after a plane crash strands the pair on a tropical island.

To be sure, Zainab Azizi isn’t overselling Send Help as a supernatural gorefest led by Bruce Campbell, but everything he says about the movie could easily also apply to at at least 1981’s The Evil Dead, and possibly also Darkman and A Simple Plan, just to round the bases. As Azizi put it to SFX:

Characters in psychological thrillers don’t usually show up completely covered in blood the way Rachel McAdams looks in the trailer, but we all know how much Raimi has loved to cover Bruce Campbell in blood even through the Ash vs. Evil Dead series. If McAdams is his new go-to in that respect, we all win. Oh yeah, O'Brien too.

Not to put too little attention on the comedy element, which I’m also looking forward to. The way the producer put it, the movie was crafted in the editing room as much as on the set. According to Zainab Azizi:

Nearly everything Sam Raimi makes has a vein of dark humor running through it, and he’s truly a master at blending genres in such a way, even if not all of his efforts are appreciated right when they come out. (Dammit, I already blew my Darkman reference earlier.) His last full-on horror movie was 2009’s Drag Me to Hell, which has aged as well as anything else in his career, and that has plenty of jarring laughs throughout.

Raimi and Campbell crafted one of the greatest horror-comedy characters of all time with Ash Williams, and those films are full of great characters. It’s a topic that Azizi also addressed, saying:

After seeing her Survivor audition video, I’m definitely ready to see Linda Liddle become a survivor heroine, regardless of whether her boss survives the journey. Just look at her go below!

I’m pumped to see Rachel McAdams back in thriller-mode almost as much as I am to see Raimi making another horror-thriller. So you can bet I’ll be in theaters watching when Send Help comes out on January 30, 2026.

Last year was a fantastic year for scary movies, with several from the genre making CinemaBlend’s Best of 2025 list. That’s probably a big reason why there’s some skepticism around 2026’s horror lineup. Many are hoping that Sam Raimi can turn our expectations around with Send Help — his first horror movie since 2009’s Drag Me to Hell. Early screenings are underway for the flick, and moviegoers are sharing their first reactions.

Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star as colleagues who get stranded on an island after a plane crash and must fight for their survival as tensions between them rise. (I’m not kidding, this is the exact same plot of a Lacey Chabert movie on this month’s Hallmark schedule, but I imagine it’s bloodier with an entirely different form of tension.) Chris Killian of ComicBook.com gives a promising initial reaction on X, writing:

Griffin Schiller of FilmSpeak also says Sam Raimi is trying to test the strength of the audience’s stomachs and thinks this movie will be a hit with fans of Drag Me to Hell. I’m loving this Survivor comparison, too, as Schiller writes:

It wouldn’t be Sam Raimi without some humor, either, and The Koalition’s critic said they laughed all the way through the movie’s 113-minute runtime. They posted:

Rachel McAdams has proven her talents in several different genres, and many people — including Megan McLachlan of The Contending — are excited to see her in another thriller after 2005’s Red Eye. McAdams proves she’s still got it with a “fierce, feral” performance, the critic says, posting:

EpicFilmGuys also gives the Mean Girls actress her flowers, saying this is one of Rachel McAdams’ best performances to date. They continue:

Several others who caught an early screening of the upcoming horror movie are trying to find the right combination of films to accurately describe it, which has spawned questions about Send Help for some. Critic Josh Weiss has an eclectic mix, posting:

It doesn’t get much more complimentary than this, from Ricardo of Hollywood Handle:

Christopher Gallardo says the famed director succeeds in building tension between the leads and amongst the audience, adding in some jumpscares for good measure. The critic writes:

I jumped so hard during a Sam Raimi movie once that my popcorn flew in the air like a cartoon, so I have to admit I’m excited to see what he’s got in store for us with his latest project. We don’t have too long to wait, with Send Help hitting the 2026 movie schedule on Friday, January 30.

It’s easy to forget just how unexpected Rachel McAdams’ Hollywood breakthrough was. Before she was synonymous with some of her best roles, like The Notebook (one of the best romantic films), she was a relative newcomer, finding her footing in broad studio comedies. One of her earliest big-screen moments was a scene in a raunchy body-swap comedy where she had to strip down in a bright pink bikini. Now, she’s looking back on that experience and opening up about feeling both terrified and exhilarated in her first major Hollywood role.

While sitting down with Variety, McAdams reflected on her path from early comedy gigs to awards recognition and, most recently, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Along the way, she revisited her first studio film, The Hot Chick (streaming with a Hulu subscription), and a moment that pushed her well outside her comfort zone right from the start. As McAdams recalled:

At the time, McAdams was playing a high school mean girl whose body is magically swapped with an adult man, played by Rob Schneider. The role demanded not just physical comedy but an unusual level of vulnerability for someone new to big studio sets. One moment, in particular, stands out decades later. The Marvel alum continued:

That willingness to commit fully helps explain why McAdams made such a strong early impression. In The Hot Chick, she manages to be broad, fearless, and surprisingly grounded, even as the premise veers into absurdity. It’s also the role that helped put her on Hollywood’s radar, setting the stage for bigger roles in Mean Girls and then superstardom in The Notebook.

McAdams originally trained for the stage and fully expected her career to unfold in theater, viewing Los Angeles as a distant and unlikely destination. When she landed Hot Chick, she assumed she had little to lose, and that lack of expectation may have given her the freedom to take risks other young actors might shy away from. She added:

Decades later, Rachel McAdams’ filmography speaks for itself. She’s moved seamlessly between comedy, romance, drama and genre work, earning both audience affection and critical respect along the way. It’s telling, though, that one of the moments she still remembers most clearly is also one of her most vulnerable.

And, while the Wedding Crashers star has hardly slowed down since The Hot Chick hit theaters in 2002, it’s been a while since audiences have seen her in a full-fledged thriller. That’s about to change. She’s set to return to the genre in Sam Raimi's Send Help, which is slated to hit theaters on January 30 as part of the 2026 movie schedule.

Rachel McAdams has landed a lot of iconic roles in her 20+ year career. From starring in some of the best romantic movies of all time like The Notebook and About Time to bringing the iconic Regina George to life in Mean Girls, she’s been an inspiration to moviegoers of all different kinds of genres. However, it’s been a while since we’ve seen her really take a gig in a bonafide thriller, but that’s going to change soon when Send Help hits the 2026 movie schedule.

A short while ago, we learned Rachel McAdams would be teaming up with Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien for a new movie from the mind of Sam Raimi. The two are playing co-workers in the film, so the 13-year age gap isn’t particularly mismatched, and more importantly, it’s going to bring McAdams back into the fold in a thriller capacity after the two become stranded on a desert island.

We’ve already seen a trailer for Send Help, and it’s been beautiful to see her back in the genre.

You may remember, but back in 2005, McAdams starred opposite Cillian Murphy in Red Eye, a fun thriller directed by Wes Craven and featuring a plotline in which McAdams’ character single-handedly takes on a terrorist organization hellbent on taking down the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. The movie is a little kooky, but it’s grounded in the performances Murphy and McAdams brought to the table. (Even if Cillian Murphy disagrees.)

I remember when it came out, I thought at the time it would be the start of an action career for her. That wasn't the case.

Instead, she went on to become known for a slew of romantic films like Midnight in Paris, The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Vow. She did throw a little action in there as Irene Adler in the Sherlock films, but I’m happy to call that more action/adventure than “thriller.” Given the Raimi-ness of it all, this one also looks to have horror components, so there is likely some arguing we can do over genre; however, let’s just call this one a horror-thriller and call it a day.

Check out the trailer below for a better idea of what to expect.

Send Help officially hits theaters on January 26, and I hope like Red Eye it lives on for years in the fanbases memory. Just like last time, she should have a great sparring partner in Dylan O'Brien, and the deserted island setting seems promising to boot.

With a little luck, I hope Send Help expands the roles McAdams is given in the future, too. I look forward to her in more rom-coms, but let’s not forget this is also the woman who once stabbed Cillian Murphy in the neck with a ballpoint pen. Get it, girl.

Spoiler alert! This story will reveal spoilers about the 2005 movie The Family Stone, which is available to stream with a Prime Video subscription or Hulu subscription.

Families coming together for the holidays make for such a good starting off point for so many stories — including several on the 2025 Christmas movie schedule — especially if there’s a twist involved, like introducing your partner to your family. The 2005 flick The Family Stone offered a brilliantly heightened look into such a situation, and I was so excited to find out a sequel is in the works. To that end, there is one thing I’d love from The Family Stone 2, but also, I have a big concern.

The Family Stone featured an ensemble cast of impressive names like Sarah Jessica Parker, Craig T. Nelson, Claire Danes and, of course, Diane Keaton. Still, this one doesn’t find its way onto everybody’s list of favorite Christmas films. The titular Stones are an admittedly flawed bunch, and on top of having characters who are hard to like, this one is practically guaranteed to make you cry.

I get it, I understand every argument against it, and you’ll just never make me hate it. Before I get into my hopes and fears, though, let’s look at what we know about the upcoming sequel.

The Family Stone 2 Is In The Works Following Diane Keaton’s Death

We’re going to get into spoiler territory here, so turn back now if you aren’t aware of how the 2005 Christmas movie plays out. The Family Stone is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and following Diane Keaton’s death in October at age 79, writer-director Thomas Bezucha revealed to CNN that he’d already been thinking of catching up with the Stones.

While The Family Stone centers around Everett (Dermot Mulroney) introducing his uptight girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) to his judgmental family, the story takes a twist when the Stone children catch onto the fact that their mother Sybil has been diagnosed with a terminal illness (the implication is a recurrence of breast cancer).

Diane Keaton’s death made Thomas Bezucha want to “honor her even more,” with a sequel, despite the fact that it plagued him. He said:

The Family Stone 2 has not officially been green-lit, and none of the ensemble cast has officially signed on, but Thomas Bezucha said he has spoken to everyone and received unanimously positive responses. (Craig T. Nelson and Dermot Mulroney have both acknowledged the project.) The director also said he was only interested in doing the sequel if he could get the original cast back, so we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes on this one.

I’d Love For The Sequel To Feature Another Introduction To The Stone Family

When Everett brought Meredith home to meet the family two decades ago, the next generation of Stones had already begun to form. Susannah (Elizabeth Reaser) was pregnant with her second child, and by the end of the movie, Thad and Patrick (Tyrone Giordano and Brian J. White, respectively) had adopted a son. I think it would be fun to see one of the Stone’s next generation — who would now theoretically be in their 20s — bring home a partner to meet the family.

In addition to the above couples, The Family Stone also saw Everett winding up with Meredith’s sister Julie (Claire Danes), Meredith getting together with Everett’s brother Ben (Luke Wilson), and Amy (in one of Rachel McAdams’ best roles) reconnecting with Brad (Paul Schneider). Any one of these couples could have borne children who could carry out the nod to the plot of the original film.

But here’s the twist: Maybe this time the family members aren’t quite such assholes? Perhaps Sybil’s death has softened them, or Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) has won them over with his “generosity of spirit” mantra that exactly zero of them abided by back in 2005. Here’s my big issue with that idea, though.

I’m Worried Making The Stones Likeable Would Reflect Badly On Diane Keaton’s Character

There’s no doubt in my mind that should The Family Stone 2 actually come to fruition, it will and should be a tribute to Diane Keaton. However, what happens when the Stone family members realize that Sybil was the problem all along? The ending of the first movie even takes a step in that direction, showing a much softer side to all of the family members as they gather for their first holiday without the matriarch.

If we’re being honest, I do believe Sybil Stone was the instigator, and it was an absolute treat to watch Diane Keaton portray this deliciously petty, overbearing, passive-aggressive mother. She mocked Meredith to her face for trying to be polite, she talked openly about Amy’s sex life despite her daughter’s protests and she facilitated pretty much all of the toxic behavior happening at the Stone family Christmas.

(However, I will never fault her for defending Thad and Patrick during one of the most awkward family dinners ever on screen, even if there was probably a better way to handle it. Protect these men at all costs.)

So regardless of whether or not a new person is being introduced to the Stone family in the sequel, I don’t know how you solve this conundrum: Either the family is still illogically mean and unlikeable, or they’ve turned into pleasant people now that Sybil has passed on and is no longer around to encourage the bad behavior. And what kind of tribute to Diane Keaton would that be?

Either way, it’s going to be admittedly difficult to see the Stones reunite without Sybil — the final scene of The Family Stone was already difficult — and I imagine Diane Keaton’s presence will be missed in every scene. Still, even knowing this, and with the concern I talked out above, I’m really hoping The Family Stone 2 comes together.

The 2005 film is available to stream on Prime Video and Hulu, if you’d like to relive the Stone holiday drama. It really can put your own family get-togethers into perspective, and some people say it’s better the second time around anyway!

When Sam Raimi announces he’s made a new horror movie, that’s an event. Through some of his best movies, starting with the ’80s cult classic The Evil Dead, which kickstarted an iconic horror franchise, he basically invented his own subgenre. He gave us demonic goats in Drag Me to Hell and long ago turned camera movement into a character in its own right. Now, after a 16-year break (and no, Doctor Strange 2 doesn’t count), he’s finally back behind the horror wheel with Send Help. I’m almost ready to throw on my bloodiest party hat...almost. One pretty major detail is keeping me from going full celebration mode, however.

What I’m Excited About

The premise is chef’s kiss. The film follows Rachel McAdams (yes, The Notebook icon) and Dylan O’Brien as coworkers—she’s his underling—stranded on a remote island after a corporate retreat goes sideways. Once they crash, office politics turn full Lord of the Flies, and McAdams seizes control. The trailer, which can be seen lower down, teases the Spider-Man director’s signature style while giving Cast Away meets Misery vibes. If the blood-slick pratfalls and chaotic tone are any clue, we’re headed for something gloriously unhinged. And honestly, that’s precisely the Raimi I want.

The cast alone is reason to get excited. I’ve always been a fan of Rachel McAdams, and lately, it feels like she hasn’t had as much to sink her teeth into as she should. (Especially in the MCU, where Multiverse of Madness completely sidelined her.) So it’s great to see her not only back in a central role, but back in horror. It’s been twenty years since Red Eye (which really holds up), and she looks locked back into that smart, scrappy survival mode.

As for Dylan O’Brien—I’m admittedly not super familiar with the full scope of his work, but he looks delightfully insufferable here. I’m curious to see if Raimi plays the dynamic like a seesaw: getting us to flip loyalties between the timid underling and the awful boss as the story unravels.

But then there’s this tiny horror-friendly gremlin whispering in my ear—and yeah, it’s got me a little worried.

Why I’m More Nervous About Send Help Than I'd Like

The iffiest thing about this project, sight unseen, is the writers. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are the duo behind Freddy vs. Jason, the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot, and (sigh) the 2017 Baywatch reboot. These guys love a big swing, but their work tends to get… noisy, to put it mildly

Their scripts often chase too many tones at once, without, in my opinion, entirely sticking the landing. Freddy vs. Jason is fun but messy all around, and Friday ‘09 has its moments, but it's more sizzle than steak. And Baywatch? It thought it was 21 Jump Street, but it sank far below sea level.

Which is why Send Help definitely needs as much focus and precision as possible everywhere outside of the script. Balancing cruelty and comedy is something Raimi can almost do in his sleep, but not as successfully if the script’s all over the place.

But I’m Still (Cautiously) All In

I definitely have my hesitations about Send Help, but I’m not writing it off. Far from it. Because if there’s one director who can whip tonal chaos into something coherent and wildly entertaining, it’s Sam Raimi. The guy has made some of the best horror movies of all time, leaning into comedy. His editing brain can rework a scene’s entire vibe with a single jolt-cut or an evil POV cam. If the script stumbles, he can literally spin the camera until it makes sense.

The filmmaker knows how to calibrate actors. McAdams looks like she’s having the time of her life here, playing frantic, capable, and maybe a little unhinged. O’Brien’s no slouch either. And a Single-location horror forces discipline. A stranded island is a narrative pressure cooker, with no room for filler. That’s Raimi’s playground, and I, for one, cannot wait until it lands on the 2026 movie schedule.

Check Out The Send Help Trailer

As seen above, the first trailer for Send Help dropped this week, and it looks like both McAdams and O'Brien spent quite a bit of the shoot covered in fake blood. Good times.

Send Help crashes into theaters on January 30th, 2026.

The love story of Noah and Allie from The Notebook is the stuff legends are made of. Whether or not you’ve seen the 2004 book-to-screen adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel, you’ve definitely heard of these characters. You’ve seen them kiss in the rain. Maybe it’s because I thought I understood the inevitability of Noah and Allie’s attraction that I never really felt the need to revisit the movie, but now that I have, I’m shocked at how my opinion has changed on Allie’s love triangle with Noah and Lon.

The Notebook became available to stream with a Netflix subscription this month, so I decided since it had been 20 years since my first viewing, it was time to revisit one of the best non-rom-com couples — Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling). I had actually forgotten all about James Marsden’s Lon, remembering only that there was some poor schmuck of a Noah placeholder in Allie’s life for a short time. Now that the rewatch has happened, I cannot believe I was ever Team Noah.

In The Noah Vs. Lon Debate, I Always Thought Noah Was The Better Man, Until Now

I was quick to learn there’s a whole debate about whether Allie ended up with the better man. Some have complained for years that Allie chose Noah, while apparently James Marsden still gets accused of being the “asshole” of the movie. Having rewatched it, it is astonishing to me now that there would be anybody in that latter group, and I might not believe it if I hadn’t been there myself.

I think the reason I was able to discard Lon from Allie’s story and then ultimately from my memory so easily is because there was no question that Noah and Allie were meant to be together. They were so passionate!

Allie didn’t want this boring life with the rich man her parents approved of. She wanted this Ken doll who threatened to throw himself from Ferris wheels if she didn’t agree to go out with him and who built Mojo Dojo Casa Houses with his bare hands just hoping she’d come back around.

Also, Noah knew she loved to paint.

That was a big sticking point for me two decades ago and the one Lon-related memory I have from my original viewing of The Notebook. When she told her fiancé she used to love to paint and Lon said he didn’t know that, I was inconsolable. At the time, I was a young adult with a semi-permanent “It’s Complicated” relationship status and an incomplete prefrontal cortex, so I simply couldn’t fathom how Allie could marry this man who did not know her love of painting.

While my opinion has since changed, I give my former self and other Noah sympathizers some grace, because seeing who Noah and Allie came to be — and the way Noah dedicated his final days (weeks? months?) to helping Allie remember, even for 5 minutes at a time — is ridiculously sweet and heartbreaking, and it makes it clear who we’re supposed to be rooting for in this story.

Noah And Allie’s Relationship Just Seemed So Toxic

There’s something to be said for persistence, and I know it’s supposed to be romantic that Noah pretty much fell in love at first sight with Allie and then went after what he wanted. However, I personally didn’t think all of his carnival shenanigans were very endearing. She repeatedly told him she wasn’t interested, and he just kept pushing himself on her, ultimately hanging from the top of a Ferris wheel until she promised to go out with him.

I know this was a different era, but now we know that threatening death or dismemberment in the name of romantic passion is straight-up toxic. It left a bad taste in my mouth, but I was willing to give it a pass in the name of it being set in the 1940s and, you know, fictional. But once they got together, I didn’t find their relationship any healthier.

They were always screaming at each other, and Allie seemed to regularly push Noah or slap him during arguments. Is that a passionate relationship or an abusive one? If I have to ask myself that, maybe I’m not enjoying this couple as much as I should be.

We don’t get to see any of the years they spent together after Allie leaves Lon, when she and Noah were secure in each other and building a family, so it’s anyone’s guess if they dropped some of their unhealthier habits with age. Still, those issues just never seemed present with Lon.

I Kept Waiting For Lon’s Ugly Side To Come Out

Before rewatching The Notebook, I couldn’t remember how Lon and Allie’s relationship ended, but I figured he had to have given us a reason to dislike him. We needed to be firmly back on Noah’s side, right? Wrong.

When Allie surprised Lon at the office in the middle of a meeting, he assured her she was always welcome to stop by unannounced, even clearing the room to prioritize whatever it was she was there for. Then when she said she needed to leave town to clear her head, he asked if she was all right, and when she assured him she was, he said:

What? Not a sign of jealousy or insecurity? He just wanted her to figure out what she needed so she’d be ready to marry him. Even when he learned she’d been staying with Noah, he didn’t fly off the handle or blast her for being unfaithful. He said he could shoot Noah, kick his ass or just leave Allie, but all three of those options meant losing her.

His only “demand” really was that she choose one or the other, because he didn’t want to share her. (What a bastard!) It broke my heart when he said:

To speak again to the painting of it all, did Allie like to paint because it was her passion, or did she turn to painting when her life felt out of control? She had stability with Lon and didn’t think about painting again until she saw Noah in the newspaper. She didn’t pick up a brush again until she had full-on cheated on Lon.

Also, I was wrong back then about Lon not knowing Allie. He may have been joking, but he hit the nail on the head right before he proposed, telling her she’d never marry him because her parents liked him:

In the end, Allie and Noah were together, and that’s the way it was supposed to be. Was Lon better for Allie? Maybe. But he deserved better anyway. Hopefully he took that emotional maturity and shared it with someone who loved him just as much as he loved her.

If you want to take a trip back to one of the best movies of the 2000s and relive Allie and Noah’s (and Lon’s) story, The Notebook is streaming on Netflix. Who knows, maybe time has changed your opinion on the romance as well.

