Lacey Chabert, who played the memorable role of Gretchen Weiner in the 2004 classic comedy-drama Mean Girls, recalled a funny incident from the set of the film. Remember the iconic Jingle Bell Rock dance sequence? According to Chabert, he tried very hard during that scene not to laugh and not break character.
“Dancing is not my strongest suit,” the actress told People magazine. Although she admitted that she had gotten better at that time, she couldn’t help but notice the steps were sloppy. “I just remember the director Mark Waters, who is amazing, definitely yelling more than once, ‘Cut.’ Lacey’s awesome. Someone help her,” Chabert recalled.
However, looking back, her awkward dance seems perfect as her character is replaced from her original position by Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) before she begins the dance. She added, “I just remember every day of that movie I used to laugh and try not to laugh, try not to break character.”
The moment when Gretchen kicked the stereo off the stage was the hardest for the actress to maintain her composure and serious face. Chabert insisted that if the scene was watched closely, people could almost see him breaking character and laughing. It was a very fun scene to film,” she said.
The dance sequence remains iconic today and is often used as a pop culture reference. Ariana Grande famously parodied that dance in her Thank U, Next music video in 2018, which featured her as one of the ‘Mean Girls’ and Kris Jenner desperately trying to film the performance as mom Went.
Chabert may not have mastered the Jingle Bell rock dance routine, but he certainly earned himself several projects based on the holiday season, including his 40 Hallmark Christmas movies. “My happy place is Christmas Eve, when I was 5, 6 or 7 years old in Mississippi,” she told the outlet. Chabert said, “I try to incorporate that feeling into the films we make now, no matter what subject matter they deal with.”
This holiday season, she’s teaming up with Russell Stover to brighten other people’s Christmas through the brand’s Make Happy Memories with Russell Stover contest. “I like it because it will be an opportunity to make new memories,” Charbert said.
