Hallmark star Lacey Chabert has become known for her Christmas movies, but many of her fans still adore her work in “Mean Girls.” She recently opened up about an especially difficult scene to film, and it turns out it’s one of the movie’s most iconic.
Lacey Chabert Struggled Filming the ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ Scene
On December 12, “The Christmas Quest” star shared the story with People. Chabert reflected on filming the “Jingle Bell Rock” scene in the original “Mean Girls,” which was released in 2004.
Chabert suggested, “Dancing is not my strongest suit.” The scene featured Chabert, playing Gretchen, on stage with the rest of “The Plastics,” Regina (Rachel McAdams), Cady (Lindsay Lohan), and Karen (Amanda Seyfried).
The quartet prepared a saucy dance for the high school talent show. During the performance, Gretchen struggled with the routine, prompting chaotic results.
As Chabert tells the story, leaning into Gretchen’s awkwardness was hardly a stretch. She apparently messed up the dance steps unintentionally multiple times.
“I just remember Mark Waters, the director, who’s just wonderful, yelling out, definitely more than once, ‘Cut. Lacey’s offbeat. Someone help her,'” Chabert recalled.
Chabert admitted her personal struggles performing the dance routine fit quite well with her character’s struggles. In Gretchen’s case, however, the performance mistakes were primarily caused by a last-minute routine change made by Regina in order to add Cady to the group.
While performing the dance moves was challenging for Chabert, she admitted that was not the hardest part of filming the scene.
She explained, “I just remember every day of that movie laughing and trying not to laugh, trying not to break character.”
Chabert added, “And actually, when Gretchen kicks the stereo off of the stage accidentally, I remembered we were genuinely laughing. If you look close enough, you can see I’m about to break and laugh.”
Despite the difficulties, Chabert noted, “It was such a fun scene to film.”
Holding the Title of Hallmark’s ‘Queen of Christmas’ Fits Chabert
Chabert told People her dance moves have improved slightly since filming “Mean Girls,” as she’s had to learn choreography and perform in other projects since then.
People noted Chabert has filmed 40 movies with Hallmark. Many of those have been Christmas movies, which she said was a great fit for her. “My happy place is Christmas Eve,” she explained.
Christmas Eve has always been Chabert’s “happy place,” but that is even more the case now that she has a daughter.
“Now as a parent, for [it] to all be full circle and to get to see the magic of the season through my daughter’s eyes, is something that is so special, because I feel like I get to relive some of those cherished memories,” she shared.
On Christmas this year, Chabert shared a note about her gratitude in an Instagram Story. “I’m so thankful to have been able to spend the day with my family. It’s always so nice to slow down and reminisce and laugh so much together!”
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Lacey Chabert Reveals the Surprising Reason an Old Scene Was Especially Challenging to Film