You seriously can’t forget about The Notebook. It’s one of the best movies of the 2000s due to Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ undeniable chemistry, and for showing audiences that you can never forget your first love. Fans of The Notebook may have complained for years about Allie choosing Noah instead of Lon. But when James Marsden gives his own perspective on who Allie should have ended up with, I have to agree with him.

If you remember in one of James Marsden’s best movies, The Notebook, Allie is torn between her wealthy fiancé Lon, and her first love Noah, after reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend seven years later. Ultimately, she chooses Noah. While fans still question after over twenty years if Allie made the right choice, Marsden, who played Lon, gave his take to People. And I second it. As he shared:

I know where fans are coming from in that if you look at The Notebook from a practical stance, Lon was who Allie should be with. Even she admitted it. He was from a wealthy family like hers, the Army vet repaid Allie a kindness after she nursed him at the hospital, and was still willing to be with Allie despite her affair with Noah. But like Noah asked Allie constantly, “What do you want?” Her heart clearly wanted Noah.

With all of the passion that Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams had playing Noah and Allie, I would be way too disappointed if they didn’t become endgame. They had one of the most memorable movie liplocks in the rain. In Noah and Allie’s unforgettable movie breakup, I had to have faith like Noah that it still wasn’t over between the two. Plus, Noah also set the standards high for men when, as an old married couple, he dedicated himself to telling Allie their love story as she grapples with dementia. James Marsden continued to give his own reasons why he felt Nicholas Sparks’ main characters belonged together:

Lon definitely isn’t a bad guy! He was determined to go on a date with Allie after they met at the hospital, and was always kind to her. Lon even made sure to get her parents’ blessing before proposing like a gentleman. Funny enough, back in 2015 the X-Men actor said that people got mad at him for getting “involved with [Noah and Allie's] love.” It wasn’t his fault that he pursued Allie by the time she was a single adult! But as Allie’s mother drove Noah away when he attempted to reconnect with her, there was no way I wanted her mother to have a final say in her daughter’s future again.

There may be people who think Allie should have chosen Lon instead of Noah, but I agree with James Marsden that Noah was the right choice. She followed her heart instead of fulfilling her parents’ expectations. And considering what a total catch Lon is, Marsden is right that I’m sure he found a lucky lady down the line.

It’s no wonder The Devil Wears Prada has a sequel in development. It’s one of the best movies of the 2000s, between all its quotable lines, Meryl Streep’s unforgettable performance as fictional fashion magazine editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly, and such. Also, I know I can’t imagine anyone else playing the role of Anne Hathaway’s Andy Sachs, who is also incredible in the 2006 comedy. However, did you know she got the role after multiple other big names rejected offers?

Previously, Anne Hathaway shared that she was actually ninth in line to star in The Devil Wears Prada, and we know Rachel McAdams was the initial first pick. Now, another Hollywood actress has revealed that she was up for the role too.

Kate Hudson Regrets Saying No To The Devil Wears Prada

Kate Hudson, who became popular in the early 2000s for starring in Almost Famous and How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, recently said she was up for The Devil Wears Prada, but passed on the role. As she told Capital FM:

Kate Hudson is currently promoting her upcoming Netflix series, Running Point. When she was asked about the role that got away, she name-dropped The Devil Wears Prada. It’s already been out there that she was considered, but we didn’t know why things didn’t work out for the actress. However, she revealed the why, explaining:

Now, I can totally see Kate Hudson in The Devil Wears Prada. She would have been a good fit for Andy, but I do think Anne Hathaway has more of a plucked-from-nowhere vibe that Hudson just doesn’t have as the daughter of Goldie Hawn.

Anyway, if she had made time for the role, she would have been able to work with Meryl Streep along with the rest of the talented The Devil Wears Prada cast. We don’t blame her for being bummed to this day.

But, Rachel McAdams Apparently Said No To The Same Movie Multiple Times

Oddly enough, Rachel McAdams not only passed on The Devil Wears Prada, but she allegedly did so three times! When director David Frankel spoke to Entertainment Weekly back in 2021 about the process of casting Anne Hathaway, he said this:

Now, we don’t know what McAdams’ reasons were. At the time she was definitely very much in demand, having done both Mean Girls and The Notebook in 2004. We have to wonder if she regrets not taking the role either after seeing it?

The other names that reportedly were under consideration were Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Kirsten Dunst. Talk about an A-list...

Ultimately, Anne Hathaway is Andy Sachs and The Devil Wears Prada wouldn’t have been the same without her. You can check out the movie with an Amazon Prime subscription now.

Some actors excel in dramas, others in action flicks; but there are also others whose best work happens to be in some of the best romantic comedies of all time. Nothing against Hugh Grant, Meg Ryan, or Colin Firth’s more dramatic or action-oriented work, but let’s be real for a second and admit that Four Weddings and a Funeral, When Harry Met Sally, and Bridget Jones’s Diary, as well as their other work in the genre, is why they’re so beloved.

That said, here are 32 actors whose best roles are rom-coms…

Hugh Grant

With movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, and Bridget Jones’s Diary to his name (and many, many more), it’s no wonder Hugh Grant’s name comes up rather frequently when discussing the best rom-coms ever made. Sure, his work in Paddington 2 and Remains of the Day is great, but the man knows how to anchor a romantic comedy with that signature charm and wit.

Renée Zellweger

Sure, Renée Zellweger won her two Oscars in dramas – Cold Mountain and Judy – but that doesn’t mean those were her best roles. Again, they were both great, but don’t hold a candle to her work as the titular character in Bridget Jones’s Diary or her star-making performance in Jerry Maguire. More than 20 years after first playing those iconic characters, Zellweger’s work is still received with heaps of praise.

Julia Roberts

One of the queens of the ‘90s rom-com, Julia Roberts bookended the final decade of the 20th century with legendary performances in Pretty Woman and Notting Hill. Those roles, which should be revisited annually if we’re being honest, helped pave the way for Roberts’ stellar career.

Meg Ryan

It’s impossible to put together a list of Meg Ryan’s best movies and not include the likes of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, to name a few. The rom-com mainstay, who shared the screen with Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, and Kevin Kline over the years, has given us unforgettable moments and more beloved characters than just about anyone.

Cameron Diaz

My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, The Holiday, The Sweetest Thing, and countless other romantic comedies made Cameron Diaz one of the biggest stars of the past 30 years. The actress has shown off her more dramatic roles in everything from Any Given Sunday and Being John Malkovich, but her performances in those rom-coms can’t be touched.

Drew Barrymore

Long before Drew Barrymore became one of the premier names in the world of daytime talk shows, she held it down in the rom-com circuit. Fever Pitch, Never Been Kissed, 50 First Dates, and The Wedding Singer are just some of Barrymore’s best romantic comedies. And while she does have a killer scene in the opening minutes of Scream, these are her most memorable performances.

Colin Firth

As much as we love watching Colin Firth play Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, his more modern take on the character in Bridget Jones’s Diary is the stuff of legend. Firth, a tremendous dramatic actor in his own right, has been a staple of the romantic comedy over the years thanks in part to those Bridget Jones movies, Mamma Mia!, and Love Actually. However, don’t let this take away from the greatness of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or The King’s Speech.

Billy Crystal

When Harry Met Sally is one of the first movies to come to mind whenever the topic of hilarious Billy Crystal movies comes up. Filled with some of the funniest lines (and others filled with heartbreak and emotion), Crystal’s work in the rom-com genre is absolutely fantastic, be it movies like America’s Sweethearts or Forget Paris. And The Princess Bride sort of counts, right?

Cary Grant

Few Hollywood leading men have a resume as great as Cary Grant, an actor who appeared in dozens of romantic comedies over the years. Charade, The Philadelphia Story, Holiday, and so many others have long cemented Grant’s place in the annuls of rom-com history, and those hilarious and heartfelt performances are still cherished many years after his death.

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was the king of the silent film and an actor who could do anything from drama to slapstick to romantic comedy better than just about every single one of his contemporaries. Chaplin’s 1931 rom-com, City Lights, helped define the genre and has been a benchmark for nearly 100 years.

Nia Long

Nia Long has so many great movies to her name, including Friday, Boyz n the Hood, Big Momma’s House, and Soul Food. This also includes some all-time great romantic comedies from the ‘90s like Love Jones, The Best Man, and Hav Plenty. Though her name doesn’t come up as much as it should, Long is still in a league of her own.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her titular in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, but the talented actress has several other iconic rom-coms to her name. Something’s Gotta Give, Manhattan, The Family Stone, and Baby Boom all show off the incredible skill and nuance of this once-in-a-generation actress. And this is coming from someone who thinks The Godfather is one of the top five movies of all time.

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, Sabrina, Roman Holiday, and My Fair Lady are all some of the funniest movies of the 20th century, and all happen to feature the unmatched talent of Audrey Hepburn in iconic roles. The late actress had a great number of dramatic roles over the years, but her charm and charisma seen in these rom-coms made her one of the all-time greats.

Constance Wu

Constance Wu has all kinds of great film and TV roles on her resume, but for some, she’ll always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians. The massively popular romantic comedy about a Chinese-American NYU professor learning her boyfriend is a member of the richest and most powerful family in Singapore still hits more than a half-decade after its release.

Richard Gere

Though Richard Gere has killed it in dramas like An Officer and a Gentleman and musicals like Chicago, those performances don’t hold a candle to, at least culturally, to his role as Edward Lewis in Pretty Woman. Gere and co-star Julia Roberts would rekindle that spark less than a decade later with another great rom-com, Runaway Bride.

Reese Witherspoon

The Importance of Being Earnest, Sweeet Home Alabama, and Legally Blonde all allowed Reese Witherspoon to show off comedic skills in romantic comedies, and those roles remain some of her best. Sure, she won an Oscar for Walk the Line, but there’s no touching Elle Woods.

Henry Golding

Henry Golding had already had some success by the time he was cast as the uber-wealthy Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians, but his performance in the 2018 romantic comedy sent him to the next level. He’s found success in movies like The Gentlemen and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare since then, but his rom-com performance is still his best.

Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes has long killed it in comedies, romance movies, and romantic comedies. Take Hitch for example. The 2005 rom-com starring Will Smith as a professional “date doctor” who meets his match in Mendes’ character was so much fun and allowed the actress to show off all of her skills in a fun and meaningful way.

Sandra Bullock

While You Were Sleeping, Hope Floats, The Proposal, and Two Weeks Notice are just a few of Sandra Bullock’s all-time great romantic comedies. The Academy Award-winning actress has long been one of the best to attempt the genre, and she’ll have a long-lasting legacy because of those strong, vulnerable, and incredibly relatable characters.

Michael Ealy

Over the years, Michael Ealy has put together a crazy good filmography, one that is filled with medical dramas and thrillers, action flicks and comedies, etc. But let’s not forget all the great work he’s done in the world of romantic comedies. Kissing Jessica Stein, Think Like a Man, and About Last Night have all shown what the talented actor is working with.

Adam Sandler

Though not the prototypical romantic lead, there are so many great Adam Sandler rom-coms out there. From The Wedding Singer to Punch-Drunk Love and 50 First Dates to Spanglish there’s so much variety and fun to be had with his stellar filmography.

Jennifer Garner

13 Going on 30, anyone? Jennifer Garner became one of the queens of the rom-com with the release of her 2004 comedy about a young girl who is transformed into a 30-year-old magazine editor and undergoes a massive transformation (both physically and emotionally). She’s also appeared in other great comedies of the era like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Love, Simon, to name a few.

Woody Allen

Woody Allen’s monologue in the opening minutes of Manhattan is honestly one of the best cinematic moments of the ‘70s and features some of Allen’s best writing. That’s saying something considering the writer-director-actor has been a part of so many great rom-coms over the years. Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Hannah and her Sisters have made us laugh, cry, and feel everything in between over the past 50-plus years.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway’s name doesn’t come up in the rom-com discussion as much as it should, which is a shame considering the Oscar-winning actress has killed it in movies like The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted, Love & Other Drugs, and so many others. Yeah, she was great in Interstellar and Les Misérables, but there’s no denying her performances in these romantic comedies.

Morris Chestnut

Okay, Morris Chestnut was AMAZING in Boyz n the Hood with his portrayal of Ricky Baker, but the man has become a legend in the rom-com game over the past few decades. Two Can Play That Game, The Best Man, The Brothers, The Perfect Holiday, Breakin’ All the Rules are all classics, thanks in no small part to Chestnut’s performances.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams’ career has been full of swirling tales of romance like The Notebook, The Vow, and Disobedience, but some of her best work has been in romantic comedies. Wedding Crashers and Midnight in Paris quickly come to mind, but her best performance can be found in About Time, an incredibly emotional and hilarious story of love, loss, and second chances.

John Cusack

Look at the best John Cusack movies and you’ll see iconic rom-coms like High Fidelity, Say Anything, Serendipity, Better Off Dead, and America’s Sweethearts. The vulnerability and likeability of the Hollywood star have made those movies, and the beloved characters he plays in each of them, such gems over the years.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is amazing when it comes to roles in romantic comedies, and few could come close to her batting average in the early-to-mid 2000s. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, My Best Friend’s Girl, Something Borrowed, and A Little Bit of Heaven all come to mind in this regard.

Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs has done it all, but he’s excelled tremendously in the rom-com world. Movies like The Wood, The Best Man, Brown Sugar, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back have shown just how charming and funny the classically trained actor can be.

Ben Stiller

Though an unlikely leading man in the realm of romantic comedies, Ben Still has long excelled in the genre. Over the years, we’ve had sensational comedies like There’s Something About Mary, Along Came Polly, Keeping the Faith, and even Reality Bites that have allowed the comedian-actor-writer-director to show off what he’s working with, and it’s been great all along.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston will always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Green on Friends, but let’s not forget that she has also been a longtime staple of the romantic comedy genre. The Break-up, Wanderlust, Just Go With It, The Switch, Rumor Has It, and several others have been perfect movies for Aniston to show off her skills.

Patrick Dempsey

From Can’t Buy Me Love to Made of Honor and everything in between, Patrick Dempsey has been a tour de force in the world of romantic comedies. He’s done great work on TV and in big-screen dramas over the years, but he particularly excels in the rom-com genre.

It's been over two decades since Mean Girls first hit theaters starring Lindsay Lohan as Cady, the new girl in school. The teen comedy is considered one of the best movies of the 2000s and became such a classic that it inspired a Broadway show and then a movie musical based on the stage performance. All three versions kept a lot of Tina Fey's original and oh-so-quotable dialogue, so let's look back at 32 of the best Mean Girls quotes that we're still repeating today.

“Raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by Regina George.”

Regina George remains one of the most notorious female villains in movie history, and if you need proof of why, just look at how many people she has affected with her reign of terror. Even her best friends fell victim to her manipulation, as well as the North Shore High teachers.

“You go, Glen Coco!”

It seems like such a throwaway line that it's hard to say why this quote is so enduring. Damian is helping Cady to break up The Plastics, which involves him dressing as Santa Claus for a candy cane scheme. He hands out candy canes purchased by other students, with Glen Coco receiving an impressive four, thus inspiring the beloved quote. The line was even given extra flair in the musical versions of the film during the song "Revenge Party."

"It's October 3rd."

Mean Girls fans will never forget what day it was when Aaron Samuels asked Cady what day it was. That date is now circled on movie lovers' calendars as Mean Girls Day, making it the perfect time to dress up in pink (as long as it's Wednesday) and enjoy a repeat viewing of the classic teen movie.

"Oh, I love seeing teachers outside of school. It's like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs."

Damian and Janis seemed bewildered and a little disgusted to see Ms. Norbury outside of the classroom, and shopping at the mall no less. Janis wasn't wrong, though, because there is something inherently strange about seeing teachers or anyone from school out in the wild.

“On Wednesdays we wear pink.”

The Plastics had a lot of arbitrary rules about social appearances to follow, but this one is the most iconic. How does anyone who's seen this movie even put together an outfit on a Wednesday without considering this cardinal rule? Is it even OK to wear pink on days that aren't Wednesday? I'm not afraid to ask the important questions.

“She doesn’t even go here!”

I wouldn't say it was surprising that Damian snuck into the junior girls' workshop (his identity fully cloaked by use of a hoodie and sunglasses). It's a little surprising, however, that he infiltrated their space and then still had the brazenness to call out someone else who wasn't supposed to be there.

“That’s why her hair is so big. It’s full of secrets.”

Gretchen Wieners, played by Lacey Chabert, was all "big hair, don't care" in Mean Girls, as the girl who knew everything about everybody. Damian (Daniel Franzese) had an amusing way of describing the infamous gossip, but his delivery ensured that the quote would stick around for decades.

“That was so fetch.”

You have to applaud Gretchen for her drive to make "fetch" happen. Despite anything Regina says, it's clear that if we're still saying this word 20+ years later, it was a success.

“What’s so great about Caesar, hmm? Brutus is just as cute as Caesar. Brutus is just as smart as Caesar. People totally like Brutus just as much as they like Caesar. And when did it become OK for one person to be the boss of everybody, huh? Because that is not what Rome is about!”

The Plastics are clearly Gretchen's Roman Empire, and she definitely started to see some parallels between Julius Caesar and Regina George, leading to her questioning in the middle of history class why Caesar got to stomp around like a giant while the rest of them tried not to get smushed under his big feet. For what it's worth, I've also always thought Brutus was just as cute as Caesar.

"Whatever, I'm getting cheese fries."

Math is hard. When Cady tried to show Regina how to cross multiply to figure out the percentage of calories from fat in her lunch, the queen bee decided it was just easier to go with what she knew.

“I’m not like a regular mom. I’m a cool mom.”

Amy Poehler was only in Mean Girls for a total of 2 minutes and 10 seconds, but boy did she make an impression as Regina's mom. Mrs. George's ridiculously lenient parenting style continues to be referenced (and possibly emulated) to this day. You can't say she wasn't a good hostess, though, because she was willing to get the girls drinks or novelties of any sort.

“Irregardless, ex-boyfriends are just off-limits to friends. I mean, that’s just, like, the rules of feminism.”

Oh Gretchen. I'd love to be able to give her credit for using a four-syllable word, but given that "irregardless" isn't a word, I just can't. I'm also not sure that Ms. Toaster Strudel quite understands the basic tenets of feminism, though many would agree that staying away from friends' ex-boyfriends is a good practice.

"She asked me how to spell orange."

What an underrated gem we have in this quote. When explaining to Cady who the Plastics are, Damian gives a colorful example of why Karen is one of the dumbest girls you'll ever meet.

“I don't think my father, the inventor of Toaster Strudel, would be too pleased to hear about this."

I just adore Gretchen throwing her weight around as the heiress of the Toaster Strudel empire. She's taking names and is certainly not afraid to drop them.

"I'm kind of psychic. I have a fifth sense. It's like I have ESPN or something."

Now we just have to figure out which other sense Karen Smith isn't using ... Amanda Seyfried's character's talents didn't end with her psychic abilities (or the ability to watch cable sports, apparently). She can also put her whole fist in her mouth and predict when it's already raining.

"There are two kinds of evil people. People who do evil stuff and people who see evil stuff being done and don't try to stop it."

Janis Ian (played by Lizzy Caplan) is definitely onto something here, but I'm not quite sure her argument holds up when you consider she was trying to get Cady to steal the Burn Book from Regina. I'm not sure her intentions were pure.

“I will keep you here all night. ... I will keep you here till 4.”

Principal Duvall (Tim Meadows) was determined to not let the students leave until they'd learned a lesson from the huge brawl that took place in the school halls. He didn't care how long it took ... at least until he was informed that the school couldn't force anyone to stay past 4.

"Did you have an awesome time? Did you drink awesome shooters, listen to awesome music, and then just sit around and soak up each other's awesomeness?"

Janis had every right to be mad at Cady for lying about going out of town instead of going to her art exhibit. On top of everything, Cady threw a big party and didn't even invite Janis and Damian, thus proving that Cady had gone full Plastic. Janis fully dismantled Cady, yelling at her through the sunroof of Damian's car as he tried to get them home before breaking curfew, and I'm sure no one involved felt very awesome in that moment.

“I’m sorry that people are so jealous of me, but I can’t help it that I’m popular.”

I'm pretty sure this was not the kind of apology that Ms. Norbury meant when she suggested the junior girls had some things they needed to get off of their chest. No wonder nobody caught her during the trust fall.

“I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school. I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy.”

If anyone was in need of Ms. Norbury's empowerment exercises to be able to get something off of her chest, it definitely seems like this mystery student. Too bad she didn't even go there.

“And I want my pink shirt back!”

After Janis went off on Cady for becoming one of The Plastics, Damian punctuated it by basically saying there was no way he was going to let Cady keep the pink shirt he'd lent her so she could sit with her new friends on Wednesdays. This line was apparently ad-libbed by Daniel Franzese, so hats off to the actor.

“One time she punched me in the face. It was awesome.”

The students at North Shore High School were so desperate to be seen by Regina George that they didn't care how that acknowledgment came. Poor Bethany Byrd (Stefanie Drummond) took one in the face from the queen bee and was pleased as, well, punch.

"Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen. It's not going to happen!"

I hate to break it to you, Regina, but "fetch" totally happened. Strangely enough, though, so did this quote, because it's still repeated in the context of trying to get anyone to stop doing something that's inevitably going to fail.

"Oh my God, Danny DeVito! I love your work!"

This wasn't actually the kindest response that Damian could have given after getting called out for being in the girls restroom to talk to Cady and Janis, but it is hands down one of the funniest.

"I win.”

A freshly divorced Ms. Norbury definitely won the contest for who had the worse summer, after Mr. Duvall said his carpal tunnel syndrome came back. A breakup absolutely trumps carpal tunnel every time.

