Reneé Rapp opens up about eating disorder from performing as Regina George in Mean Girls

Reneé Rapp has opened up about her devastating experience of an eating disorder that developed when she starred as Regina George on Broadway's Mean Girls. While chatting to Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the 23-year-old pop star discussed triggering comments and behaviours from the show's production team, and her recovery.
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[@Smaugette]

That's a shame. She didn't deserve that treatment.

[@cheohugo7526]

Well, she should eat better instead

[@veronicareka]

​@@cheohugo7526 your a very sad human being

[@Jay-je6pz]

@@cheohugo7526guess you’ve never heard of eating disorders huh

[@cheohugo7526]

@@Jay-je6pz let me see, I guess I’ve never heard it before until now, she was fat stop complaining about that

[@nishottara777]

uh, people have different builds....doesn't mean they're fat, learn.

[@ha8236]

People need to stop mentioning other peoples weight. It never helps.

[@TheVivaciousNerd]

Yeah… once went camping with friends and I spent a lot of time in a bikini cos we were by the river. At one point someone told me it was ‘so cool that im so comfortable with my body’… the other women were also wearing bikinis the whole time. This ‘compliment’ made me super self conscious

[@nikkis7375]

100%

[@reading-with_lin.23]

Same when I was yljng i suffered from an eating disorder where I would snack on something which made me gain weight, my paternal auntie is the one that body shamed me the most and bullied, laughed at me my cousins would follow what my auntie did, at one point I thought my auntie helped me lose weight but it turned out she made me go to the toilet most of the time

[@armyshope]

She looks good with that weight through she is so cool

[@xeaux]

I also want to add that it goes both ways. I had some really hateful things said to me throughout my life because I was underweight even though I ate so much. My metabolism finally slowed down when I turned 45, as it did with my mom, and the comments I got were just as bad because it made me feel like I looked grotesque for decades. Weight should never be talked about in any regard. And even if a person mentions their weight, it doesn’t give others carte blanche to say whatever thoughts they have on it.

[@MidnightsBrina]

I love that her body looks like mine, I think she represents all of us. She isn’t the incredibly skinny person we all feel like we are forced to be, she’s beautiful and relatable and I hope she’s doing ok.

[@midnightsky8400]

🙌

[@zyqa]

The whole time I was watching the movie I thought she was super pretty... the producers were just being petty with the wardrobe changes because I really see nothing wrong with how she looks.

[@ericablu-y8z]

she doesn’t represent me lol

[@peewee139]

@@ericablu-y8zokay and?? she represents us, not necessarily fat, but not skinny girls. not EVERYONE has to represent YOU.

[@ericablu-y8z]

@@peewee139 ok well the comment said she represents all of us and i’m saying she doesn’t represent me lmao.

[@Isa_621]

Her in the movie actually made me feel better about my body image. It helped seeing someone with the same body as me.

[@ZariaZen]

It’s def satire and highly unrealistic but it is a movie

[@BB-ed4om]

I never see my body type in movies. There’s big fat guys and insanely in shape guys. Or the rare skinny guy who always plays a nerd. You never see a guy with a little extra weight.

[@sonyal9938]

@@ZariaZenher size/ body type was SATIRE? Dude what r u even saying😭😭

[@sonyal9938]

Well how do u feel knowing that she was starving herself bc of her body? Taht must’ve eliminated all of ur good feelings abt feeling represented.

[@Marina_and_the_rocks]

Same. It made me feel so much better about myself and my own body image

[@Lulu_Loves_Sheep]

Those people who body-shamed her ought to be ashamed of themselves! She's drop dead gorgeous!

[@nataliejones8308]

Yes. Renee is beautiful no matter what.

[@armyshope]

​@@nataliejones8308I deadass found her to be cool with that curvy body

[@VivK-Real]

What's wrong with her body??? She is beautiful and just perfect shape. Nobody needs to be a skeleton 😮

[@zyqa]

As a skeleton, I completely agree. She doesn't need to change a thing about her body, and she would've looked stunning in any of the outfits they chose not to let her wear..

[@BB-ed4om]

Nothing this is made up

[@hostile-busybody]

It just shows how out of touch set producers/directors are! Her body looks healthy! She doesn't even appear clinically overweight (let alone what society would colloquially consider overweight/"fat")...as if that would be an acceptable excuse anyway!

[@TheDaniczzzz]

Thats why i love the new movie because they cast a normal body shape and weight especially the regina and cady role ❤ its like a realistic teenage looks.

