"I’ve learned that I know absolutely nothing"- When Reneé Rapp discussed jumping from stage to screen
American singer-songwriter and actor Reneé Rapp is best known for starring as the iconic Regina George in the Broadway musical Mean Girls. She has reprised her role in the 2024 movie Mean Girls and has also contributed to the soundtrack of the movie.
In an exclusive interview with Mindy Kaling in 2021, for Interview Magazine, Rapp had commented on her phenomenal shift from stage to screen so early on in her career. She said:
"I’ve learned that I know absolutely nothing. When I was in Mean Girls, and now, in College Girls, I felt like a lost fish just trying to do what all the cool kids are doing, and sometimes being lucky enough to hit the mark."
In 2021, Mindy Kaling cast Reneé Rapp in her HBO Max show The Sex Lives of College Girls, which premiered its third season in November 2024. Following its debut, Kaling interviewed Rapp about their first encounter, being on screen, and of course, Rapp's career.
What does Reneé Rapp have to say about her jump from stage to screen?
In a 2021 interview, Mindy Kaling hopped on a call with Reneé Rapp to discuss their upcoming HBO show and talk about Rapp's budding career. During the conversation, Rapp commented on her jump from stage to screen saying:
"I’ve learned that I know absolutely nothing. When I was in Mean Girls, and now, in College Girls, I felt like a lost fish just trying to do what all the cool kids are doing, and sometimes being lucky enough to hit the mark. The biggest difference between the two is how intimate the theatre is. Film is so different because, when you’re on set, even if a joke lands, no one is going to laugh, because nobody wants to mess up a take."
Talking about her two major roles as Regina George on Mean Girls and Leighton in The Sex Lives of College Girls, she said:
"Both Leighton and Regina want to be liked so desperately. They are both unwilling to get out of their own way to figure out who they actually are, and just want everybody to like them and to embody this stereotypical ideal."
She further added:
"The most obvious difference is, with Regina, I did the same story for two hours every night. Leighton is character formed over six months and 10 episodes, and because of the nature of TV, you see a lot more of her. I grew with her in those six months—Leighton has no idea what she’s doing, and Reneé also has no idea what she’s doing. We’re very similar in that realm."
Despite her success in acting, Rapp has decided to follow her passion of music as she hopes that her on-screen stints will bring her more opportunities in music. In an interview with LA Times in September 2023, Reneé Rapp said she would not return to acting after Mean Girls.
What do we know about Reneé Rapp?
Reneé Rapp is an American actor and also a singer-songwriter who rose to the limelight after starring as Regina George in the Broadway musical Mean Girls (2019–2020). The play gained so much popularity that she reprised her role in the 2024 film Mean Girls and also put her musical skills to use as she contributed to the soundtrack of the movie.
Rapp has previously starred in the Max comedy series The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021–2024), created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble. She also released her debut EP Everything to Everyone in 2022 and followed it up with her full-length studio album Snow Angel in 2023.
Mindy Kaling's The Sex Lives of College Girls is available to stream on the HBO Max streaming platform.