"Get in, loser, we're going shopping."

Thanks to Regina George, multiple generations of girls have been endearingly referring to their besties as "losers" for 20 years. I, personally, cannot get in the car to go shopping without uttering this phrase.

"I'm a mouse. Duh!"

Everyone (except Cady) knows that Halloween is just an excuse for girls to go out in public dressed provocatively. Lingerie works as a costume if you pair it with animal ears, right? Right?! Well, at least it worked for Karen.

“I can’t go out. *cough, cough* I’m sick.”

Using a fake illness to get out of a possibly uncomfortable social situation is a good move, but the strategy's success lives and dies on the strength of that fake cough. Karen's is definitely one for the history books.

"Is butter a carb?"

Regina George honestly wasn't looking too good when she reached the point in her "diet" where she had to ask Cady if butter was a carb.

“I have a nephew named Anfernee, and I know how mad he gets when I call him Anthony. Almost as mad as I get when I think about the fact that my sister named him Anfernee.”

OK, this may not be a quote that's actually repeated in full, but you can't help but love this oh-so-relatable look into Principal Duvall's private life after Cady corrected him on the pronunciation of her name.

"I didn't say anything."

There are tons of examples throughout the 2004 classic that show just how much of a fish out of water Cady is amongst the wilderness of the high school hallways, but one of the funniest was her not understanding why the Plastics were always playfully telling her to "Shut up!"

“I did not leave the South Side for this.”

Principal Duvall certainly did not expect to have to deal with full-on hallway melees when he came to North Shore High School, and he was not about to allow himself to be bested by the entire class of junior girls. After nearly getting kicked in the face, he hit the fire alarm, which promptly put an end to the Burn Book brawl.

Some actors are best known and even defined by a single character that has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. However, in many cases, said iconic character does not necessarily reflect the performer’s strongest performance, which they often tend to save for the role that they hope will earn them an Academy Award nomination or, at least, challenges them the most. The following is our attempt to distinguish the most iconic roles from our choices picks for the absolute best roles of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Chris Evans

The role that skyrocketed Chris Evans to the A-list and the one he will always be most famous for is Steve "Captain America" Rogers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, his talents are even better utilized in his scene-stealing performance in the Knives Out cast as the hilariously smug and conniving Ransom Drysdale.

Amy Adams

The world first fell in love with Amy Adams when she absolutely nailed the Disney Princess schtick as Giselle in 2007’s Enchanted. Yet, she is truly a captivating, commanding, and heartbreaking force to be reckoned with in Denis Villeneuve’s powerful 2016 alien invasion movie, Arrival, as linguistics expert Louise Banks — which, surprisingly, is not one of the six roles that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Kurt Russell

For many people, when they see Kurt Russell, they see the dystopian anti-hero Snake Plissken in Escape from New York from 1981 or helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in another great John Carpenter movie, 1982’s The Thing. Yet, even the actor’s biggest fans might agree that those performances pale in comparison to his acclaimed portrayal of Wyatt Earp in the 1993 Western movie classic, Tombstone.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie first captivated audiences everywhere as Naomi Lapaglia in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street and her portrayal of Harley Quinn in the DCEU immediately became one of the Batman villain’s most essential iterations. However, the Australian actor gave, arguably, her most captivating and essential performance as infamous figure skating champion Tonya Harding in the 2017 biopic, I, Tonya, which also earned her her first Oscar nomination.

Nicolas Cage 

Nicolas Cage is at his most iconic when he is at his most unhinged and few characters define that better than Castor Troy — a ruthless terrorist who switches faces with FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) in Face/Off. Of course, it is Cage's performance as severe alcoholic Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas that earned him an Oscar win.

Julia Roberts 

Having been referred to as the Queen of rom-coms, it would make sense to call Julia Roberts’ strongest contribution to the genre — Vivian Ward from 1990’s Pretty Woman — the most iconic of her career. Yet, her strongest contribution to cinema might actually be her Academy Award-winning performance in the title role of 2000’s Erin Brockovich, which is based on the true story of a legal assistant’s crusade in a California water pollution scandal. 

Tom Hanks

Our choices for both the most iconic role and the best role of Tom Hanks’ career each earned him an Academy Award. While the lovable title hero of 1994’s Forrest Gump is easily the more famous, the actor is at his most gripping and moving as gay, HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia from the previous year.

Ryan Gosling

Playing Noah in 2004's romantic instant classic The Notebook broke Ryan Gosling into the mainstream and playing the nameless wheelman protagonist of 2011's Drive showed his action star potential. The first time critics and audiences truly began to notice his strengths as a versatile performer, however, was when he played a teacher wrestling with his vices in 2006's Half Nelson.

Robert Downey, Jr.

There was no better choice to play Tony "Iron Man" Stark — the role that effectively resurrected Robert Downey Jr.'s career — in what would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, has the actor truly ever been better than when he played Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast in 2023? Just ask the Academy.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence breathed refreshing new life into the cinematic version of YA dystopian novel hero Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games movies. She especially breathed refreshing life into the already beautiful story of love and self-acceptance at the center of Silver Linings Playbook with her Oscar-winning performance as the widowed Tiffany Maxwell.

Jim Carrey

The one role that best represents Jim Carrey’s one-of-a kind erratic style of physical comedy is the ceaselessly goofy title hero of 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. There are certainly traces of that persona in unwitting TV star Truman Burbank from 1998’s The Truman Show, but the performance brought out a certain emotional depth and devastating earnestness we had not yet seen from the actor.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson was already a top A-lister when she was cast as Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff for the MCU — a role that, arguably, became bigger than the actor herself. Yet, her infectious, Oscar-nominated performance in 2019’s Jojo Rabbit as Rosie — the mother of a young aspiring Nazi who is secretly hiding a young Jewish woman — is the heart and soul of Taika Waititi’s dazzling World War II-era satire.

Matt Damon

Is there anything better than watching Matt Damon kick butt in the Jason Bourne movies as the titular amnesiac spy? How about watching him pour out his heart and soul as a young and brilliant, but emotionally troubled custodian in 1997’s Good Will Hunting, which he also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for?

Jamie Lee Curtis

Playing Laurie Strode in Halloween may have made her the ultimate horror Scream Queen and playing IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All at Once may have finally earned her an Oscar, but neither reflect her absolute best work in our opinion. Her Golden Globe-winning role as Helen Tasker — a woman who discovers her husband (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a spy — shows the extent of her versatile range and is easily the performance from 1994’s True Lies.

Michael Keaton

When you think of Michael Keaton, the first character you picture could be Bruce Wayne from Tim Burton's live-action Batman movies or the title role of another Burton classic called Beetlejuice. Yet, the actor's defining role might really be the one that earned him his first Academy Award nomination: down-and-out actor Riggan Thomson in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

Adam Driver

Typically, any Star Wars actor can call their role in the celebrated sci-fi franchise the most famous character they have ever played and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is certainly no exception. His performance as the Sith Lord is an essential highlight of the sequel trilogy, but his rich, emotionally devastating, and uniquely funny performance as Charlie Barber in 2019’s Marriage Story — his second Oscar-nominated role — really proved he was a force to behold.

Clint Eastwood

The Mount Rushmore of Western Movie Stars undeniably includes Clint Eastwood, whose own carving into the monument would probably be dressed like his three roles from Sergio Leone's "The Man with No Name" or "Dollars" Trilogy — made of up A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Well, forgive us, but we believe that coldblooded-killer turned mild-mannered family man William Munny from 1992’s Unforgiven — which he also directed — is his stronger and deeper contribution to the genre.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is transcendent as the ultimate ruthless teen queen, Regina George, in the 2004 high school movie classic, Mean Girls. Yet, she is at her most grounded and most captivatingly understated in her Oscar-nominated portrayal of Boston Globe investigative journalist Sacha Pfeiffer in 2015’s Spotlight.

Tom Cruise 

Among Tom Cruise’s many iconic roles — especially Maverick in the Top Gun movies and Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible movies — we are not sure that we would include Ron Kovic in that least. Yet, we do believe the actor has never been better than in his impassioned, Academy Award-nominated portrayal of the real-life Vietnam vet-turned-war-protester in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July.

Emma Watson

Most people — especially Harry Potter fans — still see Hermione Graigner whenever they see Emma Watson. However, one role that came closest to replacing the talented wizard as the British actor’s most celebrated work is Sam Button from the tender 2012 coming-of-age drama, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is the face of two of cinema’s most iconic action movie heroes: Indiana Jones and Han Solo from the Star Wars movies. Yet, we have seen the legend give a performance as intense, grounded, and human as Detective Captain John Book in Witness, which also earned him his sole Academy Award nomination.

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges had already achieved a storied and widely acclaimed career by the time he landed his definitive role as freewheeling burnout, The Dude, in Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult favorite comedy classic, The Big Lebowski. It would take another 12 years before he gave his definitive performance as disillusioned country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart, which made him an Oscar winner.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jack Dawson from James Cameron’s high-grossing Best Picture Oscar winner, 1997’s Titanic, remains the one role Leonardo DiCaprio is most often associated with despite winning his Oscar for 2015’s The Revenant. However, it is his remarkable portrayal of Howard Hughes, from his rise as an inventive aristocrat to his falls as a disturbed recluse, that earns the highest praise from us. 

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman has an extraordinary collection of unique characters under her belt, but none are quite as distinct or recognizable as Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical smash, Moulin Rouge! Yet, the following year saw her give a transformative, Oscar-winning performance in The Hours as renowned author Virginia Woolf during a dismal time in her life.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale had audiences floored by his performance as Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which solidified him as one of the best Batman actors in cinematic history. However, we believe we already saw him at his best in 2000’s American Psycho, giving a brilliantly nuanced performance as a strangely compelling sociopath named Patrick Bateman.

Natalie Portman

Rewatching the Star Wars prequel trilogy is made easier for even its harshest critics by Natalie Portman’s empowering, grounding, and ultimately heartbreaking performance as Naboo’s queen-turned-senator, Padmé Amidala. Yet, we have it on good authority that even those fans of a galaxy far, far away would rather rewatch 2010’s Black Swan and experience her unsettling, bravura, Academy Award-winning turn as Nina Sayers — a ballerina driven mad by her devotion to the lead role of Swan Lake.

Daniel Radcliffe 

Daniel Radcliffe certainly made for a great “The Boy Who Lived” in the Harry Potter movies, but even some of the franchise’s biggest fans might agree that the English actor has only gotten better since exiting the Wizarding World. In fact, some might say he has gotten better as the roles got weirder, and none have been weirder than when he starred in 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story as a hilariously exaggerated version of the legendary musical parodist.

Kate Winslet

Much like Titanic made Leonardo DiCaprio a star, starring in the blockbuster historical tragedy as Rose Bukater turned Kate Winslet into one of the top actors of her time. In spite of her wonderful performance there, many would agree the role mainly paved the way for even better opportunities, such as her Oscar-winning performance in 2008’s The Reader as Hanna Schmitz.

Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac was certainly on the path to achieving A-list status before joining the cast of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but playing the charming resistance pilot was his one-way ticket across the bridge. That same year, however, he delivered a captivatingly complex and intriguingly layered performance as tech innovator Nathan Bateman in Alex Garland’s classic A24 sci-fi drama, Ex Machina

Reese Witherspoon

As Elle Woods in 2001’s Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon brings warmth, humor, and authenticity to a character who could have easily been an annoying, one-note stereotype. As June Carter Cash in 2005’s Walk the Line, she absolutely steals the show from Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash with her powerful, Oscar-winning portrayal of the legendary singer.

Henry Cavill

Being, essentially, the spitting image of Clark Kent made Henry Cavill an ideal choice to play Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, but not quite the perfect choice. The English actor’s signature charm, charisma, and sense of humor shine through much stronger as American secret agent Napoleon Solo in Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which we think is gleaming proof of his 007 material.

Brie Larson

You could say that Carol Danvers has become such a popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because Brie Larson is the one portraying her in Captain Marvel and subsequent films. For that, we can likely thank her magnificent, heart-wrenching, Oscar-winning performance in 2015’s Room as a single mother held captive with her son.

There are the characters we cherish and the performances we adore. Both are equally important reasons for why we love our favorite actors.

Ah, Valentine’s Day! It’s the best time of the year to sit down and pay your respects to the best romantic comedies over the years, whether that's alongside a longtime partner, a prospective love interest, a group of platonic friends or by your lonesome with some chocolates in hand. As the February holiday arrives, an unexpected Nicolas Cage rom-com is trending on Netflix’s U.S. charts.

Netflix’s top movie charts are always fun to gauge what other people with a Netflix subscription are watching at the same time you are. Most of the time, the streaming service’s newest releases rule the charts, but right now, the top movies are all over the map. When it comes to the biggest romantic comedy being viewed by those in the United States, 1994’s It Could Happen To You, starring Nicolas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez and Stanley Tucci, is among the list, just in time for Valentine’s Day. 

When it comes to Nicolas Cage and the romance genre, one usually thinks of Moonstruck co-starring Cher. It’s a beloved rom-com that even won three Oscars following its successful box office run. It Could Happen To You is a much more under-the-radar Nicolas Cage romance, and yet it’s ranking high right now. The movie follows Cage as a cop who vows to a waitress that they’ll split the earnings to his lottery ticket if he wins when he cannot afford to tip her. When the unlikely pair actually win the lottery, it becomes the beginning of their love story. 

Funny enough, for Cage’s main character, Charlie Lang, he’s actually already married in the movie to Rosie Perez’s Muriel, but is super unhappy. So when he meets Bridget Fonda’s Yvonne, his life really turns upside down. Charlie and Yvonne become celebrities overnight once they score the lotto’s winning numbers, leading his wife to get super jealous and scheme to steal his wealth. 

It Could Happen To You is actually based on a true story where a waitress and a police officer decide to split a lottery ticket in lieu of him tipping her and the same thing happens, with them striking gold on $6 million. They ended up splitting the money evenly. The movie is inspired by the premise, but takes some major creative liberties with what happens after the setup.

The movie is not among Nicolas Cage’s own personal favorites of his movies, nor does it feature a trademark meltdown from the actor. When it came out, it received positive reviews from critics and wasn’t necessarily a massive hit or a bomb at the box office. The movie joined Netflix on February 1. 

Cage is set to star in two fresh 2024 movies, between Arcadian coming out on March 11 and Longlegs hitting theaters on July 12. Before those upcoming horror movies come our way, you can check out It Could Happen To You right now on Netflix, just in time for Valentine’s Day! 

If you can believe it, it’s been nearly 20 years since the original Mean Girls hit theaters. Considering the iconic comedy has a musical remake movie already bringing the story to a new generation of teens, I guess that does check out. You go, Glen Coco (again). As Reneé Rapp has now taken on the role of Regina George in one of 2024’s upcoming movies, let’s talk about the origins of Rachel McAdams becoming the OG Regina George, and how Lindsay Lohan was almost cast in the role before she ended up playing Cady Heron. 

As you probably know, Mean Girls is the brainchild of Tina Fey during her Saturday Night Live days and before she started work on 30 Rock. She wrote the screenplay for one of the best movies of the 2000s after reading Rosalind Wiseman's Queen Bees and Wannabes, even though the inspiration itself is a nonfiction book for parents about high school cliques. She collaborated with Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels and Paramount Pictures on what would become one of the most iconic high school movies of all time. Here’s the story behind how Lindsay Lohan was almost cast as Regina George. 

Why Lindsay Lohan Originally Wanted To Play Regina George 

When Mean Girls was being cast in 2003, Lindsay Lohan was a 17-year-old star who was starting to find fame as a teen following her successful debut in 1998’s The Parent Trap as a child actor. When recently speaking to Vanity Fair, Lohan shared the following: 

The actress understandably wanted a change of pace from playing the outcast in her recent high school roles, as she reflected on. Lohan called her string of roles at the time “damaged teenagers,” and she wanted to do something different with Mean Girls following working with Jamie Lee Curtis on Freaky Friday and starring in The Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. She was handpicked by Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels to be part of the film, but as the casting process continued, the filmmakers changed their tune on Lohan playing the high school queen bee. In a 2019 Cosmopolitan interview, director Mark Waters shared this about the casting process: 

And thus, Rachel McAdams entered the fold. It’s time to get into how the actress beat out Lohan for the beloved Plastics leader. 

How Rachel McAdams Won The Role Of Regina George Instead 

Per Mark Waters, Rachel McAdams had initially come to read for Cady Heron amongst other names like Kristen Stewart, Mae Whitman and Michelle Trachtenberg reportedly up for the new girl role as well. As Waters recalled: 

The Mean Girls filmmakers clocked an intriguing dynamic between McAdams and Lohan immediately, and it only made their ideas for switching their roles even more exciting to them. Plus, there was something really attractive about McAdams playing Regina as a “kind and polite” mean girl that really elevated the role in ways the filmmakers were not expecting. Casting director Marci Liroff said this: 

Additionally, there was apparently some pressure from Paramount to have a “bankable” star in the center of Mean Girls, which they would have with Lindsay Lohan as Cady. As McAdams continued to sell the filmmakers, Fey and Michaels were into the idea of Lohan playing a good girl “who gets to turn into Regina,” per Fey’s words. Paramount’s former CEO Sherry Lansing ended up sitting Mark Waters down to say that she couldn’t see Lohan playing Regina George. 

Of course, Waters and the other filmmakers later convinced Lohan to play Cady, citing the character had more lines, a “much comfier wardrobe” and would help boost her career. She accepted, but in terms of the “comfier wardrobe” Lohan was actually initially rather bummed she couldn’t get more Plastic fashion moments.

The Famous Actors That Were In The Running For The Other Plastics 

The story of the Plastics isn’t complete without talking about the rest of the clique, i.e. Amanda Seyfried’s Karen and Lacey Chabert’s Gretchen. As previously revealed, both roles had their own journeys that revolved around different (and quite famous actors) playing the roles before Seyfried and Chabert ultimately nabbed them. As the Mean Girls casting director Marci Liroff told Cosmo: 

Clearly, a lot of actresses were vying for the role of Regina George. As Liroff shared, Seyfried was another performer up for the Plastics leader for whom they found another role. Seyfried was, of course, perfect in the role, but as she’s since shared, she had to later “fight” in regards to getting “pigeonholed” as Karen-type characters after Mean Girls put her on the map. Here’s what Liroff said about Chabert’s role:  

It’s no surprise High School Musical’s Ashley Tisdale was in the running, but Lacey Chabert made Gretchen absolutely iconic in the role! Ultimately, the Mean Girls filmmakers made a lot of tough, but incredible decisions regarding each of the original Mean Girls cast members, especially considering how memorable each of their roles in the 2004 movie continues to be. It has since become a Broadway musical, and some of the lead cast even recently took part in a Walmart commercial as their characters that went absolutely viral! 

The movie hit theaters on April 30, 2004 to a No. 1 spot at the domestic box office. Waters recalled the movie’s success in theaters blowing “everyone’s expectations away,” and 20 years later, it’s a classic. You can watch 2004’s Mean Girls right now with a Paramount+ subscription and see the Mean Girls musical in theaters on January 12. You can check out the cast involved in the 2024 version and CinemaBlend’s review of the new Mean Girls movie. 

Reneé Rapp gained wide recognition when she first portrayed Regina George in the Broadway musical Mean Girls. Before you knew it, she got cast to reprise her iconic role as part of the cast of the theatrical version of Mean Girls. Luckily, there were no Burn Book moments between Rapp and Rachel McAdams who played Regina George in the 2004 comedy film. After McAdams made positive comments on the casting of her memorable character, the Broadway star had comments of her own to make too.

Rachel McAdams was a true standout playing Regina George in one of the best movies of the 2000s. It looks like another young actress will have a turn wearing those giant heels around the North Shore halls in the form of Reneé Rapp. The Notebook star dished on ET about what she thought of the casting for this generation’s Queen Bee and they were nothing but positive.

Looks like Reneé Rapp has a fan in the Regina George OG! It’s such a compliment to receive from a talented actress such as her. Rachel McAdams didn’t simply play the leader of The Plastics, but she slayed it as part of the original Mean Girls cast. She brought out beauty and confidence in the role, a snarkiness, and a dangerously wide smile resembling trouble brewing. And can you believe that the Canadian actress was 26 portraying a high school junior? No wonder Mean Girls is considered one of McAdams’ best movies.

Those encouraging comments did not escape Reneé Rapp. According to ET’s TikTok video, the American actress/singer gushed towards McAdams and was really feeling the compliments.

I would have loved it if Reneé Rapp could have gotten into character during this moment and said, “I know, right?!” The Sex Lives of College Girls actress said the trick to playing Regina George this time around was not to overthink anything so that the role can flow through her naturally. She’ll also be in the same boat as McAdams playing the role of a high school teen while in her ‘20s. 

Rapp admits she’s in a different place in acting now compared to when she first took on the musical role at 18. As she’s tackling a new medium by doing this in front of the camera compared to getting it right live on stage, it’s a new adventure for her. But based on what I saw in Mean Girls trailer, I have a feeling she’ll be the film’s standout star bringing her own form of evil to the role.

Rachel McAdams and Reneé Rapp have absolutely no burns to throw at each other. Rapp seems to idolize what McAdams accomplished when she first played Regina George 19 years ago. The Game Night actress looks to feel the same way about what the Spring Awakening star is trying to accomplish with the same role today. You can watch the 2024 movie release of Mean Girls: The Musical start off the new year coming to theaters on January 12th. In the meantime, you can watch where it all started with 2004’s Mean Girls on your Paramount+ subscription. 