[@zyqa]

@TheDaniczzzz I thought the casting was intentional, because she has a beautiful figure. I didnt realize this actually wasnt intentional and they kept making negative comments on her body and changing her wardrobe without telling her... While im glad she still starred as Regina George and she absolutely slayed that role, im very disappointed with the producers for what they made her put up with.

[@mirarararar]

god this is heartbreaking, she's really gorgeous and her body is literally beautiful

[@armyshope]

Exactly she is so cool

[@Brandivia]

hope everyone’s aware that she was body shamed on the set for the broadway show, not the movie.

[@smw7791]

Yes! This!

[@jasmine425]

Fuck but the video makes it so confusing since they show only the movie wtff

[@dlouise64]

Jealous people will always say mean things. Just knows if someone is being mean to you, it’s because you have or are doing something they wish they could but they can’t.

[@schketchy]

It's so saddening to know how much she was struggling while performing as Regina. She was always outstanding on stage, you would never have known what was going on behind the scenes. I can only imagine the kind of psychological torture it must've been to have to sing "I never weigh more than 115" every night, to have her costume changed knowing it was never changed for anyone else... and the part of the show where Regina gets "fat" and her pants get stuffed with pillows is especially cruel knowing she was struggling with body dysmorphia and disordered eating. She was only 19 at the time and talks about how she almost fainted during performances because she hadn't eaten all day. I'm glad she's doing better now, she should never have had to go through that.

[@cutienerdgirl]

The funny thing is...in the original Mean Girls, Regina did have an eating disorder.

[@marccussmith8525]

😨

[@Taylors_Bestie13]

Wow the whole plot 😂

[@domfikeluv]

literally

[@ihatemickiegee]

she does in the broadway show too. i havent seen the new movie but the same themes and plot points occur in the broadway show too, so yeah i can only imagine the difficulty of playing reginas part

[@karleeberryman7782]

Ahe is so beautiful and she was so young! I was 19 (same as she was) when my eating disorder spiraled. Its so hard to gain the control again and im so happy she is doing well now

[@Jason-mo6rg]

Wow I just seen this lady perform and WOW. True professional, she was so good. Very beautiful. Nice style.

[@robloxgamergirl6242]

she is so pretty who could ever talk about her like that...

[@nowornicole]

I feel better about my body because my body is like hers. She is so beautiful and does not deserve all this horrible treatment.

[@Michael-ur5qb]

Wow, that’s sad she is so talented. I could see how weight gain could affect the costuming but there’s a way to handle it that is not so insensitive.

[@purplew93]

they didn't simply change her costume to be a bigger size, they gave her a more covering, less sexy costume -- making her feel like the producers wanted to hide her body now that it didn't fit their standards.

[@lestya8395]

I actually just watched it the other day, and was so happy. Her body is so similar to mine, I felt so beautiful.

[@uk_la_le]

You’re amazing talent is all I ever saw; you are beautiful as you are, Renee ❤

[@armyshope]

She is literally so cool

[@24.7hourslola]

Wow they were rude to her

[@saradwan]

What?! Her body is perfection

[@armyshope]

I thought the same she just looked curvier and bigger and I liked it

[@Felixiroflife28]

I'm really glad they changed the "I never weigh more than 115(lb)" lyric, not only is it not healthy but I feel like in the 2020s there is (or at least should be) less stigma about a bit of meat on your bones

[@AboveAverageFemaleCookingRoom]

This girl didn’t deserve any of that. She’s the sweetest person ever, and she isn’t overweight by any means. She’s gorgeous (not saying owerweight people aren’t), they had no reason to do that. I love her so much and I’m glad that she’s doing better now.

[@alexandriaa44]

After I noticed she was close to the same size as me in the movie! I started watching more clips to show myself that I can still be beautiful!!

[@paigekenning-et4ik]

I can not believe this when I see the movie. I literally feel in love with her acting and look like her voice so freaking powerful, and her looks are absolutely amazing and her acting. Ah! I loved the movie. Hearing this, i can not believe

[@GerardoTonella]

The video is misleading… this happened on the set for the Broadway show, not the movie. She’s said in interviews how she had so much more ownership over the character this time around (and as you said, you can tell on screen)

[@TBG1]

​@@GerardoTonellamaybe that's why they changed the line in the movie to ,,that filter you use looks just like me"! I bet it would've been p triggering to have to do the other line again. I'm honestly just a huge fan of Reneé. She seems like a great person in interviews :)

[@hsd287]

That's what acting is u don't know the reality ever 😢

[@MelissaNgai]

Im happy she is vocal about it and can get the people in her corner to support her stronger.

