Gregory Pace/FilmMagicToday marks the 15-year anniversary of the release of Mean Girls, and it remains a pop culture touchstone, most recently illustrated by Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” video, which is chock-full of references to the Lindsay Lohan classic.
The video delighted fans by casting Ariana in the Regina George role originally played by Rachel McAdams. It featured a cameo by Jonathan Bennett, who played teen heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the film. But it almost had another appearance by fan favorite Daniel Franzese, who played Cady’s gay bestie Damian.
Franzese says Ariana asked him to be in the video, but he was on a comedy tour at the time.
“I had wanted to do it and was planning to do it, but I had to back out the last minute,” he tells ABC Radio. “But I loved it, I thought it was, like, so cute.”
He adds, “I told her I’d be in her next video whatever she wants, and then when she came out with ‘7 Rings.’ I was like, ‘You know I can twerk. Like, why didn’t you call me?’”
Franzese, who’s celebrating Mean Girls’ 15th anniversary with a comedy show in NYC tonight, says he thinks an Ariana collabo will happen at some point.
“You know, eventually we’ll do something together,” he says. “We’re both friendly and admire each other.”
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