The entertainment industry is a funny place, one with its own set of rules. And one that has happened countless times over the years is that oftentimes the actors playing teenagers are a little long in the tooth to be doing so. Some of these performances are beloved, and others are infamous. There are particularly 32 actors that were way too old to be playing teens but did it anyway. And if you ask me, each performance on this list is pretty iconic.

Working with actual teenagers is tricky, unless the actor is emancipated and able to deal with the long hours usually required for TV and film work. So it's definitely understandable that production have chosen actors who were too long in the tooth to play their respective roles. In no particular order, here are the infamous 32.

Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls

You can't think of Rachel McAdams without her performance as Regina George in Mean Girls. While the cast of Mean Girls was mostly age appropriate, McAdams was actually 25 years old when playing the queen of the plastics. Still, I can't imagine anyone who could have played her better. 

Joseph Quinn, Stranger Things

The fourth season of Stranger Things was a star-making moment for Joseph Quinn, who played Eddie Munson. He quickly became a fan favorite, but those same fans might be surprised to learn that he's actually already 29 years old. Unfortunately, the finale of Stranger Things 4 seemingly implied we won't be seeing him again for the final batch of episodes. 

Stacey Dash, Clueless

There are a number of epic teen movies on this list, and Clueless is truly a piece of '90s film history. The comedy followed a group of ultra rich high school students, but it turns out that Dionne actress Stacey Dash was 28 when filming her performance in the movie. Plus, she went on to reprise that role in the TV spinoff. 

Leonardo DiCaprio, Catch Me If You Can

Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can came out in 2002, and told a true story about an infamous con man, Frank Abagnale Jr.. That was played by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio, and spanned many years of his life, starting at just 17 years old. However, the Titanic actor was actually 28 when he filmed this classic movie. 

Alan Ruck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off

John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a classic comedy, one that remains a quotable part of the pop culture lexicon to this day. Succession actor Alan Ruck gave an outstanding performance as Cameron Frye, but he was actually nearly 30 when portraying a high school student opposite Matthew Broderick. 

Stockard Channing, Grease

Grease is a beloved movie musical, one that I actually think improves upon the stage musical of the same name. While it's full of iconic performances, a lot of of the cast is  a bit too old for their roles. That includes Rizzo actress Stockard Channing, who was 33 years old. Regardless, she is THE Betty Rizzo, and she absolutely crushed the role. 

Shirley Henderson, Harry Potter

The cast of Harry Potter grew up before our eyes, with the kids joined by some legendary actors playing the universe's adults. But fans might not realize that Moaning Myrtle actress Shirley Henderson was actually a 36-year-old adult when portraying the ghostly teenager. 

Henry Winkler, Happy Days

Happy Days influenced a lot of pop culture, including being responsible for the term "jumping the shark." Henry Winkler has had a long career since then, but he'll always be Fonzie. Although he wasn't quite a teenager, as he was 28 when he landed that leather-clad role. 

Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education

Sex Education was a beloved teenage comedy for those with a Netflix subscription, and it wrapped up after four seasons. Ncuti Gatwa played fan favorite Eric Effiong, but he was actually 26 when the show first came out. 

Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man

While Tom Holland was praised for being an authentically young actor in the MCU, his predecessors were a bit older during their run as the wall crawler. Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield was actually 27 when he debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man, portraying playing high school student Peter Parker. And Garfield got to reprise his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home. 

Jason Earles, Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana ran for a long time on Disney Channel, and made Miley Cyrus into a megastar. The show also starred Jason Earles as her older brother Jackson. But while he was playing a 16-year-old, he was actually 29 when the show began. 

Gabrielle Carteris, Beverly Hills, 90210

Beverly Hills, 90210 has a long run on TV, and is quintessential '90s culture. While some of Beverly Hills, 90210's cast was quite young, Andrea Zuckerman actress Gabrielle Carteris was actually 29 when the show first began. 

Keiko Agena, Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls is a show that still has a strong fanbase, who re-watch its even season run as well as the Netflix spinoff A Year in the Life. While Alexis Bledel grew up and became a grown actress before our eyes, Rory's best friend Lane was played by Keiko Agena, who was 27 when the show first began. 

Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

This entry is one that folks might have guessed would appear. In 2021, Tony winner Ben Platt reprised his role as the title character the Dear Evan Hansen movie. Platt caught a ton of flak for starring in Dear Evan Hansen at 27 years old, and was made into countless memes as a result. Still, I thought he was great in the role and a lot of backlash was unjust; I mean, look at the other entries in this list!

Nicholas Brendan, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a cult classic TV show that's still super popular today. The first three seasons were set at Sunnydale High School, with the characters' personal drama mirroring their battle with demons. But Xander actor Nicholas Brendan was actually 25 when he landed the role in Joss Whedon's TV series. 

Johnny Depp, 21 Jump Street

Johnny Depp has had a long career, including a number of truly beloved roles like Edward Scissorhands and Captain Jack Sparrow. But his first big role was as Officer Thomas "Tom" Hanson Jr. in 21 Jump Street. He played a young looking cop posing as a high school student, but was actually 24 years old when he started filming Season 1. And that show would go on to run for 5 seasons. 

Paul Rudd, Wet Hot American Summer

Wet Hot American Summer is a cult classic comedy, and follows a group of teen camp counselors who are into all sorts of campy debauchery. Paul Rudd gave a hilarious performance as Andy, but was actually 31 years old. Although that's nothing since the cast of Wet Hot American Summer reprised their roles in a Netflix show, all of whom were vastly over the age of their characters. 

Gabrielle Union, Bring It On

Bring It On is another beloved teen movie, one that centers around two rivaling high school cheer squads in California. Gabrielle Union gave a killer performance as Isis, although she was actually 27 at the point of filming. 

Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's

Audrey Hepburn was a classic actress with a number of beloved film credits. Breakfast at Tiffany's is definitely in that category, although she was 31 at the point of playing the 19-year-old character Holly Golightly. 

Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville

Smallville was a popular series that served as a teenage origin story for Clark Kent/Superman. While the cast all portrayed teens during Season 1, some of them were a bit long in the tooth. Case in point: Lex Luthor actor Michael Rosenbaum who was actually 27 years old back in Season 1. 

Ashleigh Murray, Riverdale

Riverdale's series finale aired in August of 2023, with the show running on The CW for seven seasons. Plenty of iconic Archie Comics characters appeared, including Josie McCoy. But despite playing high school sophomore, actress Ashleigh Murray was actually 28 when she fist appeared back in Season 1. 

Cory Monteith, Glee

Glee became a huge hit when it premiered on Fox, and catapulted its cast of unknowns as full-blown TV stars. Late actor Cory Monteith starred as leading man Finn Hudson, but was 27 years old when debuting as his signature character.  

Ross Butler, 13 Reasons Why

Netflix's 13 Reasons Why was a dark adaptation of the novel of the same name, and would eventually expand to a four-season run. Ross Butler played high schooler Zach, and was actually 26 years old back in Season 1.

Darren Barnet, Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever centers around 15-year-old girl Devi, and we watch various love stories play out throughout its run on Netflix. She has a huge crush on Darren Barnet's Paxton, who was 16. Although in reality the actor was 29 years old when Season 1 aired. 

Judd Nelson, The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club is a quintessential '80s movie, and was released at the height of the Brat Pack's popularity. One of the leading characters was Judd Nelson's Bender aka The Criminal. But despite being in detention throughout the movie's runtime, Nelson was actually 24 years old when portraying that character. 

Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing features beloved performances by both Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. The latter actress danced her heart out as Baby, although she was 26 years old rather than her character's 17. 

Winona Ryder, Girl, Interrupted

1999's Girl, Interrupted was an Oscar winning drama that was a huge critical success. Winona Ryder starred as 18-year-old protagonist Susanna Kaysen, and provided a deeply moving performance. No one could have done it better, although she was truly 26 years old at the time of filming. 

Nicola Coughlan, Derry Girls

Derry Girls is one of Netflix's many coming-of-age TV shows that is included on this list. The show follows a group of teenage girls, and all the hilarious mistakes that occur as they grow up. But actress Nicola Coughlan was actually 30 years old at the time of filming the show's first season. 

Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Lee Daniels' Precious is a truly harrowing film experience, one that elicits strong emotions for its title character, 16-year-old Claireece Precious Jones. Actress Gabourey Sidibe received wide acclaim for her performance in the movie, although she was actually 24 years old when she got the role. 

Barbra Streisand, Yentl

Yentl is a masterpiece by Barbra Streisand, who directed, wrote, and starred in the acclaimed musical drama. But while her character was a young woman, she was actually 41 years old at the point of filming the acclaimed film.

Florence Pugh, Little Women

Greta Gerwig's Little Women movie was a huge hit when it arrived in theaters back in 2019. It got a bunch of major awards nominations, with Florence Pugh getting a Best Supporting nom at the Oscars for portraying Amy March. But while Amy was just 13 years old at her youngest point in the film, Pugh was actually 22.

Tobey Maguire, Spider-Man

Tobey Maguire was the first actor to play Spider-Man in live-action, before being followed by the likes of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. But while the latter actor was the most age appropriate, his predecessors weren't. Maguire was actually 26 years old while playing the teenager Peter Parker. 

Despite the discrepancy between many of these actors and their characters, many of the actors listed above still crushed their roles. Although yes, some of these actors are somewhat infamous for being too old to portray teenagers. Still, smart money says this trend will continue with future TV and film projects. 

Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me has some big reveals in it, and it’s giving us all an inside look into the pop star’s highly publicized life. Along with learning about her music career, turbulent relationships and other topics, she's also giving us stories about her time as an actress. The most recent revelation from the book came as the singer explained how she actually auditioned to play Allie in The Notebook. However, instead of being bummed she lost the role to Rachel McAdams, she was happy.

This isn’t the first story we’ve heard about an actor almost landing a role in The Notebook. At one point, there were talks about George Clooney starring in the romance, and at another, Jessica Simpson turned down the gig to play Allie. It turns out, Spears was also considered for the role, and she almost got it. However, Rachel McAdams landed it instead, but the pop star was “relieved” as she wrote in an excerpt of her book (via People):

Spears was part of the Mickey Mouse Club when she was 11, and she worked with celebrities like Christina Aguilera, Keri Russell, Tony Lucca, Justin Timberlake, and The Notebook’s co-lead Ryan Gosling. While she was happy she didn’t get the role of Allie, as she noted above, it would have been fun to see her collaborate with the Barbie star again.

Ultimately, her reaction was rooted in her experience on 2002’s Crossroads. She explained in the excerpt that the experience “wasn’t easy,” and she had trouble separating herself from her character. She said:

She continued saying that while making the movie she noticed she was “walking differently, carrying myself differently, talking differently.” Spears wrote:

So, as she considered playing Allie in The Notebook, she quickly realized she didn’t want to immerse herself in a character again, she was afraid she’d get lost. The “Toxic” singer explained:

It totally makes sense why Britney Spears decided to leave acting behind. However, there is no denying that it would have been fun to see her in the romance that’s considered one of the best films of the 2000s. Although, it’s also really hard to imagine anyone other than Rachel McAdams in what became one of her breakout roles.

While we won’t be seeing Spears on the 2023 movie schedule, McAdams and Gosling are both on it, as the Allie actress starred in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and the Noah actor rocked the screen as Ken in Barbie. However, the pop star is still making a big impact on pop culture as she is coming back into the spotlight with her “brutally honest” memoir The Woman in Me, which will hit bookshelves on October 24.

I finally watched the Robert Downey Jr.-led Sherlock films, and I need to see more. 

I'm all over the place when it comes to movie genres. Some think of me as a horror movie lover; others know me as the person who will recommend the best fantasy movies out there, but deep down, I love a good mystery.

However, I don't want the ones that are so easy to follow. I love the whodunnits where it feels like you're constantly learning new things, and you always need to figure out who's right or wrong, that kind of mystery – the stuff that comes from the franchise of Sherlock Holmes, the series of books that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle authored.

I enjoyed reading them when I was younger, so when there were adaptations that became popular, I was always a huge fan. I've seen some older movies featuring the detective, and I also loved the adaptation that starred Benedict Cumberbatch (who is actually related to the real author of the series) and Martin Freeman, titled Sherlock. However, I realized a few weeks ago that I had never seen the movies starring Robert Downey Jr. – Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, directed by Guy Ritchie.

So now, I decided to watch both – and boy, do I have thoughts. Let's get into it. 

Robert Downey Jr. Needs To Play Sherlock Again

While researching these movies, I didn't realize that the first Sherlock film came out the year after Iron Man. While I'm sure audiences older than me knew who Robert Downey Jr. was before that role, many people my age only discovered him from that superhero movie. 

For a long time, I always associated Downey Jr. with the role of Tony Stark because that's just how I was raised with him. And while I know he won't be reprising the superhero anytime in the foreseeable future, it's still one of his best, among many of Downey’s best movies and roles. However, I must admit that I really love him as Sherlock and would love to see him as the detective again. 

Sherlock himself is such an interesting character. He's so unbelievably bright and can detect anything and solve most mysteries. Still, he also has this confident attitude that makes him almost too secure sometimes, and when someone pulls something over him, it's usually a big deal – which is why Moriarty is such a great foil. 

And then there's Downey's version of Sherlock Holmes. Not only does he bring that confidence you would expect from Sherlock, but he's able to bring a different personality to the iconic character that fits him so well. 

Jude Law Perfectly Captures Watson

I never thought Jude Law would be a good Watson. I've seen him in so many of his great movies, like Road to Perdition, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Hugo, and more. I loved him especially in the Wes Anderson movie The Grand Budapest Hotel, which I just watched again as part of my Wes Anderson movie marathon.

When I found out he was playing Sherlock's partner, I didn't know if he would fit in that role, but truthfully, he made me like Watson. 

I'm not a massive fan of the character because he can aid Sherlock in specific ways but hinder him in others. Law's portrayal of him, however, was intelligent and funny, and he made me like Watson a lot more than I thought while still keeping the character's true nature. Only that can be done by an excellent actor. 

And On Another Note, Jared Harris As Moriarty Is The Absolute Best

This is another case where Moriarty is a complex villain to crack. As one of the most iconic villains of the movie and T.V. world, Moriarty is both a genius and crazy. So, finding the perfect actor to nail that is hard. 

Jared Harris was a great pick. Truthfully, I had just found out who Jared Harris was before watching Sherlock: A Game of Shadows, because it's hard to keep track of every actor under the sun. However, he embraced Moriarty's role, and he made me wish I got to see way more of him. 

I Will Say - Rachel McAdams Could Have Been Used More

If I had one critique about these films, Rachel McAdams, who played Irene Adler, was severely underused. McAdams is known for so many incredible movies that she's starred in, from Mean Girls to The Notebook to About Time and so many others, and when I found out she was in this, I was excited. 

I was even more eager to view these films when I saw how much of the trailer she was in – but she felt like an afterthought while watching both movies. Her character wasn't as big as I believed she would be. She is a phenomenal actor, but her role in this didn't do it for me. 

The Chemistry Between Every Actor Is Flawless

This was one of the main reasons I want to see a third film – the chemistry between every actor is so good. I can't tell you how often I laughed because the line delivery was on point, and every performer could bounce off the other. 

I could make a whole list of moments between Sherlock and Watson that were some of the best in these films, and it would never be enough. The chemistry is bubbling here, my friends. I would say their partnership in this is equal to that of Cumberbatch and Freeman's in BBC's Sherlock.

I'm Glad The Movies Keep Sherlock In The Past Rather Than The Present

I know that Sherlock is primarily known for being in the past, as the books are obviously from older times – and I'm thrilled they decided to keep these films within that timeframe rather than the present. 

There are a lot of modern-day interpretations of Sherlock Holmes. While they are fun and exciting, I like when we are sent back to the past for the typical retelling of Sherlock. Plus, watching these characters find ways to solve crimes without modern-day technology is so entertaining.

While They Don't Follow The Books, Both Movies Are So Fun

While this duo of films doesn't follow any story from the Doyle novels, they certainly keep the spirit of Sherlock alive. Not only do these movies have exciting mysteries, but they have energetic stories too that will have you pulling out a sleuthing hat and writing down every clue possible.

I wish more elements from the novels appeared in the films, but we'll get into that later. 

Also, The Fight Scenes Were Energetic And Well-Choreographed And Somehow Fit With The Movies

These are mystery movies, mind you. I was not expecting to see full-on action scenes here, but wow, they were so much fun! The fights were well-choreographed and fit with the movie in a way I didn't expect them to, and it made the mysteries that we followed that much more interesting and chaotic at the same time. 

That fight where Sherlock is boxing, or even when they are fighting on the Tower Bridge, was so enthralling. There was also some great cinematography and choreography there, creating perfect and wildly fun action sequences. 

And The Music Was So Much Fun And Added To The Scenes In Such A Positive Way

Hans Zimmer never misses. He consistently produces the best freaking music, and he did that for both Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. 

The composer has certainly written some incredible scores in the past, but there's just something about how he emulated Sherlock's fun chaotic energy into the score of Sherlock Holmes that adds to the movie and makes it better. 

Seriously, I Need A Third Film

Both of these movies, while based on the characters of Sherlock Holmes, have original premises. They aren't based on one specific story from Doyle, although they follow some elements in Sherlock: A Game of Shadows. They're funny and exciting, don't get me wrong, but there's so much more story that could be told.

If there's a third film, I'd want it to adapt more from the novels. They can still make an original premise, just as they did with the first two, but incorporate more plot points from the books – and they would be even more enjoyable. And I want all that with Robert Downey Jr. again, because he was everything.

These movies won me over, and I truly hope a third film is released that continues this story. There is one in development, and apparently, it is “a priority” for Robert Downey Jr. to make another installment, but only time will tell if that comes to our theaters. For now, I'll re-watch these. 

I have been a fan of Wes Craven ever since I saw A Nightmare on Elm Street. I have seen most of his best movies, and still, Red Eye is my favorite Wes Craven movie. It’s such a captivating thriller with brilliant performances by Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. In fact, the movie made me a fan of Murphy’s acting. 

I have seen Red Eye many times but it's a movie that I haven’t seen in many years.  I rewatched it recently because I am rewatching some of Cillian Murphy’s best movies. Red Eye offers the same euphoric, adrenaline-inducing fun that it did during my initial watch. Additionally, so many moments and things from it still occupy some space in my head. 

Let’s explore some of those things. 

The Perfect Pacing Of The Movie  

Red Eye’s runtime goes for under 90 minutes. It uses every moment purposefully. From the initial frame, it starts to set the scene for the movie. Then every scene after it only helps further the plot and establish the dynamic between Lisa (Rachel McAdams) and Jackson (Cillian Murphy). Red Eye never grows boring and constantly keeps its audience in a state of anxiety, intrigue, and excitement. 

It’s definitely a great thriller movie that also dances along the line of the horror genre. You can watch Red Eye multiple times in a short span and not grow bored with it. I prefer movies that have a 90-minute or less runtime, especially when the film uses every minute wisely. Red Eye excels at managing its short time cleverly. The pacing works so well because it doesn’t waste any moment with filler and unnecessary details.  

Cillian Murphy’s Mesmerizing Performance in Red Eye 

Red Eye is the first Cillian Murphy film that I saw, but I have seen so many of his movies that came before and after it. Many of his performances have been captivating, but his performance as Jackson Rippner is one of my favorites. He dives head-first into the character’s insanity. Rippner is a human villain who comes off as animalistic because he believes in his work more than morals. Rippner also could even battle some of the greatest horror franchise monsters. He is just as deranged and scary as many of them. 

Murphy uses his naturally intense features and acting skills to develop the perfect over-the-top villain. He creates this can’t-look-away character. I even mourned Jackson Rippner’s demise because of his villain potential. He could have been a great franchise villain, similar to Hannibal Lecter, because of his ability to terrify and entertain. 

The Clues About Jackson’s Devious Plan Before They Board The Plane 

Red Eye gives quite a few hints about Jackson’s true intentions before he reveals them to Lisa. The first clue is the stolen wallet. We see him with it and learn his name is Jackson Rippner. Red Eye screenwriter Carl Ellsworth makes it pretty obvious that Jackson is dangerous from his name alone (hello, Jack the Ripper). Then many of Jackson’s interactions with the other passengers may seem harmless but you can also interpret them as annoyance.

Wes Craven and Carl Ellsworth seem to want you to know that you can’t trust Jackson before Lisa realizes it. It seems like an inside joke that includes the viewers.

How The Second Half Of Red Eye Switches The Cat And Mouse Dynamic 

The majority of Red Eye involves Lisa being trapped on a plane with Jackson. She’s the mouse to his cat, and she can’t really fight back in such an enclosed space. However, the moment the plane lands, Lisa becomes a fighter and the cat to Jackson’s mouse. This happens especially when he comes to her childhood home.

Lisa gaining so much power when she’s not enclosed gives the film a female empowerment hue. Red Eye isn’t some major feminist movie, but it shows how thrillers and horror films can have aspects that highlight women as not victims but the hero. Lisa isn’t technically a final girl, but she would definitely be one of the great final girls because of her fearless spirit and ability to outmaneuver and outwit the villain. 

All The Other Now-Known Actors In The Movie 

You can imagine my surprise when Logan Roy himself, aka Brian Cox, appears in Red Eye. I am not that familiar with his movies and television shows, besides Succession, so I didn’t recognize him when I first saw Red Eye. I also noticed, during this rewatch, that there were other actors who appeared in Red Eye before they were even more well-known. Jayma Mays and Smile star Kyle Gallner are two of these examples. 

