Five ways Mean Girls could have been a very different film

http://www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2014/apr/16/five-ways-mean-girls-been-different

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It's a decade since Mean Girls, the film that explored the Machiavellian inner workings of "girl world" and spawned a mini-universe of quotes, gifs and internet-worship, was released. As if to celebrate, director Mark Waters and Daniel Franzese (who played Damian) have been giving interviews revealing some of the secrets behind the making of the movie. Here's what we've learned:

Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams almost swapped roles

"[Lindsay] was like 'I fucking love Regina George! This is exactly the part I want to play'," Waters told New York magazine, but the studio head insisted she take top billing. And when McAdams auditioned for Cady, he said: "I told her, 'I think you're a movie star but you are way too old for this character.'"

They nearly cast James Franco as Aaron Samuels

Yes, Franco almost played Aaron – the love interest who looked "sexy with his hair pushed back". The role ultimately went to Jonathan Bennett. "Bennett was great but that would've been cool," Franzese told Cosmopolitan.

Damian wasn't "too gay to function"

Franzese said Waters did not envision Damian as out. "[His] position on Damian was that Damian probably doesn't realise he's gay yet. He knows deep down, but he's still … figuring it all out."

The dialogue was a lot edgier

Cut lines included: "Amber D'Alessio gave a blow job to a hot dog" (changed to "made out with" to get a 12A rating) and Cady saying to a cigarette-puffing Damian: "You know, you really shouldn't smoke," to which Damian replies: "But it keeps me thin." According to Franzese, "it was so painful to let that line go, but Mark doesn't like his actors smoking in movies, which is admirable."

There was a complicated alternative ending

Instead of North Shore attaining some post-Burn Book equilibrium, the original ending had a complicated drug-themed footnote. Franzese recalls: "Kevin G gets busted by Miss Norbury for selling ecstasy, so when they call her a 'drug pusher'" she actually has drugs in her desk [because] she took them away from Kevin G." After taking the blame, Damian then auditions for American Idol before punching Simon Cowell for calling him chubby. As Damian would say: "Cowell? He doesn't even go here."