'Mean Girls,' Partially Filmed In Woodbridge, Hits Theaters Friday

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — New Jersey plays a starring role in "Mean Girls," the movie musical released in theaters this Friday, Jan. 12.

That's because nearly all of the movie was filmed in the Garden State.

Mater Dei Prep, the Middletown Catholic school that closed in 2022, is where the bulk of the movie was made, with filming take place last March and April. But filming was also done on location at a private home in Woodbridge's Colonia section, in North Arlington and in Florham Park.

Some theaters have “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink” early screenings at 7 p.m. this Wednesday.

Why are so many movies, TV shows and commercials being filmed in New Jersey lately?

It's because Gov. Phil Murphy dramatically increased movie and TV production in the state. His administration has given Hollywood studios such as HBO, Netflix and Paramount hundreds of million in tax breaks to entice them to make movies in New Jersey.

Netflix was given up to $200 million in tax breaks to open what will be its largest filmmaking studio in the world in Oceanport, at the former U.S. Army base Fort Monmouth.

Murphy says movie and TV production will bring jobs to New Jersey.

According to NJ.com, “Mean Girls” filmed throughout New Jersey, including at:

• Mater Dei Prep, a closed Catholic school in Middletown
• Delbarton School: The elite boys' Catholic prep school in Morristown was the site of a two-day film shoot last March. The movie's infamous Christmas talent show scene was filmed there.
• A landfill in North Arlington
• Saint Elizabeth University in Florham Park
• A private home in the Colonia section of Woodbridge

Here's the trailer:

Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion sing theme song "Not My Fault," part of the movie's soundtrack:

Film crews could be seen on the shuttered Mater Dei campus, on Church Street in Middletown, all throughout last March and April. Producers also asked Middletown residents to appear as extras.

Grant Wilfley casting agents held this casting call last February, where they asked Middletown residents to play high school students, teachers, jocks and skateboarders. They even said they were looking for suburban moms.

"We are looking for real people. This isn't L.A." said the agents last winter. "We want all types of people; we want authenticity. We want to represent what high school looks like in 2023."

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The studio is Paramount Pictures, and producers saw Mater Dei as the all-American high school where iconic Regina George and her team of Plastics ruled the earth — until new girl Lindsay Lohan decided to dish out some sweet teenage revenge.

Tina Fey wrote the original "Mean Girls" screenplay, which is based on Rosalind Wiseman's book "Queen Bees and Wannabes." This time "Mean Girls" is a musical, and it has some heavy hitters behind it: Fey and “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels are producers. Look for Fey to appear in the new movie as high school teacher Ms. Norbury. And "SNL" alum Tim Meadows will return to his role as Principal Duvall.

But the teenage actors are all new: Angourie Rice (of "Spider-Man") will play Lohan's role of Cady Heron; singer Reneé Rapp is queen bee Regina George, Bebe Wood is the new Gretchen Wieners and Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu will be Karen Shetty, the original role of ditzy Karen Smith, played memorably by Amanda Seyfried.