Red Eye really focuses on Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy, so they’re truly the stars of this movie, but it’s fun to see these actors before they become more well-known in this movie. Brian Cox playing this loving father versus Logan is such a fun difference to witness in Red Eye. You have got to love an actor with range. 

The Chemistry Between Rachel McAdams And Cillian Murphy In Red Eye 

The first few minutes of Red Eye plays out like classic romantic comedies. The woman meets a nice, sweet guy at the airport, they end up sitting together, and romance ensues. However, Red Eye turns things on its head when the film jumps from potential romance to certain horror. Those unfamiliar with Red Eye could easily believe the romantic comedy possibility because of McAdams and Murphy’s chemistry. 

Rachel McAdams is another brilliant actress who can create chemistry with all her on-screen partners. Some of her best movies are romantic ones because she’s so good at making you want to see her fall in love with her on-screen partner. Because of McAdams’ talent, it’s hard not to want Lisa and Jackson to hit it off until you learn his true nature. Then you just want her to kick his butt.

Their faux-romantic chemistry then transforms into regular screen partner chemistry as they expertly play off one another.  They are an on-screen pair I would love to see work together again. 

The Way It Heightens The Terror Of Air Travel 

Red Eye takes the common fear of riding on an airplane and turns it up to a new frightening level by having someone become a hostage while on the flight. 

He also makes it slightly more realistic by showing how Jack manages to hide his terrorizing of Lisa, such as pretending that she’s sleeping after knocking her out or using her grandmother’s death to make an excuse for her tears. The film masterfully uses the setting to create a suffocating, inescapable environment.  It elevates the danger and fear. 

Red Eye is one of the best movies of the 2000s in my opinion, because it’s just a fun, well-acted, well-written, and directed thrill ride from start to finish.

Stream Red Eye on Paramount+.

Rachel McAdams recently opened up about self image after rocking a bold look in a new photoshoot, and now she’s talking about her self-imposed break from Hollywood. The actress has reflected on turning down big roles in movies like Iron Man, and why walking away for two years was the right move for her. 

The Mean Girls star recently sat down with CBS This Morning to discuss some of her career making roles, and talk about her latest film, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. During the conversation, she reflected on walking away from show business for a few years after skyrocketing to fame, and turning down big movies in order to take the break. She said:

For context, the Oscar nominee took a two year hiatus in the mid-2000s after starring in films like Mean Girls, The Notebook, and Wedding Crashers. She was a massive star, and most actors would see this as an opportunity to capitalize on rapid fame. However, McAdams did what was best for her and put her own mental health first. When she finally returned to the big screen, there was a clear and significant pivot to the roles she was taking. While McAdams had been a rom-com regular, she started taking more dramatic roles after her hiatus, taking parts in dramas like State of Play, Southpaw, and Spotlight. 

McAdams isn’t the only actress who stepped away from the limelight after exploding to fame. After doing back to back movies for many years, Jennifer Lawrence took a break from acting for a spell before coming back to star in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. Andrew Garfield also recently announced he would be taking a respite before taking on another acting project. This came after he starred in three major films and a mini series between 2021 and 2022. While there is a temptation to strike while the iron is hot, it all can quickly get overwhelming for many stars. 

While McAdams may have rightly turned down Iron Man (she was up for the role of Pepper Potts), the About Time actress eventually found her way back to the MCU. She has played Christine Palmer in the Doctor Strange films since 2016, and has great chemistry with co-star Benedict Cumberbatch. McAdams clearly was always meant to be in a Marvel movie, and I’m glad it worked out the second time around. Timing is clearly everything.

McAdams' latest film, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is currently in theaters and getting rave reviews. Fans of the actress should also check out our feature on where to watch other great Rachel McAdams' films on streaming platforms. For more information on other movies coming to cinemas in the near future, make sure to consult our 2023 movie release schedule. 

It often feels like rom-coms are a dime a dozen, but the truth is that the best romantic comedies are ones built on several things. Fans of the genre enjoy snappy dialogue, inventive and/or realistic complications for the central couple, a swoon-worthy love story, and, of course, main characters portrayed by actors who have more than enough on-screen chemistry to make all of those pieces come together. 

What’s great about romantic comedies is that we’ve gotten more than enough couples like this over the past two plus decades, but some of them have either only partnered one time (which, granted, may be because their pairing is still relatively new), or haven’t been in a film together for many years now. So, let’s take a look at the (mostly) rom-com partners that we really think should make another movie together!

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

This duo probably feels like a no-brainer to you, and, well, it should! Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have memorably joined forces for two rom-com hits, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, plus the 1990 cult favorite romantic comedy, Joe Versus the Volcano, so there’s no reason for them not to really round things out with a fourth film. I’d be down for a second chance romance where they learn to love again, wouldn’t you?

Diane Keaton And Keanu Reeves 

Yes, yes… Already I’m cheating here, but only a tiny bit. While the magnetic on-screen coupling of Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves wasn’t the main focus of Something’s Gotta Give, I have spent the past 20 years wishing they were. So, let's get these adorably crazy kids back together! They could play any kind of couple (bickering marrieds who are clearly still hot for each other, two folks who shouldn’t get together but can’t help themselves, etc.) and I’d be in the theater on opening night.

Lana Condor And Noah Centineo

Honestly, there might not be a cuter couple on this list. The dreamy teen romance movie pairing of Lana Condor and Noah Centineo was, obviously, gifted to everyone with a Netflix subscription in the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, and there’s a reason that so many people fell head over heels for them. These two sorta sparkle together on screen, and I’d love to see them reunite in a romance (or any comedy) that’s got more of an adult edge to it.

Alison Brie And Jason Sudeikis

We all adore it when a rom-com gives us something different, and 2015’s Sleeping with Other People does just that with its story of friends who openly acknowledge their sexual tension, but purposely avoid doing anything about it so as to not screw up what they have. Alison Brie and Ted Lasso cast lead Jason Sudeikis are amazing as the friends in question, and I’d love to see them bring their casual, but still sexy, chemistry to another film. 

Jenny Slate And Jake Lacy

A true pleasure of watching Obvious Child was seeing the relationship between Jenny Slate and Jake Lacy’s characters develop as she has trouble revealing that she’s getting an abortion several weeks after their one-night stand. They work great as a duo with a clear attraction that’s impeded by a secret, and we’d really appreciate it if we could watch him warm her butter and make her tea in a movie that sees them as fully coupled characters.

Constance Wu And Henry Golding

I cannot tell a lie; some of the reason for Constance Wu and Henry Golding making the list is simply because we are all dying for the Crazy Rich Asians sequel we’ve been promised for several years now. While we wait, I’m hoping we can at least get those two into another fun rom-com where he can bring his posh, suave energy to meet her adorably spunky, girl-next-door verve.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

What’s not to love about Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, especially when they star opposite each other in a romantic story? They were sweet, sexy, bantery, and slightly goofy together in Crazy, Stupid, Love, then had all of that with more emotional depth in La La Land, and also had the same chemistry in Gangster Squad, but with an added veneer of danger. It’s been a rough few years; the world needs more of their exact thing, OK?

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

I know, I know! Matthew McConaughey doesn’t make rom-coms anymore, but that’s honestly no reason why he can’t re-team with Kate Hudson, 20 years after they first hit the screen together in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. The engaging push-and-pull of their romance in that film can easily be translated to, say, a movie where each is portraying a lawyer on the opposite side of a big murder case. There! Someone make that movie!

Queen Latifah And Common

Just Wright might not be the first movie you think of when it comes to Queen Latifah or romantic comedies, but it’s hard to deny that watching her play off of Common as they slowly go from not-quite-enemies to lovers was a genuine treat. Now all we need is the right vehicle for them so their individual easygoing charm can show us how well-matched they are on screen.

Jennifer Garner And Mark Ruffalo

There’s a reason that 13 Going On 30 is still so popular almost two decades later. That reason is Jennifer Garner’s joyful, weirdo energy as a teen suddenly transplanted to her adult life, sure, but it’s also how Mark Ruffalo calmly reconnects with the childhood friend he’d long ago lost touch with. They're just sweet together, OK? We saw them in The Adam Project. We need more!

Sandra Bullock And Channing Tatum

The luminous and hilarious pairing of Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum was definitely not on my rom-com bingo card, but damn, it was a joy to behold once we got it. In The Lost City, they were perfect as a starchy and grieving romance novelist and her incredibly sweet but somewhat dim cover model who get caught in a life-or-death situation in the jungle, and all I can hope for is that we someday have a sequel to enjoy.

Billy Eichner And Luke Macfarlane

If an opposites attract energy is your thing, there’s no way for you not to enjoy the pairing of Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane. The Bros stars only just met up on screen in 2022, but we’d love to see them reunite in a rom-com that switches Eichner’s intense characterization and Macfarlane’s laid-back vibe around for additional laughs.

Meg Ryan And Hugh Jackman

Kate & Leopold is the rare romance where Meg Ryan’s character is less than sweet for much of the film, but watching her early ‘00s driven career woman begin to soften with the attentions of Hugh Jackman’s fancy man from the 1870s was a delight. Now if we can just get them to play off of one another when both are from the modern day, all will be right in the world.

Anne Hathaway And Chris Pine

We all know that The Princess Diaries 2 is so beloved that fans have wanted to bring the cast back for the now in development third movie for nearly 20 years, and part of that was because of the sweet, (sorta) slow burn love story between Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine’s characters. While everyone would love to see them as a long-married couple in a sequel, we’d also take them as, oh, I don’t know, bickering co-workers who can’t deny their attraction, so let’s stop stalling and get this coupling back on the big screen!

Julia Roberts And Hugh Grant

Look, I know that Hugh Grant is fully in his slimy villain era right now and is hilariously against even attempting rom-coms again. But! I think that makes the potential of this Notting Hill pairing coming back together even more appealing. Let him play a con-man who tricks Julia Roberts into falling in love, only to steal all her money and force her to track him down with a hilarious vengeance. I’d buy a ticket for that, OK?

Jennifer Lopez And George Clooney

Sure, sure. I’m cheating this entry a bit because, technically, Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney didn't star in a traditional rom-com together, but who among us can deny that they were HOT in Out of Sight? No one, that’s who! I say we get these two into a proper romantic comedy, but maybe one that’s not another Lopez wedding movie, just to switch things up.

Sanaa Lathan And Omar Epps 

Yes, this is another, more direct, fudging of this article’s concept, because Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps were a romantic drama pairing in Love & Basketball… but they were SO GOOD TOGETHER. Watching them play out a long-term path to eventual happiness was extremely satisfying, but maybe this time we can use that chemistry of theirs for a couple that has more good times than stressful ones.

Cristin Milioti And Andy Samberg

The chances that Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg will strike time loop movie gold again after Palm Springs is incredibly unlikely, and we wouldn’t want them to try. Instead, why not let these two portray criminals on the run for separate crimes who accidentally cross paths and fall in love while they’re on the lam? They can give us that same adorably wacky enthusiasm that we all loved the first time around that way!

Kristen Stewart And Aubrey Plaza

If you saw Happiest Season, then you saw the undeniable spark between Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza as their characters (Who weren’t even dating!) dealt with a lot of toxicity during Christmastime. They managed to genuinely bond (and look great doing it) over their similar relationship trauma, so I say we go ahead and give these two an even bubblier romantic comedy where they can actually freakin’ end up as a couple! 

Gemma Chan And Harry Shum Jr. 

Obviously, we didn’t get a real romance between the characters played by Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr. in Crazy Rich Asians, but the movie sure did set up the promise of fulfilling the epic love story that was a part of Kevin Kwan’s novel trilogy. Fans got a very brief scene of them looking all cute and dreamy with each other and dancing during the mid-credits scene, so hear me now: WE NEED THAT ASTRID AND CHARLIE SPINOFF, ASAP!

Issa Rae And Kumail Nanjiani

It may be hard to cast two people who have perfect romantic chemistry, but it could be even harder to find a duo who can portray the first glorious blush of falling in love, that same couple once they’ve begun to fall apart, and then play them as they start to get closer… because they’re on the run after being accused of murder. Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani are those people, and we’ve been wanting them back on screen since The Lovebirds to do something just as crazy and rom-commy again.

Reese Witherspoon And Josh Lucas

If you’re looking for a bickering duo who are hot together no matter what, that’s Sweet Home Alabama’s Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas, for sure. I’m sure they’d be great doing anything on screen, but also doubt anyone would mind if they paired for a story that would let them fight (and fight through) their attraction until they finally admit their feelings for each other.

Rachel McAdams And Domhnall Gleeson

You know what’s coming, right? After being apart for a decade, it’s About Time that Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson join forces again to bring fans another lovey dovey couple, and we don’t even care what the set up is!

Sarah Hyland And Tyler James Williams

Never has it been more enjoyable to watch a woman who’s not sure about the whole marriage thing date a man who’s very much ready for a long-term commitment than in The Wedding Year, and that was because of the well-matched chemistry/comedic energy of Sarah Hyland and Tyler James Williams. I think these two would be fantastic in an action/adventure rom-com like The Lost City!

Kristen Bell And Dustin Milligan 

Though Kristen Bell and Dustin Milligan starred in The People We Hate at the Wedding, which was more of a straight ahead comedy, they had a definite romantic comedy storyline and played off of each other beautifully. I’m imagining a cinematic rematch for them that involves both of their characters being messy and a bit angry this time, and I think they’ll be a delight to watch once again.

Vivian Oparah And David Jonsson

Even though Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson are a very new rom-com pairing, as their starring vehicle, Rye Lane, debuted in early 2023, there’s no doubting the fizzy joy one gets from watching their characters meet cute and end up slowly becoming attracted to each other over the course of one eventful day. These two can do anything together next, but I don’t think anyone would mind a sequel where we get to see this romance progress!

If nothing else, while we wait to see if these rom-com partners get back together on the big screen, we can all at least go back and enjoy the amazing films they’ve already given us!

Judy Blume is synonymous with coming-of-age fiction. And while the author boasts numerous titles that have been passed down from generation to generation, few are as well-known as Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The 1970 novel tells the story of sixth-grader Margaret, whose mom is Christian and father is Jewish. Their family has recently moved, and she talks to God while trying to come to terms with her changing life and body. The reviews are here to give us an idea of how the classic book translated to the big screen ahead of its April 28 premiere.

Abby Ryder Fortson (from Ant-Man, the HBO series Togetherness and more) stars as Margaret Simon, with Rachel McAdams and Benny Safdie playing her parents. Kathy Bates also appears as her grandmother in a story that writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig chose to keep in 1970s, rather than update it for the 2023 crowd. In CinemaBlend’s review of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Sarah El-Mahmoud says she thinks this is a good decision, and she rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, praising its support for growing girls: 

Amy Nicholson of Variety says there’s plenty to like in this book-to-screen adaptation, but the movie seems uncomfortable with the idea of allowing Margaret to be a flawed character, as Judy Blume’s iteration (and every pre-teen) is. The critic continues: 

Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com rates the movie 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising Rachel McAdams (who recently rocked a new look at a photo shoot) as Barbara Simon. The critic says the mother’s expanded role in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret takes the story beyond just a coming-of-age tale. It’s some of McAdams’ best work, and Kelly Fremon Craig proves capable of handling such iconic material. From the review:  

Kristen Lopez of The Wrap finds the film a fantastic addition to the too-limited genre of movies for tween girls and their families. The critic calls the adaptation heartfelt, compassionate, funny, and frank, saying: 

Josh Spiegel of SlashFilm rates Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret an impressive 9.5 out of 10, as he implores audiences to give this story the attention and support it deserves. This movie is worth discussing for the rest of the year and beyond, the critic says, calling it an “oasis” in a world of IP money grabs:  

One can’t argue with the popularity of Judy Blume’s novel, but will that translate to box-office success for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret? We’ll see what happens next weekend, as the movie is set for theatrical release on Friday, April 28. You can also check out these other coming-of-age movies, and also be sure to glance at our 2023 Movie Release Schedule in order to start planning your next movie night out. 

Rachel McAdams has always absolutely killed it. Whether she is playing the ultimate mean girl Regina George, or traveling through the multiverse as a mysterious character in Doctor Strange, the actress is absolutely magnetic, and a glowing presence on screen. While McAdams' best movies are what most know her for, the Oscar nominee is now showing off a different side of herself. In a new photoshoot, she is pictured with her armpit hair on full display, and is absolutely rocking it.

McAdams was photographed for Bustle while promoting her new film, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. She is seen elegantly lounging across a red couch in an all-black ensemble, wearing New York Vintage and Hermes. The actress is also positioned in such a way where you can see her armpit hair. She proudly displayed her natural body hair, which is often seen as unconventional, and she showed how body hair can be beautiful and feminine, even if societal pressures say otherwise. You can see the picture from Instagram below:

The publication also interviewed McAdams about her latest project, and some of the themes present within the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. In addition, she talked about her body, and having ownership over her image. The Mean Girls star also opened up about the changes her body has gone through over the years especially after becoming a mom, and how she has learned to love all of the changes and her natural self. The author of the piece also revealed in the article that McAdams requested for the photos to be minimally edited. The Spotlight actress explained: 

McAdams also chatted with Bustle for YouTube during the photoshoot, where she was asked what advice she would give her preeteen self. One of the questions was about shaving her legs and other body hair. The Notebook star responded to this by saying:

This is such great advice to give to young people. Shaving is something many people do, and McAdams have some very practical tips for those who want to pursue that choice. However, she also said that it’s also okay to not shave if they decide to make that choice as well. About Time star practiced what she preached as well with this photoshoot, proving that you can be beautiful and elegant whether you decide to shave or not. This interview along with the photoshoot is a great accompaniment for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which is about a preteen girl navigating puberty and coming into her own. 

You can catch McAdams in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret in theaters on April 28. Fans of the actress should also check out our feature on where to watch Rachel McAdams' films on streaming platforms. For more information on other movies coming to cinemas and streaming later this year, you can consult our 2023 movies schedule. 

Lindsay Lohan is a beloved star of the early 2000s because of her iconic roles in classics like Mean Girls, Freaky Friday and The Parent Trap. However, she recently revealed that while she was in high school her experience was more like Cady’s in Mean Girls than we’d probably expect. 

The actress, who is making her big return to movies this holiday season, was chatting with Cosmopolitan about her roles. Mean Girls came up and she revealed that after filming the movie, her high school experience wasn’t the best, explaining: 

It’s sad that after filming a movie about “learning to love everyone” as Lohan put it, she experienced something similar to the mean high school Cady entered at the beginning of Mean Girls. Although the kids were terribly mean to her, Lohan went on to have a successful movie career through the 2000s and early 2010s, and is now making a comeback with the Netflix holiday film Falling for Christmas. 

While Mean Girls is a classic at this point, it has also caused problems for other actors who were part of the film. For instance, Amanda Seyfried opened up about how playing Karen led to setbacks in her career because it pigeonholed her into the “pretty blonde” stereotype. However, even though some of the actresses involved faced setbacks, the movie also helped elevate their careers, which the Mamma Mia! actress noted. A bonus is they are all doing well now, Seyfried made the list of 2022 Emmy winners for her role in The Dropout, Rachel McAdams has become a massive movie star, and Lohan, who originally wanted to play Regina, is still a cultural icon who is making her comeback to the movies. 

Lohan has been away from the job that made her famous for a few years now, so, it’s exciting to see her back at it again and reflecting on her past films as well. You can catch Lohan in Falling for Christmas with a Netflix subscription, and make sure to stay tuned for more from the Mean Girls actress, as she has more projects with the streamer lined up in the near future. 

The Notebook is one of the best romantic movies of all time. It’s a beautiful tale of an unbreakable love story between people of different social classes. On paper, they would never work. However, their love is powerful enough to break any barriers that stand in their way. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams star as Noah and Allie, the main protagonists of this love story.

I wouldn’t say The Notebook ranks in my top 5 favorite romantic movies of all time, but it’s definitely in the top 20. The undeniable chemistry between Gosling and McAdams makes it a must-watch for all romance movie fans. Because I haven’t seen a romantic movie that I’ve really loved in a while, I decided to revisit some of my favorite movie romances, and that included a rewatching of The Notebook. I have some thoughts.

Warning The Notebook spoilers ahead. Proceed with caution.

Ryan Gosling And Rachel McAdams Give Some OF Their Best Performances In The Notebook 

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are both really good actors. I would even argue that Gosling is one of the best actors who hasn’t won an Oscar. While rewatching The Notebook, I couldn’t help but be even more convinced of this opinion. Gosling and McAdams completely convince us that they’re in love. Not only that, you see how much they put into these performances.

In the scene where Noah hears Allie’s parents calling him trash, how can your heart not break watching Noah react to it? In the scene where Allie pretends to be a bird, how can you not feel her joy? You feel all of these characters’ emotions because McAdams, Gosling, and the entire cast give really strong performances.

For two-plus hours, Gosling becomes Noah and McAdams becomes Allie. I’ve seen many Rachel McAdams movies and many Ryan Gosling movies and Allie and Noah are some of their most beloved characters because of how good they are in these roles. The Notebook is one of the best Rachel McAdams movies and one of the best Ryan Gosling movies. They’re both really outstanding in this film. 

The Costumes And Makeup Departments Are The MVPs Of This Movie 

The Notebook starts with Allie and Noah as teens, then ends with them as older adults. At some point, they’re in their mid-20s. The oldest versions of Allie and Noah are played by James Garner and Gena Rowlands. The rest of the ages are played by Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. They completely convince you that they’re teens at the start of the movie. This is partly because of their acting skills, and partly because of the makeup department.

