‘Mean Girls’: The Age Difference Between Rachel McAdams and Amy Poehler Was Smaller Than You Realize

Mean Girls is one of the most popular teen comedy movies of all time, known for its hilarious characters and iconic catchphrases. Most people have seen it at least once, but even if you’re familiar with it, there are some things about the movie that you still might not know — like how close Rachel McAdams and Amy Poehler were in age.

Rachel McAdams and Amy Poehler were an iconic pair in ‘Mean Girls’

Mean Girls boasts many amazing characters, from Lindsay Lohan’s Cady Heron to Daniel Franzese’s Damian Leigh, to Amanda Seyfried’s Karen Smith to Tina Fey’s Ms. Norbury. There’s also Regina George, the high school socialite played by Rachel McAdams.

One of the most entertaining things about Regina is her relationship with her wealthy mom June (Amy Poehler). Introduced at one of Regina’s hangouts, June basically spends the entire movie trying to prove she’s not a regular mom but a “cool mom.” That includes offering alcohol to her daughter’s friends and dancing along to their “Jingle Bell Rock” performance, much to Regina’s embarrassment.

The real-life age difference between Rachel McAdams and Amy Poehler was not that big

Mean Girls painted June as someone much older than Regina, but in real-life that wasn’t the case. There’s just a seven-year age difference between Poehler and McAdams, who were born in 1971 and 1978, respectively.

Many fans just realized how close they were in age earlier in 2021, taking to social media to express their shock. “the fact that amy poehler and rachel mcadams are only 7 years apart and amy poehler literally played regina george’s mom is mind boggling,” one person wrote on Twitter, according to the entertainment website Tyla.

“Yaaaaas.. still [can’t] get over that Amy Poehler was only 7 years older than Rachel McAdams,” another fan wrote.

It really is a surprise to learn that Poehler was just seven years older than her on-screen daughter. But that just goes to show the talent and skills that both Poehler and McAdams possess.

Years later, ‘Mean Girls’ is still a big hit with fans everywhere

Mean Girls first hit theaters in 2004, earning critical and commercial acclaim. It has continued to attract attention since then, most recently in early 2021 when Netflix added it to its streaming service.

As far as any future projects, there’s a Mean Girls Broadway musical version now being turned into a movie. “I’m very excited to bring ‘Mean Girls’ back to the big screen,” creator Tina Fey said in a statement shared with Variety in 2020. “It’s been incredibly gratifying to see how much the movie and the musical have meant to audiences. I’ve spent sixteen years with these characters now. They are my Marvel Universe and I love them dearly.”

There’s no known release date for the movie as of writing, but when it does come out, we’re sure fans will flock to see it.