The Ultimate PG-13 Breakdown: 5 Shocking Reasons Why The 'Mean Girls' (2024) Rating Is Still So Fetch
The iconic world of North Shore High School is back, but a crucial question lingers for parents and fans alike: what is the official *Mean Girls* rating, and why? As of December 22, 2025, the new 2024 musical film adaptation has officially been assigned a PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), aligning it perfectly with the 2004 original movie. This rating, which stands for "Parents Strongly Cautioned," signals that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13, primarily due to the inclusion of "sexual material, strong language, and teen drinking."
The 2024 rendition, penned by the original creative force Tina Fey, takes the beloved story of Cady Heron, Regina George, and The Plastics and sets it to music, but it retains the edgy, satirical themes that made the first film a cultural phenomenon. This article provides a deep dive into the specific content that justified the PG-13 rating for the new musical, compares it directly to the 2004 classic, and offers a complete profile of the cast and creators behind the latest version of the Burn Book.
The Main Cast & Creative Team: A Biographical Profile
The success of the *Mean Girls* musical film relies on a mix of returning legends and fresh, talented faces. Here is a look at the core entities responsible for bringing the 2024 version to life, providing crucial topical authority for the franchise.
- Tina Fey (Writer, Producer, Ms. Norbury): Born Elizabeth Stamatina Fey on May 18, 1970, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Fey is an award-winning writer, actress, author, and producer, best known for her groundbreaking work on *Saturday Night Live* (*SNL*), her critically acclaimed sitcom *30 Rock*, and creating the entire *Mean Girls* franchise (original screenplay, Broadway show, and 2024 film). She reprised her role as the long-suffering math teacher, Ms. Norbury, alongside Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall.
- Reneé Rapp (Regina George): Born January 10, 2000, Reneé Rapp is an American singer-songwriter and actress hailing from Huntersville, North Carolina. She gained significant recognition for starring as Regina George in the Broadway musical version of *Mean Girls* before transitioning to the film role. Rapp is also celebrated for her role in HBO's *The Sex Lives of College Girls* and her successful music career, including her album "Snow Angel."
- Angourie Rice (Cady Heron): Born January 1, 2001, Angourie Rice is an Australian actress. She began her career as a child actress and is internationally recognized for her roles in *Spider-Man: Far From Home*, the comedy *The Nice Guys* (2016), and the *Black Mirror* episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too." She takes on the lead role of the new girl, Cady Heron.
- Auli'i Cravalho (Janis 'Imi'ike): An American actress born in Kohala, Hawaiʻi. Cravalho is widely known for her breakout debut as the voice of the titular character in the Disney animated musical film *Moana* (2016). In the 2024 film, she plays the role of Janis 'Imi'ike, whose character is given a more explicitly queer and Pacific Islander background compared to the 2004 original.
The PG-13 Breakdown: Specific Content Justifying the Rating
The MPAA assigns the PG-13 rating to films that contain material that may be unsuitable for pre-teenagers, often involving more intense themes than a standard PG film. For the 2024 *Mean Girls* musical, the rating is specifically tied to three main categories of content, which are staples of the high school drama genre.
1. Sexual Material and References
Despite being a musical, the film does not shy away from the sexual themes inherent in high school social dynamics. The most prominent example is the musical number "Sexy," which is a satirical look at the pressure on adolescent women to wear scandalous or provocative costumes for Halloween. This scene, along with others, includes visual and lyrical content that is considered suggestive.
Furthermore, the film retains the classic health class scene where a teacher discusses safe sex, abstinence, and the use of condoms, which constitutes sexual references. There are also instances of suggestive dialogue, such as a boy attempting to guess Cady Heron's bra size, though much of this material is presented in a comedic and cautionary context.
2. Strong Language and Profanity
The use of "strong language" is another key factor in the PG-13 classification. While the film avoids excessive use of the most severe expletives, it does include several moderate curse words and crude terms. Specifically, words such as "dick" and "slut" are used throughout the film, which is a clear marker for material that pushes beyond the PG threshold. The language is generally deployed to emphasize the dramatic and often cruel nature of the high school environment, particularly among The Plastics.
3. Teen Drinking and Partying
Like the 2004 original, the 2024 musical features scenes depicting underage drinking at house parties. The plot includes a pivotal party sequence where Cady Heron attempts to sabotage Regina George by getting her drunk. The presence of "teen drinking" is explicitly cited in the MPAA's justification for the PG-13 rating. This element, while not graphic, serves as a realistic portrayal of high school social life and is a common factor in assigning a PG-13 rating to films centered on teenagers.
The 2004 vs. 2024 Rating: How the Musical Stays "Fetch"
The fact that both the 2004 original film and the 2024 musical adaptation received the exact same PG-13 rating is a testament to the enduring nature of the source material and Tina Fey's consistent vision. However, there are subtle yet significant differences in how the content is handled.
The original *Mean Girls* (2004) was rated PG-13 for "sexual content, language, and some teen partying." The core reasons remain identical: the themes of sex, language, and drinking are central to the narrative about high school cliques and social sabotage.
The 2024 musical, while following mostly the same script and plot, makes key modern adjustments that subtly shift the context of the rating without changing the letter grade. For example, the 2024 film omits the famous line "Boo you, whore," which was a memorable, albeit harsh, piece of dialogue from the original. Conversely, the 2024 version is more explicit in its representation of the LGBTQIA+ community, notably by making Janis 'Imi'ike's queer identity clear and central to her character's motivations, which adds a layer of depth and modern relevance to the story.
Ultimately, the consistent PG-13 rating across two decades highlights that the central themes—relational aggression, social hierarchy, and the journey of self-discovery—are inherently mature and require parental guidance, regardless of whether the story is told through dialogue or song. The 2024 musical successfully navigates the line between being a faithful adaptation and a modern update, ensuring that the spirit of the original's edgy humor remains intact for a new generation.
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