They tone back the makeup with McAdams to give her a fresh face to portray teen Allie. Clean-shaven Ryan Gosling looks like a teen. Once he has facial hair, he becomes an adult Noah who has seen some things. As Allie ages, more makeup appears to be added, which makes her look older and more sophisticated. The makeup is really subtle but completely transforms these characters.

The 1940s fashion is really gorgeous in The Notebook. Every one of Allie’s outfits, I would love to steal. They’re just so fabulous. The costume designers also use the clothes in very interesting ways. I noticed that the outfit that Allie and Noah wear when they meet, mimics the clothing that they’re wearing as older adults, at least in terms of colors. The Notebook is one of those movies where it’s clear that multiple elements, including costumes and makeup, work in harmony to make this such a memorable film. 

The Notebook Breakup Scene Is One of The Best In History

Thankfully, The Notebook isn’t one of the great breakup movies, because that would totally ruin the vibe of the film. However, the film has one of the greatest movie breakup scenes. Many adore The Notebook because of all the major declarations of love, the steamy sex scene, and the enticing chemistry between the lead characters. I love all those things as well, but I also really like the main breakup scene.

It starts with Noah having his heart broken by hearing what Allie’s parents think of him. Then it leads to him ending it. We see every emotion in that scene, from anger to desperation to confusion to fear to hopelessness. It’s brilliant. Then we see parallel elements of that scene in the part where Noah fights for them to be together, but Allie doesn’t want to break Lon’s (James Marsden) heart.

The Notebook breakup scene just feels so realistic and raw.

The Drama And Romance Always Sweeps Me Away 

Until rewatching The Notebook, I didn’t realize how much the film engulfs you. The two-plus hours pass fast because I’m so drawn into this story and this world. I know what is going to happen, but I can’t look away. It’s one of those rare films that really takes hold of you from start to finish. You feel all their emotions, you suspend reality and reason, and you let your hopeless romantic side thrive.

Like Allie and Noah’s love story, The Notebook can be all-consuming. 

I Can’t Help But Feel Bad For Lon

Lon joins the list of movie boyfriends involved in a love triangle who do nothing wrong but just aren’t the right guy. Sometimes the other guy in these types of movies sucks. Lon is not one of those guys. Allie not only cheats on him, but she does it while completely forgetting about him for days. According to my calculation, Allie and Noah only dated for a few months (before getting married and starting their life together), but she dated Lon for at least three years before completely dumping him.

Even if you love Allie and Noah together, you kind of have to think that they were quite terrible for how they treated their exes. At least poor Martha (Jamie Brown) could see their romance as a window of what could be for her. We don’t even completely get Lon’s reaction to the breakup.

For all we know, the Allie breakup could have been Lon’s villain origin story. I know that viewers aren’t supposed to hate Allie and Noah, because we’re supposed to view this all as them being so in love that they would always only want each other. However, love shouldn’t be an excuse to just cheat and neglect your fiancé.

Is The Notebook Ending Tragic Or Happy? 

When I originally saw The Notebook, I considered it a happy ending. They were able to live their lives together and even leave the world together. However, watching it again, I couldn’t help but wonder if this isn’t exactly a happy ending. Yes, they got to die together, but it’s pretty terrible that they reached the stage in their life where their bodies began to betray them. That’s part of life and aging, but it’s also a pretty downer way to end a love story. Realistic? Probably? Downer? Absolutely.

The sadness of The Notebook ending makes it easy to see why some versions don’t show it. It’s definitely a happy ending that they got to live a full life together and were able to leave the world together. The tragedy comes with the whole aging process and how it can disrupt even a beautiful love story, even if only temporarily. 

Other Thoughts 

The Notebook rewatch sparked so many thoughts, some silly, some profound, and more just ramblings. Here are my other thoughts.

• I think I just really love period piece love stories. Something about them makes everything more tragic and heightened. 
• The Notebook really has a thing for birds. I’m assuming they’re a metaphor for Allie feeling caged by parents, and society, but finally being able to fly free at the end. 
• I love writing letters, but even I find the idea of 365 letters kind of tedious. 
• I had completely erased the war part of The Notebook from my memory.  It’s so quick that it’s barely in there. 
• I would love a prequel about Allie’s mom and her ex. Basically, Noah and Allie, but one that doesn’t work out. 
• The Notebook has so many great quotes. 
• Rachel McAdams’ lungs must have hurt with all the random screaming moments in the movie. 

You can find The Notebook and plenty of other great romance movies on HBO Max. 

Stream The Notebook on HBO Max. 

It really does feel like Christmas in July. If it’s been too long since you’ve been personally victimized by Regina George, have no fear, Mean Girls is one of the many great movies and TV shows that hit Netflix this month. The infinitely rewatchable 2004 comedy starring Tina Fey (one of her best movies, of which she also wrote the screenplay), Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and so, so many others made its return to the streaming service. Seeing as how it’s already trending on Netflix, this was very welcome news for fans. In fact, when Mean Girls appeared on Netflix subscribers’ home screens, people took to social media to share their excitement.

Mean Girls tells the story about Lindsay Lohan’s Cady, who is learning to navigate the hierarchy of high school popularity after previously being homeschooled by her family while living in Africa. The movie has developed a cult following with its amazing cast and endlessly quotable dialogue, so as soon as the movie dropped on Netflix, watch parties were already formed:

Sure, fans may have a flair for the dramatic, but this movie returning to Netflix was, according to this fan, pretty much the best thing to ever happen ever. Do you think this Twitter user had to lie to get out of plans by saying they couldn’t go out tonight because they were (cough, cough) sick? 

This TikTok user channeled her inner Regina George, telling everybody to “SHUT UP,” and saying she literally gasped when she opened Netflix to see Mean Girls on the menu:

You only thought all that noise you’ve been hearing the past few nights was from fireworks. Really it was the overwhelming screams of Mean Girls fans everywhere, who were popping on the movie and then certainly quoting every line.

In all the excitement, there was no time for logical thought, as fans prepared to drown out the atrocities in the world with another rewatch of their comfort movie. Time should always be made, however, for punctuation, as no grandmothers are to be harmed in subsequent viewings of Mean Girls. Dude.

Fans who are still trying to make “fetch” happen had no time to waste, and Twitter users seemed to drop everything to run to watch Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert and Amanda Seyfried teach Lindsay Lohan their wise ways on the road to becoming popular. Let's go, fam, this is not a drill!

If you’ve never partaken in the beauty that is Mean Girls, now is definitely your chance! And if you’re not telling people, “On Wednesdays we wear pink,” or claiming not to be a “normal mom” but a “cool mom,” by the end of it, at least you’ll be in on the joke when everybody goes batshit on Mean Girls Day, aka October 3. 

When you’ve finished rewatching this flick (as if you’re ever finished with Mean Girls), be sure to check out what other movies are coming soon on the 2022 Netflix Movie Schedule, as well as some of the other best movies on Netflix.

At long last, the mind-bending spectacle that is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is out in the wild, and not a moment too soon. One of the most anticipated 2022 movies includes everything fans of the sprawling film franchise have come to expect (and want), including a great story about the dangers of inter-dimensional travel and how grief can poison someone, as well as all that dazzling action that has become the norm in recent years.

Another thing that makes Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero genre such a gem is the outstanding Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, which is stellar from top to bottom. If you have watched the movie, or at least plan on seeing it, and wondered why some of the actors look so familiar, don’t worry because we’re about to break it down. Also, there aren’t any spoilers or mystery characters listed below, so you’re safe!

Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Stephen Strange)

Donning the Cloak of Levitation as Dr. Stephen Strange once more in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the eponymous sorcerer in his first standalone movie since the character’s introduction back in 2016.

Outside of his various appearances in some of the best Marvel movies over the years, including the final two (for now) Avengers movies, Cumberbatch has made a career out of giving tremendous performances in a number of different genres and mediums. Whether it’s in gripping biographical dramas like The Imitation Game, the BBC mystery series Sherlock, or providing the voice and motion capture work for one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s most iconic creations in the Hobbit trilogy, there isn’t much the talented and versatile actor can’t, or won’t do, even when it comes to playing tormented and closed-off cowboys like in The Power of the Dog.

Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch)

Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers: The Age of Ultron (if you don’t count the Captain America: Winter Soldier end credits sequence), takes on the tormented enhanced human once more in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though she is a far different person than the young Avenger we first met all those years ago.

Outside of her appearances in various Marvel movies and the popular WandaVision Disney+ series (which first saw her take on the Scarlet Witch moniker from the comic books), Olsen has given several remarkable performances with her list of best movies including titles like Wind River, Very Good Girls, and the unforgettable and disturbing Martha Marcy May Marlene, which was her feature length debut back in 2011.

Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez)

Xochitl Gomez makes her MCU debut as America Chavez, one of the most exciting and promising members of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast. Her portrayal of the young, energetic, hungry, and incredibly powerful character who has the ability to punch through the Multiverse instantly makes Gomez a star in the making.

Although she hasn’t done much as far as movies go (she was in a 2021 short film called Boob Sweat, and Shadow Wolves a couple of years before that), fans of the 2020 Netflix revival of The Baby-Sitters Club will recognize Gomez from her portrayal of Dawn Schafer. Gomez also showed up on Raven’s Home, You’re the Worst, and Gentified prior to that. And, with how likable her character is in the new Marvel movie, there's a good chance we'll be talking about Gomez for quite some time.

Benedict Wong (Wong)

Returning as Wong, The Sorcerer Supreme and sworn protector of Kamar-Taj in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Benedict Wong, who has now played the character in six movies (and seven times in total if you include the What If…? animated Disney+ series).

Throughout his impressive career, Wong has appeared in non-superhero movies like Moon, The Martian, Raya and the Last Dragon, Prometheus, and Sunshine, to name just a very small portion of his film work. His accomplishments on the small screen are just as notable with appearances on several dozen shows over the years, including The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Marco Polo, Top Boy, The Bill, and all sorts of one-off performances like the one he gave in a 2016 episode of the sci-fi anthology series, Black Mirror.

Rachel McAdams (Christine Palmer)

Rachel McAdams is back again as Christine Palmer in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which makes this her third time taking on the role of Dr. Stephen Strange’s former colleague and one-time love interest, only this time she is playing multiple versions of the character throughout the multiverse.

Ever since breaking out in 2004 with iconic performances in Mean Girls and The Notebook, McAdams has consistently been one of the most turned-to stars in Hollywood, with incredible and versatile turns in movies like Midnight in Paris, About Time, Spotlight, and Game Night, to name just a few of her big screen accomplishments. During that same stretch of time, McAdams has popped up on shows like Slings and Arrows, True Detective Season 2, and the best episode of What If...? Season 1.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Karl Mordo)

Reprising his role of Karl Mordo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Chiwetel Ejiofor, who once again plays Dr. Strange’s mysterious and vengeful former mentor and close confidant who has a bone to pick with the Master of the Mystic Arts.

Outside of the realm of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ejiofor has found a great deal of success in a variety of different roles that range from Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated performances in the likes of 12 Years a Slave and Kinky Boots. And then there are notable appearances in movies like Children of Men, American Gangster, and Love Actually. Ejiofor has also popped up on a number of TV programs throughout his career, including Trust, Tsunami: The Aftermath, Dancing on the Edge, and the 2022 Showtime adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Julian Hilliard (Billy Maximoff)

Julian Hilliard shows up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Billy Maximoff, one of two twin boys Wanda Maximoff originally created as a figment of her imagination on WandaVision.

Although he is mostly known for playing one of Wanda and Vision’s mysterious sons on the mind-bending and genre-jumping Disney+ streaming series (and now the Marvel Phase 4 movie), Hilliard has also made several appearances in some high-profile projects throughout his young career. This includes movies like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Color out of Space, and Never Goin’ Back, as well as a list of TV credits that includes Penny Dreadful: City of Angels and The Haunting of Hill House.

Jett Klyne (Tommy Maximoff)

Jett Klyne returns to Marvel Cinematic Universe once again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with his portrayal of Tommy Maximoff, the second twin son of Wanda Maximoff introduced on WandaVision.

Over the course his career, which started with him being a Gerber baby, per Penticton Western News, Klyne has been in a little bit of everything, including brief appearances on shows like Supergirl, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The X-Files, Supernatural, and several others. He has also popped up in movies like Skyscraper, Z, and The Puppet Killer, to name just a few.

Michael Stuhlbarg (Nicodemus West)

Michael Stuhlbarg makes a brief appearance in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, once again playing Dr. Nicodemus West, Stephen Strange’s rival surgeon from the 2016 origin story.

When he’s not playing a character that seems to get enjoyment out of trading barbs with Dr. Strange and talking about how his life was affected by Thanos’ “Blip,” Stuhlbarg takes on a number of different roles in various film, TV, and stage productions. Over the years, Stuhlbarg has appeared in movies like Hugo, Steve Jobs, Trumbo, Call Me by Your Name, and The Shape of Water. His TV credits include everything from Boardwalk Empire to The Looming Tower and Your Honor to Dopesick. He currently appears on the HBO true crime drama series, The Staircase.

Sheila Atim (Sara)

Sheila Atim, one of the Marvel newcomers to appear in the Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness cast, shows up as Sara, one of the fearless sorcerers tasked with defending Kamar-Taj during the deadly siege on the headquarters of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

A classically trained actress, Atim has popped up in major stage productions throughout England, including several stints at Shakespeare’s Globe in plays like Othello and The Lightning Child. Atim’s TV work is just as impressive with appearances on shows like Harlots, The Feed, The Irregulars, The Underground Railroad, and more. She has also had roles in movies like Bruised and The Show. She’ll next appear in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King alongside Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, and John Boyega.

Adam Hugill (Rintrah)

And then there is newcomer Adam Hugill, who provides the voice of Rintrah, the green Minotaur-like character seen defending Kamar-Taj from attack throughout Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Hugill made his professional acting debut in 2019 with an appearance on the DC Comics series Pennyworth. Later that year he would appear on World of Fire before making a brief appearance in Sam Mendes' intense military drama, 1917 (which also featured a brief performance by Benedict Cumberbatch). Hugill has also shown up on The Watch and Sherwood since then.

But, this is only a part of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as there is no fun in ruining the movie's big surprises for those who haven't seen it yet. Since you're here, get a head start on all those other upcoming Marvel movies.

The MCU's Multiverse is back... or wait, did it never really leave since it’s already co-existing with us in our established reality already? Whatever the actual science may be, it’s the focal point of the soon-to-arrive Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with the titular character facing down new foes and even bigger questions surrounding one’s place in the grand scheme of events. As fate would have it, the film’s Hollywood premiere featured a lot of suits in the grand scheme of events – as well as Rachel McAdams outdressing everyone.

The actress returns as Doctor Strange’s former girlfriend, Dr. Christine Palmer, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which delves into the aftermath of what went down in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Strange and Palmer's complicated on-and-off again romance isn’t exactly what has all the critics in a tizzy concerning Multiverse of Madness, but I for one am losing my marbles over Rachel McAdams' flowing yellow garment for the premiere. The cape is very much giving superhero vibes in its own right -- right? See for yourself:

Still, it's not exactly a Doctor Strange premiere without the one and only Master of Mystic Arts himself, Benedict Cumberbatch. In case eagle-eyed fans missed it, Doctor Strange continues to wear the Eye of Agamotto for a specific reason in Multiverse of Madness, despite the Time Stone no longer being around as of Avengers: Endgame. But the actor behind the superhero opted for something decidedly less flashy than both the infamous talisman and Rachel McAdams for the May 2 red carpet. One could even say he looks like a basic you-know-what whilst posing arm-in-arm with co-star Xochitl Gomez. See those two below:

Xochitl Gomez is portraying queer teenager America Chavez, who has the ability in both the MCU and comics to travel between dimensions. This franchise has been going to great lengths to keep Multiverse of Madness' secrets tightly under wraps, but nevertheless, the actress has been dealing with criticism from the fanbase over the character’s widely known sexuality, prompting even Benedict Wong to level some strong words in Gomez’s defense. Regardless though, the 16-year-old clearly stunted on the haters in her own way with her full-length sequin gown for the premiere event.

Along with the MCU newcomer, our old pal Elizabeth Olsen (a.k.a. Scarlet Witch) was at the Doctor Strange 2 red carpet. Strange seeks out the former Avenger in Multiverse of Madness regarding, you guessed it, help with the multiverse. I’m wondering if Cumberbatch and Olsen sought each other out in real-life regarding twinning outfit choices for the night – because Olsen also opted for a suit, as you can see here:

Now, you might be thinking that’s some kind of suit/skirt hybrid instead of a traditional pant suit. But I’m here to tell you that those are very much trousers that Elizabeth Olsen is wearing. Not bad, not bad at all. But to bring it back to Rachel McAdams, I think it’s clear who took their outfit to another dimension altogether.

CinemaBlend's review of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was relatively torn between loving director Sam Raimi's "gonzo sensibilities" and feeling frustration over certain flaws. Nevertheless, the spell-casting, reality-jumping film is out in theaters on May 6, per the 2022 movie releases schedule, so fans can decide for themselves how the story compares to its predecessors and other MCU entities. But one thing is decidedly not up for debate in my book, and it’s that Rachel McAdams continues serving the best looks in all levels of the multiverse.

When you think of Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan is probably one of the first people that comes to mind. As the star of the 2004 comedy, she is front and center for many of its most unforgettable moments. In many ways, the film made Lohan the poster child for that awkward transitional period so many teenagers live through. But it turns out she wasn’t planning on playing Cady Heron when the movie first crossed her radar. As she recently discussed, she had another role in mind. 

It's hard to imagine a version of Mean Girls in which Lindsay Lohan doesn't play Cady. But in a recent Vogue video, she explained why she originally wasn’t interested in playing new-girl-turned-mean-girl Cady Heron – and how the movie’s creative team convinced her to do it anyway: 

Freaky Friday was a breakout moment for Lindsay Lohan at that point in her career, but it’s understandable why she may have wanted to try a new kind of role after playing Anna Coleman. To go from a rebellious rock star in the making to the prom queen may have seemed appealing at the time, but it’s hard to deny that she was the perfect person to play the lead character when everything was said and done. 

One of the main points of Mean Girls is that normal doesn’t mean perfect, and Cady is the perfect vehicle to drive that point home. So even though the Parent Trap star didn’t get a chance to play the ‘normal’ one, she still played a role that ended up being much different than any she’d previously taken on. 

It was a smart choice for her to play the former homeschooler despite her initial misgivings. The Tina Fey-penned comedy ended up becoming a genre-defining movie, one that launched catch phrases and terms like "Fetch", which we still use today and helped solidify the careers of several of the film’s cast members. No one could have known how popular the teen flick would become, but it seems like Lindsay Lohan has nothing but love for the movie and the fact that she got to play her character. 

These days, Lindsay Lohan is still making new career moves. She recently signed on for a new romantic Christmas comedy. While it doesn’t have an official release date, it should end up on Netflix’s 2022 movie schedule. And it seems like she would be on board for a potential Mean Girls sequel – so there’s always a chance we could see a grown up Cady and just how “normal” her life turned out to be. Until that happens, though, Amazon Prime subscribers can rent the original movie.

When it comes to relationships, these celebrity couples met on the sets of some of their most famous movies. From romantic films such as The Notebook to action movies like Daredevil, through the power of film, many of these couples were brought together. Here are 25 couples who met on the set of a movie but ended up dating in real life. 

Ryan Gosling And Rachel McAdams (The Notebook)

While you may know The Notebook as one of the best romance films out there, the two leading stars actually met on the set of the film, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. In an interview with GQ in 2007, Gosling confirmed he was thankful for the movie, as he met her through it despite the fact that their relationship ended.

While they did eventually break up in 2007, no one can quite forget this romance, both on and off screen.  

Emma Stone And Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man Series)

When Andrew Garfield was Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man series, he and his on-screen Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone, ended up dating for four years after meeting on the set of the first movie. While they split back in 2015, Garfield recently said that he’s still her biggest fan during an interview with Vanity Fair’s “Little Gold Men” podcast:

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt (Mr. And Mrs. Smith) 

On the set of the spy-movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith (which is getting a reboot), Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt met. In an interview with Vogue (via People) in 2006, Jolie confirmed that they developed feelings for each other while filming, but didn’t start thinking of getting together instantly. 

Jolie and Pitt married in 2014, but later filed for divorce.  

Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Series)

The Twilight series was a huge hit for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, who played Edward and Bella in the adaptation of the popular vampire series, and they began dating after the first Twilight film released in 2008, according to an interview Stewart did with The New Yorker. They did eventually break up. 

Freida Pinto And Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)

The 2011 Academy Award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire, brought together its two stars, Freida Pinto and Dev Patel, after they starred in the film together. In an interview with The Guardian in 2015, Patel talked about his past relationship with Pinto, and how close they were during their time together. 

The pair split in 2014. 

Michelle Williams And Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)

While filming Brokeback Mountain, co-stars Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger starred as husband and wife, and that love ended up coming off screen when the two began to date. In an interview with GQ in 2012, Williams talked about meeting Ledger for the first time, and how she felt she was always meant to meet him.

The two had a child together, but later separated.

Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds (The Green Lantern)

These two are couples goals. Ever since Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively met on the set of The Green Lantern in 2010, these two have been inseparable and eventually ended up getting married. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2021, Reynolds admits they were seeing different people at the time, but their friendship slowly turned into a relationship. 

They’ve been married for several years now, and have four children. 

