Mean Girls is a popular teen comedy movie released in 2004. The film tells the story of Cady, a young girl who moves back to the United States after living in Africa for twelve years with her family. Cady, who was homeschooled, struggles to fit into the social groups at her new high school. The movie, directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey, is based on the 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. Mean Girls is known for its humorous but insightful look at high school life, touching on issues like bullying. The bright and lively suburban settings make it a perfect backdrop for this high school comedy. If you are wondering where Mean Girls was filmed, here is all the information you need!
Where was “Mean Girls” Filmed?
Mean Girls was filmed mostly in Ontario, New Jersey, and California. Even though the movie is set in the fictional suburban town of Evanston, Illinois, the filmmakers chose to shoot many scenes in Toronto, which could easily pass for an American suburb. The filming began on September 27, 2003, and was completed by November 21, 2003. Now, let’s explore the specific locations used to bring this iconic movie to life.
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto was one of the main filming locations for Mean Girls. The crew spent a lot of time in different parts of the city to shoot key scenes.
University of Toronto-St. George Campus: Many outdoor scenes were filmed at the front of this campus, located at 27 King’s College Circle. The Convocation Hall at 31 King’s College Circle was used for the mathletes competition scenes.
Residential Streets: Cady’s house scenes were shot at 4 Balsam Road. Another nearby street at 140 Beech Avenue was also used. Regina’s luxurious house was filmed at a mansion located at 11 High Point Road.
North Shore High School: The school scenes were filmed at various locations around Toronto. The principal’s office scenes were shot at 251 Edward Street. The gym scenes were filmed at Malvern Collegiate Institute, which is at 55 Malvern Avenue. The interiors of the school were captured at 180 Shaw Street.
Etobicoke Collegiate Institute: The exterior of North Shore High School was filmed at this location, situated at 86 Montgomery Road in the Etobicoke area.
Sherway Gardens Mall: The scenes at the Old Orchard Mall, where the Plastics often hang out, were filmed at this mall, located at 25 The West Mall in Etobicoke.
Montclair, New Jersey
Some scenes of Mean Girls were also filmed in Montclair, a township in New Jersey. The crew shot a few interior scenes at Montclair High School, located at 100 Chestnut Street. Montclair is part of the New York metropolitan area and is known for its beautiful setting on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains.
Santa Clarita, California
The production team filmed some important scenes in Santa Clarita, a city in Los Angeles County, California. Although the specific locations in Santa Clarita are not well-documented, it is likely that the filming included some scenes at the Santa Clarita Studios, located at 25135 Anza Drive. Santa Clarita is famous for its Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park and Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. The city has been a filming location for many other productions, such as Westworld, The Terminal List, and The Office.
Mean Girls successfully brought the fictional world of Evanston, Illinois, to life using a mix of locations in Toronto, New Jersey, and California. Each of these places added to the movie’s charm and made it feel like a real suburban high school experience. The careful selection of these filming locations played a big role in making Mean Girls the iconic film it is today.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Mean Girls
Q: Where was Mean Girls filmed?
A: Mean Girls was filmed in several locations, primarily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Some scenes were also shot in Montclair, New Jersey, and Santa Clarita, California.
Q: When was Mean Girls filmed?
A: The filming of Mean Girls started on September 27, 2003, and was completed by November 21, 2003.
Q: Where in Toronto was Mean Girls filmed?
A: In Toronto, filming took place at various locations, including the University of Toronto-St. George Campus, Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, and residential areas like Balsam Road and Beech Avenue.
Q: What high school was used in Mean Girls?
A: The scenes for North Shore High School were filmed at different locations around Toronto, with the exterior being shot at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute.
Q: When was Mean Girls released?
A: Mean Girls was released in the United States on April 30, 2004.