Eva Mendes And Ryan Gosling (The Place Beyond The Pines)

In The Place Beyond the Pines, the stars of the film, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling ended up getting together. Rumors of them being together popped up originally when they were spotted going on a date to Disneyland (via Us Weekly) in 2011, and now more than a decade later, they’re still together and have two daughters. 

Gosling, in an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2016, gushed about his family. 

Elizabeth Taylor And Richard Burton (Cleopatra)

Famed legendary actors Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had a whirlwind romance after filming Cleopatra, which released in 1963. Their love was highly publicized and even turned into a limited series, called Liz & Dick. It spanned thirteen years, eleven films together, as well as two marriages and two divorces, according to Vogue. 

Natalie Portman And Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan)

While filming her Academy Award-winning movie, Black Swan, Natalie Portman met Benjamin Millepied, who is a famous choreographer and co-starred with her. Two began dating and married not that long after in 2012. 

In an interview with People, Natalie gushed about her husband and how much she loved working with him again on a new film, called Vox Lux in 2018.

Matthew Broderick And Jennifer Grey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

While they may have played siblings in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey were actually entangled in a relationship during their time on set. Jennifer Grey spoke about her relationship with the actor in her memoir, Out of the Corner, and how it was hard to keep it a secret from everyone else. 

Once filming ended, according to the memoir, they separated temporarily before getting back together, and dated in 1988. They were also briefly engaged but called it off not that long after. 

Johnny Depp And Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands)

While they originally met in the lobby of a New York theater in 1989, according to Rolling Stone (via Cheat Sheet), Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder’s relationship only grew more after co-starring in Edward Scissorhands in 1990, so much so that Depp proposed to Ryder only five months into dating. 

However, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Depp confirmed they had split up due to the privacy the media wouldn’t let them have. 

Claire Danes And Hugh Dancy (Evening)

Both Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy met on the set of Evening, according to an interview Dancy did with London Evening Standard in 2013, saying that marriage to the star, as well as fatherhood, is treating him “very well.”

Goldie Hawn And Kurt Russell (The One And Only, Genuine, Original Family Band)

This long-lasting partnership started way back when in 1966. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell originally met on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, but it wasn’t until Swing Shift in 1984 that they began dating. In an interview with People, Hawn admits that the two don’t see a point in marriage.  

The pair have been together for 40 years, and recently starred in The Christmas Chronicles 2 together in 2020.  

Taylor Swift And Taylor Lautner (Valentine’s Day)

The ultimate Taylor-ship, actor Taylor Lautner and singer Taylor Swift worked together on the romantic comedy Valentine's Day and were seen out together at sports games (via People). The two reportedly dated for a couple of months before breaking up in December of the same year. 

Channing Tatum And Jenna Dewan (Step Up)

One of Channing Tatum’s best movies led to him meeting Jenna Dewan, his co-star and later wife on the set of Step-Up, as confirmed by an interview Tatum did with Elle in 2013. Tatum admitted that he almost didn’t ask Dewan out because he had just gotten out of a relationship. 

While they share a daughter, the two divorced in 2019.  

Daniel Craig And Rachel Weisz (Dream House)

While the two had actually first met at university together, both Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz were brought back together while filming Dream House. Weisz spoke with The Evening Standard in 2018 on her relationship, and how she never thought she would get married, until she started dating Craig. 

Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck (Gigli) 

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are back together, but their first run at a relationship was while filming Gigli, where the two became close friends, and later began to date after Lopez divorced from Chris Judd in 2003.

Vanessa Hudgens And Zac Efron (High School Musical Series)

The High School Musical series was a huge hit for the Disney Channel, and onscreen love interests, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, turned that love into a long relationship offscreen, according to Hudgens during an interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast (via People) in 2019.

The two were together for five years before breaking up. 

Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Both Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck first met while filming Pearl Harbor, but started to date after being co-stars in Daredevil, according to an interview with Playboy Magazine in 2017, saying that this set was where they fell in love.

They later married in 2005 and then divorced in 2018. 

Liam Hemsworth And Miley Cyrus (The Last Song)

While filming The Last Song together, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus became very close, according to Seventeen (via MTV News) where Cyrus said he was her “best friend.” Their relationship was later confirmed after they walked the red carpet together. They were together for years, marrying, before divorcing in 2020. 

Tom Cruise And Nicole Kidman (Days Of Thunder)

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met at her audition for Days of Thunder, according to an interview she did with Harper’s Bazaar in 2021. The two stars co-starred, fell in love, married in 1990, and then divorced in 2001. 

Zendaya And Tom Holland (Spider-Man Series)

Tom Holland and Zendaya met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming together, but it wasn’t until closer to the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 that speculation about a romantic relationship between the two seemed to be confirmed. 

Since then, the two have been very public about their relationship, especially when Tom Holland shared a post on Instagram on her birthday, saying that Zendaya was “his MJ.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar And Freddie Prinze Jr. (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. met originally on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, but didn’t begin to date until 2000, according to an interview Gellar did with People in 2002, saying they weren’t even originally supposed to go on a date - turned into one. 

They have been together for twenty years and have two children. 

Penelope Cruz And Javier Bardem (Jamón Jamón)

The two actually met for the first time as co-stars while filming Jamón Jamón, they wouldn’t get together until they reunited again filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film, according to an interview Javier Bardem did with GQ in 2017, and started dating after filming was done. 

The two have been married since 2010, and have two children. 

There are so many celebrity couples out there - some that have stood the test of time and others that have not. And I’m sure over time, only more and more will start to pop up with even crazier romances. 

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently in a unique place, as the interim period between phases has been extended thanks to the delay of Black Widow and Eternals. There are a variety of exciting projects in the works, including Sam Raimi's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Benedict Cumberbatch's title character will also have a role in the third Spider-Man movie, and now it seems his second solo flick will feature the return of another important figure for the franchise.

Doctor Strange hit theaters back in 2016, and introduced magic and some trippy visuals to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Sorcerer Supreme also had his own supporting cast, with Wong eventually crossing over in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. And now it looks like another major character is returning after all: Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer.

This news comes to us from Deadline, and might be a surprising turn of events for hardcore Marvel fans. Namely because it was previously revealed that Rachel McAdams wouldn't be reprising her role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But it looks like Stephen's love interest and professional collaborator will indeed be in his highly anticipated sequel.

Christine Palmer had a major role in the first Doctor Strange movie, so it makes sense that she'd pop back in for Sam Raimi's upcoming sequel. She very much represented Stephen's connection to the real world, as he becomes more immerse in the world of Sorcery. Additionally, their fractured relationship was a living example of how the title character's injuries and ego ruined their connection.

News of Rachel McAdams not returning for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness came back when it was revealed that Spider-Man filmmaker Sam Raimi was going to be in the director's chair. Given the sequel's title and the inclusion of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, it seemed like the new story had no room for Christine Palmer. That is, until now.

Doctor Strange's tenure in the MCU is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

The overall story of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness continues to be a mystery, but it's likely going to be utilizing some high concepts. There are a ton of theories about how the multiverse itself will be handled, and how that might change the overall MCU. Fans have a variety of theories, including the possibility of bringing mutants and the X-Men into the shared universe.

Overall, it seems like Doctor Strange as a character is going to have a major presence in the MCU so far. He's being set up as Spider-Man's new mentor, and The Multiverse of Madness gets more exciting with every new update. Additionally, WandaVision will lead directly into the second Doctor Strange movie, so it seems like Benedict Cumberbatch's hero is here to stay.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently expected to March 25th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

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When your breakout acting role is the popular teen with a selfish, sociopathic agenda in a high school movie like Mean Girls, you are usually destined to play nothing else but that character for the rest of your career (if you still have one afterward). Yet, Rachel McAdams is one of the few actresses who immediately proved she is more than Regina George.

In fact, the Canadian born, 42-year-old actress would soon be recognized as one of the most talented of her generation with an impressive range for genre and emotion that would eventually earn her an Academy Award-nomination for Spotlight, which also won Best Picture in 2016. Admittedly, not every film or even TV show in her otherwise versatile repertoire has garnered such a reputation, but her own reputation as a stunning highlight of whatever project she pursues has remained a constant.

If you do not believe me, just see for yourself with these 14 classics from the big and small screen starring Rachel McAdams that you can stream right now from various platforms. Unfortunately, 2004’s Mean Girls is not directly available for streaming anywhere at the moment, but you can still get a taste of her as Regina George from one of her earlier movie credits.

The Notebook (Netflix)

Class differences ruin the relationship, but not the loving connection, between a young, lower-class man and a well-to-do woman in late 1930s South Carolina.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: In the same year that Rachel McAdams played the hateful Regina George, she played the endearing Allie, whose history with Noah (Ryan Gosling) in The Notebook, arguably the best Nicolas Sparks adaptation, remains one of the most celebrated, engrossing, and heartbreaking romances in cinematic history.

Stream The Notebook on Netflix here.

True Detective (HBO Max)

The 17-year search for a Louisiana serial killer, three cooperating California police departments investigating a shady politician’s murder, and Arkansas detectives looking for two missing children in the Ozarks are the stories told in this Neo-noir anthology series loosely based on actual crimes.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Whether or not Season 2 of True Detective from 2015 is a great option to stream depends on who you ask, but most would agree that Rachel McAdams’ performance as a troubled Ventura County snoop is worth sticking around for.

Stream True Detective on HBO Max here.

About Time (Netflix)

A lovelorn, 21-year-old British man (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers from his father (Bill Nighy) that he is the latest in a long line of men in his family born with the gift of time travel.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Playing Allie in The Notebook made Rachel McAdams a go-to actress for romantic dramedies like About Time - a clever, winning fantasy from Love Actually writer and director Richard Curtis - in which she plays a woman whose romance with Domhnall Gleeson is actually not improved, but threatened, by his time traveling abilities.

Stream About Time on Netflix here.

The Hot Chick (HBO Max)

An attractive, mean-spirited high school student steals a pair of earrings that cause her to magically switch bodies with the last person she was rude to: an adult, male thief.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: To be perfectly honest, The Hot Chick is not really a great option for Rachel McAdams fans, save the similarities to her Mean Girls character from two years later and if you happen to enjoy the crude, gross-out humor of star and co-writer Rob Schneider.

Stream The Hot Chick on HBO Max here.

The Time Traveler’s Wife (HBO Max)

Clare (Rachel McAdams) struggles to maintain a life with Henry (Eric Bana), the man she has been in love with her entire life, despite his rare affliction that causes him to travel to different time periods involuntarily and without warning.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: I suppose Rachel McAdams also became a go-to actress for romantic time travel movies, too, after playing the title role of 2009’s The Time Traveler’s Wife - in which she plays a woman whose romance with Eric Bana is threatened by his time traveling abilities.

Stream The Time Traveler’s Wife on HBO Max here.

Passion (Amazon Prime, Tubi)

The relationship between an introverted Berlin ad agency employee (Noomi Rapace) and her cutthroat American boss (Rachel McAdams) evolves from professional, to friendly, to romantic, to deadly.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: You can actually see slivers of the woman whom Regina George might have grown up to be from Rachel McAdams’ devious performance in 2012’s Passion - a remake of the French film from two years earlier, Love Crime - which marked director Brian De Palma’s long-awaited return to the sexy, macabre mystery thriller.

Stream Passion on Amazon Prime here or on Tubi here.

Disobedience (Starz)

After the death of her father, a woman (Rachel Weisz) returns to the Orthodox Jewish village she grew up in, which reignites forbidden feelings for her childhood friend (Rachel McAdams) who is now in an unhappy marriage with a rabbi (Alessandro Nivola).

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: I suppose Rachel McAdams also became a go-to actress for sexy thrillers about lesbian affairs, too, such as Disobedience - a riveting drama that comments on the complexities of human nature when at odds with spiritual faith.

Stream Disobedience on Starz here.

Spotlight (Netflix)

A team of investigative journalists uncover evidence of a huge child molestation scandal kept hidden for years by the local Catholic Archdiocese in early 2000s Boston.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Faith is also a potent and, for many audiences, heartbreaking theme of Spotlight - the powerful true story behind the Boston Globe’s shocking Pulitzer Prize-winning article that earned Rachel McAdams her first Oscar nod in 2016.

Stream Spotlight on Netflix here.

Sherlock Holmes (HBO Max)

The brilliant, world famous, but alarmingly eccentric detective (Robert Downey Jr.), with the reluctant assistance of his long-time friend Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), takes on a mysterious tyrant (Mark Strong) who claims magic as the key to his plot in taking over late 19th-Century London.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Instead of the investigator, Rachel McAdams is one of the shady characters under investigation as Downey’s elusive, criminal love interest Irene Adler in Sherlock Holmes - director Guy Ritchie’s 2009 take on the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Stream Sherlock Holmes on HBO Max here.

Morning Glory (Netflix, Tubi)

A workaholic TV producer (Rachel McAdams) is hired to save a morning news program from death, which becomes more problematic when she hires a disgraced former anchorman (Harrison Ford) who butts heads with his co-host (Diane Keaton).

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Instead of delivering the news like in Spotlight, Rachel McAdams is desperate to find some good news, not only for her TV show but also in her life, in Morning Glory - a 2010 workplace satire with romance, drama, and clever wit that, surprisingly, comes from producer J.J. Abrams.

Stream Morning Glory on Netflix here, on Tubi here, or on IMDb TV here.

The Family Stone (HBO Max)

A Wall Street executive (Dermot Mulroney) brings his girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker) to his childhood home for Christmas with plans to propose, but his family takes an immediate dislike to her uptight personality.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: The first time she worked with Diane Keaton in 2005, Rachel McAdams played her daughter in The Family Stone - a family tragicomedy that also incorporates romance and drama, as well as a wonderful ensemble cast that also includes Craig T. Nelson, Claire Danes, and Luke Wilson.

Stream The Family Stone on HBO Max here.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga (Netflix)

Iceland has no choice but to begrudgingly allow the most hated musical duo in the country as its representation in the world’s largest singing competition.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: Director David Dobkin reunites stars from his 2005 hit Wedding Crashers, Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, as the titular band in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga - a Netflix original comedy inspired by the real life European musical event.

Stream Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga on Netflix here.

The Little Prince (Netflix)

A young girl (Mackenzie Foy) is given the chance to break from her hum-drum reality by her neighbor - a washed-up, elderly pilot (Jeff Bridges) - who takes her on a journey to magic world of endless possibilities.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: In her first Netflix exclusive film release, Rachel McAdams plays “The Mother” to “The Little Girl” in The Little Prince - the dazzling 2015 animated adaptation of French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic novel.

Stream The Little Prince on Netflix here.

Doctor Strange (Disney+)

After permanently damaging his hands in a devastating accident, a surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) looking for a way to reclaim his skills becomes a student of sorcery and the last chance to save the world from a tyrannical evil.

Why This Is A Great Option For Rachel McAdams Fans: In, technically, her second time playing the estranged love interest of Sherlock Holmes, Rachel McAdams is not a magic-wielder, but surgeon Christine Palmer - who is, at one point, tasked with saving the life of the newly enchanted title character - in Doctor Strange, which was my top pick for the most visually stunning MCU when it came out in 2016 and still might be today.

Stream Doctor Strange on Disney+ here.

What do you think? Does Rachel McAdams deserve to reprise her role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or, better yet, play Regina George again in a Mean Girls sequel? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the talented actress, as well as even more recommendations of things to stream starring your favorite celebrities, here on CinemaBlend.

2020 has certainly been the year of surprise cast reunions, as a number of stars from classic films have been finding different reasons to come together to reflect on their projects. From Ghostbusters and Splash to Back to the Future and The Goonies, it seems like almost everyone is joining in on the fun trend. Now, the cast of Mean Girls has come together for a very fetch reunion to benefit a good cause.

Katie Couric re-assembled the cast of 2004’s Mean Girls on Instagram, including Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennet, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Franzese, Rajiv Surendra, Ana Gasteyer, Tim Meadows and Tina Fey. The was perfect because it dropped on October 3 (Mean Girls Day), which is, of course, the day Aaron Samuels turned to Cady Heron to ask for the time.

But this isn’t the only reason that this October 3 was the right time for a Mean Girls reunion. It also arrives exactly one month before election day for the U.S. With this, the reunion was organized to help support voting. The event was done in conjunction with HeadCount and #GoodToVote, a campaign partners with influential voices to encourage voter registration and participation. The Plastics definitely weren’t the most considerate group in Mean Girls but, if there were any positive reason to bring back the actors who played them, this would be it.

During the reunion, the cast shared memories from their time working on the film and even revealed a secret or two. Lindsay Lohan, who played the lead role, explained that she was actually aiming to play the despicable (and victimizing) Regina George. This changed, however, when she realized just how many emotions the character would get to convey in the film:

Daniel Franzese, who most remember for playing the scene-stealing Damian, also looked back on performing “Beautiful” at the Winter Talent Show, and it turns out that scene was special to him for a sweet reason:

The cast definitely seemed to have a great time catching up and, 16 years later, each actor still seems to hold a special place for Mean Girls. Many fans still pay tribute to the high school movie every October 3 and, thanks to this long-running tradition, the film’s legacy should remain intact for years to come.

By now, audiences have had the chance to see Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams in the amusingly titled Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Fire Saga being the name of the band fronted by the two comedians who enter into the wildly popular European song competition, mainly because every other act from their home country of Sweden… er, can’t make it. (Watch the movie. You will see.)

Because Fire Saga is such a badass name for a band, CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb played a game with the cast during the recent press day. He hit Eurovision Song Contest cast members Ferrell, McAdams and Dan Stevens with a series of names that could either be a band, of a fantasy novel. Watch this now and see how they did:

Yeah, this was a lot harder than I would have assumed. Mainly because there are so many fantasy novels out there. And they all sound exactly like the names of possible bands. Some of them are so bad, though, that even as Will Ferrell points out, they should be changed. No band should ever be called Iced Earth.

Want to know what Iced Earth sounds like? Of course you do. Here’s their track “Anthem,” which has 4.1 million views on YouTube. Take that, Will Ferrell.

They rock. The movie, however, isn’t as much of a slam dunk. Our own Eric Eisenberg criticizes the movie for forgetting to be a comedy, and acting more like a commercial for the actual Eurovision song competition. The movie does work in some legitimately entertaining musical cameos. But the second half of the film is more about the musical competition, even though Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens aren’t professional singers who’d ever compete on a global stage. Click here to read Eric’s full review of Eurovision Song Contest.

But it’s good for a streaming service like Netflix to bring entertainment options to its streaming service while the world waits to get back to the movies. Ferrell and McAdams absolutely remain bankable stars who can lure audiences to multiplexes for new comedies. Without theaters, Netflix, Apple, Disney+ and more are stepping up their games to bring buzzworthy content to streamers. Speaking of, when does Hamilton drop? July 3? Cool. That’s appointment television.

Over the past few years, Netflix has proven itself as a behemoth in the entertainment world, producing a ton of original movies in addition to its myriad TV content. The streaming service is showing no signs of slowing down, with one of its newest releases being Will Ferrell's upcoming comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. The new comedy follows a quirky Icelandic couple/music group as they compete in the titular singing competition, played by Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. The movie's reviews have come in, and they're ranging mixed to negative.

Will Ferrell is an iconic comedian who has starred in countless vehicles throughout the years. For Eurovision Song Contest, he worked with Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin, with Ferrell also writing and producing the new comedy. But Ferrell's work with the script has been the subject of some criticism. CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg gave Eurovision 2/5 stars, saying:

Well, that was pretty cut and dry. Audiences know what Will Ferrell is capable of, which is why the actor's long career in film might actually work against him with Eurovision Song Contest. The movie fails to live up to the expectations of Ferrell's work, which has the potential to hurt its chances critically. Although audiences can form their own opinion when it arrives on Netflix shortly.

The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney took particular umbrage with Rachel McAdams' portrayal of Sigrit in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. She's got a long career in both comedy and drama, but apparently her role in the upcoming Netflix comedy leaves something to be desired. As he put it,

Rachel McAdams is an actress known for her versatility, so it's somewhat surprising to hear that she might be a weak point of Eurovision Song Contest. Although this perceptions might also be related to an issue in the movie's central relationship. According to Vanity Fair's Richard Lawson, there was something off about Lars and Sigrit's romance throughout Eurovision Song Contest's runtime. Part of the review reads:

Rachel McAdams and Will Ferrell are two strong performers, but their work in Eurovision Song Contest was clearly a point of contention for some critics. Pairing these two actors with Wedding Crashers' director seems like a winning combination, although the material itself seemingly stands in the way of the Netflix movie's success.

As for the streaming service's role in Eurovision Song Contest, Variety's Owen Gleiberman actually shifted some of the blame on Netflix. Because while Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga reportedly doesn't live up to the expectations set by Will Ferrell, he actually believes this is partly because Netflix didn't provide much oversight on the project. The review says,

Meanwhile, EW's Leah Greenblatt once again harkened back to the performances by Eurovision Song Contest's pair of protagonists. Because despite their best efforts, she believed that the actors' accents in particular were very distracting. What's more they're reportedly not consistent. Greenblatt wrote:

Finally, there were some critics who took issue with Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga's pacing. Quite a few of the above reviews mentioned this, blaming the movie's script in the process. Collider's Matt Goldberg spoke to this dynamic in his C- rating for the movie, saying:

Overall, it doesn't look like Eurovision Song Contest succeeded in impressing the critics. Still, it should be interesting to see how Will Ferrell's new Netflix movie performs. Audiences have been known to have their own opinion regardless of views, so we'll have to see if the movie's audience scores are kinder. Luckily, we won't have to wait long because the movie will be available for Netflix subscribers shortly.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga will be available on Netflix June 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Despite being one of the most-watched annual events in the world, the Eurovision Song Contest isn’t something of which most Americans are probably aware, but you don’t have to learn much about it to understand that it’s ripe for parody. Like an Olympics for music, the base premise is that each country in Europe sends a representative band to the competition, and then that group delivers what is usually a ridiculously over-the-top performance that is voted on by both judges and audiences. It’s a set-up that is so naturally fit for a Will Ferrell comedy that some people learning about his latest movie may wonder if the whole thing is simply fictionalized.

Unfortunately, all of the promise that is present in the film’s premise melts away with the actual execution. As much opportunity may naturally exist, David Dobkin’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga never fully capitalizes, and it coalesces as a movie that should be far funnier than it actually is. Save for a few legitimately good gags with excellent payoffs, it plays too safe to the point where it ceases being a comedy about the event and instead starts feeling more like a commercial.

Our entry point into this story is the aspiration of Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdottir (Rachel McAdams), a pair of Icelandic musicians who have spent the majority of their lives dreaming of one day representing their country on the Eurovision Song Contest stage. The problem is that they are awful, and everybody in their small village hates them – including Lars’ father, Erick (Pierce Brosnan), who is totally ashamed of his son, and may or may not also be Sigrit’s father.

Given their terribleness, they naturally fail hard at their audition in front of the selection committee, but a stroke of luck/devastating events change things in a way that leaves Lars and Sigrit’s band Fire Saga as the only possible option for Iceland. The duo travels to Edinburgh, Scotland to prepare for the big show, but conflict heightens as the show gets closer and closer, emotions between the band members gets complicated, and a singer from Russia, Alexander Lemtov (Dan Stevens), begins to wedge his way between them.

Eurovision Song Contest does sport some legitimately funny running jokes.

Will Ferrell has made some totally humorless films in the past (and I’m not just talking about his dramas), but it should be recognized that Eurovision Song Contest definitely has its moments and big laughs – a couple of which are running jokes that at the very least break up spells of frustration. One of the best bits is inspired by the fact that more than half of Icelanders believe in magical elves, and Sigrit is a devout believer that they are at the wheel of Fire Saga’s fate. Singer Demi Lovato also has a fun supporting role as Katiana, a talented Icelandic performer who is the favorite to represent the country and has an arc that goes in a completely different direction than expected. The problem is that what we’re discussing here amounts to about three total minutes of material in a movie that sports a two-hour-plus runtime.

There are so many opportunities for jokes in Eurovision Song Contest, but instead there’s… nothing.

The standout issue Eurovision Song Contest faces is that it’s too reliant on the audience finding just the basics of the actual event hilarious. The problem is that while it’s definitely goofy, it’s not “Summer Comedy” funny. There is a strange kind of devotion to authenticity and reality, and it amounts to the movie lacking bite and creative energy. Given Will Ferrell’s history enlisting past collaborators and friends to join in on his antics (the big fight sequences in the Anchorman movies being the prime example), you’d be excused expecting that this film might have special cameos playing members of bands from other countries doing outrageous performances… but Dan Stevens is really the only other recognizable face that takes the stage.

Beyond the lack of effort it suggests, that’s fine by itself – but outside of Fire Saga’s songs, none of the music performed by other bands seems like it was written to be funny, and there isn’t anything special about their stage acts. The good news is that it sets a low bar for ridiculousness when Lars and Sigrit’s time in the spotlight comes, but that low bar ultimately proves too easy to clear as all the film comes up with is a tired gag involving a giant hamster wheel and a long scarf. There are so many avenues to take for comedy, and Eurovision Song Contest opts for none of them.

Rachel McAdams actually steals the film away from Will Ferrell.

Without the best material to work with, the performers can only do so much in the film, but Rachel McAdams does deserve special notice in the film. Eurovision Song Contest further suffers from the fact that Lars isn’t a particularly likable protagonist (primarily because the bossiness in his drive to achieve his goals isn’t balanced out by real talent and the audience’s desire to see him succeed), but McAdams’ Sigrit is wonderfully earnest, and that earnestness does translate to laughs (especially her aforementioned belief in elves). It’s disappointing that she doesn’t actually provide the singing voice for her character, which is noticeable mostly because it’s so clearly Ferrell singing as Lars, but she’s the best part of the film.

Will Ferrell has a big screen legacy that includes some true modern classics – including Anchorman, Step Brothers and Zoolander – but he’s also capable of making exceedingly mediocre stuff like Blades Of Glory and Semi-Pro, and it’s in the ranks of the latter in which Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga falls. Unless you’re fully aware of the real event and find it fall-on-the-floor funny, this is a case of failed capitalization, and while good for a few laughs, overall not worth the 123 minute investment.

Will Ferrell has had a long and celebrated career in comedy, putting his signature high energy performance into countless projects over the years including Anchorman, Step Brothers, and Talladega Nights. Ferrell is heading to streaming with his upcoming Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, which he also wrote and produced. He stars in the movie alongside Rachel McAdams, with the first trailer just arriving online. And it looks bonkers.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is set within the titular song contest, with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams' character as hopeful singers from Iceland. Lars and Sigrit's band Fire Saga are the laughing stock of their country's music scene, but somehow end up being the only group that can join Eurovision and represent Iceland. As you can imagine, plenty of hijinks will ensue.

Check out the trailer for Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga below.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm kind of sold on this one. The trailer for Eurovision Song Contest looks like it'll have some peak Will Ferrell, including his share of pratfalls and physical comedy. Let's break down exactly what we're being shown for Netflix's upcoming movie.

The trailer opens up on Rachel McAdams and Will Ferrell's characters Lars and Sigrit, who have always dreamed of competing in Eurovision. There's just one problem: they're not particularly strong musicians. We see their band Fire Saga being booed at a local bar, and it looks like perhaps they're too old to finally achieve their goal.

But for some unseen reason, Iceland fails to produce a better group to put into Eurovision. That allows the film's protagonists to finally get their shot, and there will plenty of roadblocks in their way to superstardom. This includes being insulted by those in charge, and dealing with stiff musical competition from around the world.

This first trailer for Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga also sets up the comedy's antagonist: Downton Abbey and Legion actor Dan Stevens. He continually taunts the pair, while also trying to seduce Rachel McAdams' character. Another character who presents a conflict is Lars' father Erick, played by 007 himself Pierce Brosnan. Erick clearly does not support his son, with Will Ferrell explaining their relationship to hilarious results.

As previously stated, Will Ferrell is intimately involved in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Aside from starring in the upcoming Netflix movie, he also wrote it alongside Andrew Steele. Ferrell is also credits as a producer on the film, so it's clear that the iconic comedian greatly contributed to Eurovision Song Contest. We'll just have to wait and see how things fall into place when the movie arrives on Netflix.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga will be available to stream June 26th on Netflix. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

This past April, Mean Girls celebrated its 16th anniversary. It's hard to imagine the movie being the same age as its main characters. Alas, in the nearly 20 years since the teen comedy came to theaters, the cult classic — written by Tina Fey and starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams — has been quoted regularly by people everywhere, elevated the careers of many of its stars, and inspired a direct-to-video sequel and a musical adaptation, which premiered on Broadway in 2018. 

Indeed, Mean Girls has come a long way from its self-help book inspiration, becoming one of the most defining high school movies of the '00s. Now that the adored comedy has found enormous commercial and critical success, what have the primary cast members been working on? Some are staying extremely busy, while others haven't found the same fame. Let's find out what the Mean Girls cast is doing now!

Lindsay Lohan (Cady Heron)

As Cady Heron, the home-schooled teenager who transfers into public high school and forms a friendship with The Plastics, Lindsay Lohan found enormous notoriety (and infamy) after Mean Girls. The former Disney star transitioned into more mature roles following The Parent Trap remake, Life Size, and Freaky Friday, which was also directed by Mark Waters, and Mean Girls was what turned the actress into a teen superstar. Though she returned to Disney with Herbie: Fully Loaded, Lohan appeared in more PG-13 movies like A Prairie Home Companion and Just My Luck, before her tabloid troubles negatively impacted her career. 

She continued to make movies, including Machete, Chapter 27, and The Canyons, but she hasn't found the same career success since her height in the mid '00s. Recently, Lohan starred in MTV's Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club. She also ventured into the business world with nightclubs and beach clubs in Greece.

Rachel McAdams (Regina George)

Playing Regina George, the rich popular teenage girl and the leader of The Plastics, Rachel McAdams rose to fame through Mean Girls. Only a couple short years after she made her Hollywood debut in 2002's The Hot Chick, McAdams went on to appear in The Notebook (which also came out in 2004), Red Eye, Wedding Crashers, State of Play, The Time Traveler's Wife, Sherlock Holmes, Midnight in Paris, Morning Glory, About Time, Game Night, Doctor Strange, The Vow, and Spotlight, for which she earned an Oscar nomination. 

She also starred in the second season of HBO's True Detective. Most recently, McAdams was seen in 2018's Disobedience, though she briefly stepped away from acting when her first son was born that same year. But she makes her acting return in the upcoming Netflix music-comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. It'll be released in June.

Amanda Seyfried (Karen Smith)

Playing Karen Smith, the bubbly airhead friend of Regina and Gretchen, Amanda Seyfried made her film debut in 2004's Mean Girls. Certainly, that's a pretty fetching way to start your movie career. In the years that followed, Seyfried starred in the Mamma Mia movies, Les Miserables, Dear John, Red Riding Hood, In Time, Jennifer's Body, Chloe, Alpha Dog, Lovelace, First Reformed, Ted 2, Letters to Juliet, and many other movies. 

She also had significant roles in TV shows like Big Love, Veronica Mars, and Twin Peaks' newest season. Most recently, Seyfried starred in last year's The Art of Racing in the Rain and voiced Daphne in the recently released Scoob! Next, she'll be seen in You Should Have Left, Things Heard & Seen, Mank, and A Mouthful of Air, which she also produced. Seyfried also became a mother in 2017 with the birth of her daughter.

Lacey Chabert (Gretchen Wieners)

As the unfortunate-named Gretchen Wieners, the member of The Plastics who is desperate to win over Regina's approval, Lacey Chabert didn't find the same success as her fellow Mean Girls stars, but she forged a strong television and voice acting career. For some, her voice work in The Wild Thornberrys is as memorable as her role in this 2004 teen comedy, though she's also known for Party of Five. 

Chabert also notably voiced Meg Griffin in Family Guy's first season before Mila Kunis took over the part. In addition to voice-only roles in Bratz movies and TV shows, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Young Justice, Transformers: Rescue Bots, Robot Chicken, and more, Chabert is known for starring in several Hallmark movies. 18 of them, to be exact, starting with 2010's Elevator Girl and leading up to January's Winter in Vail. It's a partnership Chabert is eager to continue.

Jonathan Bennett (Aaron Samuels)

As Aaron Samuels, Regina's ex-boyfriend who later became Cady's love interest, Jonathan Bennett stole lots of hearts in the role. Following the film's release, Bennett appeared in Smallville, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, Elevator Girl, and the title role of Van Wilder: Freshman Year. 

In 2014, he was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars and eliminated in Week 6. Notably, in 2015, Bennett became the host of Food Network's Cake Wars. It ran until 2017. In 2018, he released a pop culture cookbook with Nikki Martin called The Burn CookBook. Last year, Bennett became a houseguest on Celebrity Big Brother. Additionally, in 2017, Bennett came out as gay. He recently starred in The Haunting of Sharon Tate, as well Supergirl and Station 19. He'll next appear in Sorry I Killed You and Snow Falls. He currently hosts Halloween Wars.

Tina Fey (Ms. Sharon Norbury)

In addition to writing the screenplay, Tina Fey plays Ms. Sharon Norbury, the dryly funny calculus teacher, in Mean Girls. Serving as Saturday Night Live's head writer and one of the anchors of Weekend Update during this time, Fey proved herself to be a smart, observant, and piercingly funny writer and performer before Mean Girls came out, but this famous film helped the actress/writer become one of the most prominent comedy voices of the early 21st century. 

Following Mean Girls, Fey became the star/creator of NBC's 30 Rock and the co-creator of Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She also starred in Baby Mama, Date Night, Muppets Most Wanted, Sisters, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and Wine Country. She published a memoir, Bossypants, and wrote the Mean Girls musical, which will become a movie itself. She'll soon be heard in Pixar's Soul and she co-created NBC's upcoming sitcom, Mr. Mayor.

Lizzy Caplan (Janis Ian)

As Janis Ian, the outcast girl who befriends Cady and hatches a plan to take Regina down, Lizzy Caplan gained wider recognition through Mean Girls, and she has continued to find a great deal of success in film and television. Her first acting role was on Freaks and Geeks, though she was later seen in Party Down, Cloverfield, Hot Tub Time Machine, 127 Hours, The Interview, Now You See Me 2 and True Blood. Most notably, Caplan played the lead role in Showtime's Masters of Sex, for which she was Emmy-nominated. Recently, Caplan starred in Hulu's Castle Rock and AppleTV+'s Truth Be Told.

Daniel Franzese (Damian Leigh)

As Damian Leigh, the best friend of Janis and Cady, Daniel Franzese was often a scene-stealer in Mean Girls. Also known for Bully and Party Monster, Franzese has since been seen in War of the Worlds, CSI, Party Down, Burn Notice, Recovery Road, GLOW and Conviction. 

Franzese has also been active on the stage, writing, directing and performing productions like I’ve Never Really Made the Kind of Money to Become a Mess and JERSEY SHORESICAL: A FRICKIN ROCK OPERA! He also played a prominent role in HBO's excellent Looking. In 2015, Franzese became an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. He came out as gay in 2014. Franzese also tours doing stand-up comedy. Most recently, he was a guest judge on an episode of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Amy Poehler (June George)

Playing June George, the irresponsible mother of Regina who tries regaining her youth by living vicariously through her teenage daughter, Amy Poehler has a splashy supporting turn in Mean Girls. Though she'd later find future success with Parks and Recreation and a leading voice role in Pixar's Inside Out, Poehler was best known for Saturday Night Live at this time, particularly her long stint on Weekend Update. 

While she continues to take on acting roles, notably in Sisters, The House, and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later fairly recently, Poehler has tackled more projects behind-the-camera lately. Notably, Poehler made her feature directorial debut with Netflix's Wine Country. She's currently in post-production on her sophomore feature, the music-dramedy Moxie, and she co-created Russian Doll and Duncanville, where she provides a voice. Poehler also reprised her role as Leslie Knope for a recent Parks and Recreation special.

Neil Flynn (Chip Heron)

As Chip Heron, Cady's dad, Neil Flynn played a small-but-vital role in Mean Girls. As an actor, Flynn is ultimately more well-known for his TV work. More specifically, TV viewers probably know him best as The Janitor from Scrubs. Following that show's run, Flynn starred in another long-running sitcom, ABC's The Middle. He also made appearances in That '70s Show, CSI, Seinfeld, Smallville, and more over the years. Neil Flynn played a minor role in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and he appeared as himself on three episodes of Jeopardy in 2015. Now, Flynn stars in NBC's sitcom, Abby's.

Tim Meadows (Principal Ron Duvall)

As Principal Ron Duvall, Tim Meadows was another SNL veteran who starred in Mean Girls. In fact, through his ten year stint on the NBC sketch comedy show, Meadows became one of its longest-running cast members. Additionally, Meadows starred in other SNL movies like Coneheads, Wayne's World 2, It's Pat, and his own starring vehicle, The Ladies Man. He also worked with other SNL veterans in The Benchwarmers, Semi-Pro, Grown Ups 1 & 2, Jack & Jill, and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. He also did regular work for Lil' Bush, The Bill Engvall Show, Glory Daze, Mr. Box Office, Bob's Burgers, Marry Me, and No Activity. 

Additionally, Meadows played a reoccurring character on The Goldbergs, and he got his own spin-off series, Schooled, which premiered last year. He was also the only original cast member to appear in the direct-to-video sequel, 2011's Mean Girls 2.

Who is your favorite Mean Girls star? Who is your favorite Mean Girls character? What's your favorite Mean Girls quote? Let us know in the comment section below!

If there’s one high school movie that defined the early ‘00s, it was Mean Girls. The comedy written by Tina Fey introduced a ton of phrases into the mainstream such as “grool” or “you go, Glen Coco” – but not “fetch,” that never seemed to catch on. And there are few characters more well known than Regina George. Rachel McAdams took on this iconic role at the very beginning of her career too.

Sixteen years and almost 40 roles since Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams considered revisiting Regina George when she was asked which character she’d like to go back to. In her words:

During an appearance on Canada’s London Health Science Foundation Heroes Of Health Stream-A-Thon, Rachel McAdams showed some interest in playing Regina George again to explore the high school queen’s life long after high school. George would be in her 30s now and doing what? Seriously though, we’re really curious. Where do the kids that peak in high school go?

When she was asked if serious discussions about a Mean Girls sequel had ever been in talks, Rachel McAdams said it’d only been joked about. Per an interview with Lindsay Lohan last year, the movie’s Cady Heron has been trying to get The Plastics back together for years. She’s “said it so many times,” even approaching producer Lorne Michaels about it before. Mean Girls was also homaged by pop star Ariana Grande in her “thank u, next” music video back in 2018.

It seems like the setup could be as simple as the cast coming together for a high school reunion when more Burn Book shenanigans take place. And it might be interesting to examine how one’s world changes after high school. Seeing what Rachel McAdams’ Regina George and her “cool mom” played by Amy Poehler are up to almost 20 years later would bring in droves of fans no doubt as well.

Mean Girls is technically getting a remake from Tina Fey in the form of an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical that has remained successful on the stage since 2017. It was announced back in January that Fey would be writing the third version of her incredibly successful script, this time with some song-and-dance involved. Maybe Rachel McAdams could find a role there, or at least cameo?

The 2004 movie, alongside The Notebook the very same year, was a huge moment for Rachel McAdams that put her on the map as an actress. She has since starred in a ton of movies, such as Sherlock Holmes, Midnight In Paris, About Time, Best Picture winner Spotlight and as Dr. Christine Palmer in Doctor Strange.

What do you think? Would you like to see Rachel McAdams in a Mean Girls sequel or the music-filled remake? Sound off in the comments and vote in our poll.

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Jessica Simpson has been a busy bee in recent weeks as she prepares for the release of her upcoming memoir Open Book, but tucked away in stories of her life and relationships is one involving Nick Lachey, an airplane viewing of The Notebook and the story of how Jessica Simpson was allegedly asked to take on the role but turned it down.

So, here’s how Jessica Simpson put it in Open Book (via ET). The singer and occasional actress was on a plane. She and Nick Lachey had just decided to split and she confirmed she was “loudly sobbing in first class.” Then, the plane announced it would be playing The Notebook, which she already knew all about, because she had previously turned the gig down. She said:

Now, look, the Open Book quote doesn’t officially say Jessica Simpson was in the running for the lead Allie role, but if you’ve seen The Notebook, you should know there’s the one major sex scene in the movie between Allie and Noah. She also mentions the sex scene would have been with Ryan Gosling, so the conclusion to draw here is clear.

The scene in question occurs after a romantic boat rowing session on a lake leads to both Noah and Allie getting really wet and needing some help stripping their clothes off when they got back into the house. The whole thing is pretty steamy.

The scene occurs before Allie’s wedding to Lon. She, in fact, basically leaves him to go see Noah and what he is doing with the house he is refurbishing to Allie’s specifications, though they are no longer together. Obviously, Allie and Noah are meant to be together and the audience should be really rooting for the coupling, but also, it's worth pointing out that they do get together under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Jessica Simpson may have been getting divorced to Nick Lachey at the time she was handed the script for The Notebook, but it’s not a real shock that she would be out on a premarital sex scene in a movie. During the early years of her career, she often spoke out about being an advocate for waiting until marriage to have sex.

In her new book she also talks about what it was like to wait to have sex before marriage and how long it took her to realize that having an emotional affair could really be worse, as she details in some quotes related to Johnny Knoxville. Still, her early ideas about sex and what it means in relationships apparently kept her from saying yes to The Notebook.

Regardless, can you even imagine what The Notebook would have been like with Jessica “I know it’s tuna but it says chicken” Simpson in the role? Now granted, stories have come out in the past that Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams really didn’t get along on the set of the 2004 movie, but it's hard to imagine any other two actors in the role. Particularly given at the time this movie was coming together Jessica Simpson was only known on the acting side of showbiz for a role in That '70s Show as a dimwitted girlfriend of Kelso's from California. This gig would have been before she signed on to play Daisy Duke in Dukes of Hazzard in 2005.

This isn't the first time we've heard of casting troubles with The Notebook. The movie also had trouble landing its male lead, and book author Nicholas Sparks previously said it's because Noah's arc in the story is just non-existent. But Ryan Gosling ultimately took the role and it is still one of his most memorable performances today.

It's weird to think Jessica Simpson might have been considered for The Notebook, until you remember the fact a Nicholas Sparks adaptation had similar success with a singer in a lead role in the 2002 movie A Walk To Remember starring Mandy Moore; despite Allie not really needing musical talent in the same way, I wonder if that's where peoples' heads were at. It's hard to tell if Simpson would have landed the role even if she had expressed interest in it, as we don't know what point in casting the movie was in when she got her hands on the script. Regardless, I'd say all's well that ends well. Jessica Simpson went on to land a fashion empire and Rachel McAdams kept taking lead roles of this ilk and has built a whole brand out of being charming, likable and real on the big screen.