[@hersheylover51]

also, one point i would like to make is that the original mean girls movie was set in the early 2000s, while this movie was set in present time (social media heavy). back in the early 2000s, everyone wanted to look almost “skeleton-like”. being extremely skinny to the bone was the look of the early 2000s. as the years have went on, especially now, we are seeing a lot more people in this day and age push for the ideal body type to have more “meat on the bones”. we find being “thick”to be appealing and flat to be considered unattractive these days now, especially after the kardashians came onto the scene in the 2010s. so if they wanted to make regina super skinny, they should’ve set this movie in the early 2000s. otherwise, reneè’s body actually fits the beauty and body standards of this time period. so it’s actually a lot more of an accurate representation of what regina george would’ve looked like if mean girls was set in the late 2010s to 2020s

[@jojojojo1230]

This is so sad. She is healthy! She is leading a good life!! Let her be! ❤

[@IsabellaSofie]

I feel so bad for her😭 omg I am so upset, this should not be allowed. Shes legit perfect I feel so so bad.

[@w1th3rh3r3xd]

That's actually really sad

[@rosevalley6581]

A curvy woman? What is going on in this world? She is skinny especially compared to the average American woman.

[@Cashhhhew]

Yeah I’m failing to find any photos what-so-ever where her build would constitute “curvy”. She’s always been thin, but I guess they’re looking to underweight with no feminine features as being “thin”? She has hips and boobs, oh no how dare she lol. She also just has rounder cheeks and shoulders, which I guess can show weight gain a bit more?

[@rosacruz6274]

she is a curvy women not overweight but midsize

[@cutienerdgirl]

She's curvy, she has big boobs and a big butt. "Curvy" doesn't mean fat.

[@MisaMi27]

Being curvy isn’t a bad thing. She’s not skinny, but she’s not fat either.

[@idontgiveafaboutyou]

A skinny woman can have curves, she’s just curvy but average sized

[@NaturesWhisperMB]

But she is so beautiful ❤

[@JenniferMartinez-bg1sc]

You are Perfect Just the Way You Are

[@user-jx5rm3ql6p]

Shes soo pretty its so sad that society is so fucked up

[@had_less]

“Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier.” -Cady heron

[@hersheylover51]

and her body is literally my DREAMMM body so for people to be BODY SHAMING her is absolutely INSANE to me. it just goes to show u that everyone is dealing with their own body struggles one way or another :(

[@melissabloemen]

Same! Like that would be my dream body, I don't get how they called her curvy or fat shamed her? Like that is literally just gaslighting

[@madlyrosett]

Dude saaaame! I wish I had her body!

[@Sunshine_Slimes]

This is horrible she is literally the most STUNNING person i’ve ever seen in my life who ever said that is a terrible person to make her feel like this

[@emmamorales9698]

Body shaming mean is done by envious and jealous people😂. Haters are ignorant😂😔. You're absolutely beautiful 😍.

[@sagegreeeeeeen]

She literally has the body I wish I had. How is this possible.

[@averysmolbrownie3856]

Her body is normal tho? She’s perfect just the way she is and after watching her in the new mean girls movie I, for the first time, thought that just maybe I can be beautiful too even when I don’t have a completely flat stomach.

[@enazfmerican6666]

Just watched the movie yesterday and I honestly loved Renee’s take on Regina. In any remake of a film, I don’t think you have to or should replicate the first one. And I’m glad Renee didn’t. Plus, this movie just showed how you don’t have to fit the beauty standards to be the absolutely gorgeous IT girl. So thank youu Renee!

[@Biggiecheeze420]

I was scared of this cause she’s so insanely talented but at the end of the day people always want to objectify women and focus on their bodies. People suck

[@gillianslattery1765]

Renee is beautiful regardless

[@amishasingh6227]

Regina George fav character for life 💗🩷😍😍🩷💗😍🩷💗💗🩷😍😍💗❤️❤️💝😋💖💘

[@averyosbeck1851]

Omg I Hate that. I watched the movie when I was really struggling with my looks and felt so relieved and heard and better knowing that you can look beautiful and have a life and be successful even if you aren't paper thin

[@exzinerlloyd5470]

Such horrible people 🤮🤮🤮

[@eilazerbe]

her body looks so much like mine and she makes me feel confident bc like… she looks GOOD. people need to stop worrying about other people’s bodies especially if they are perfectly healthy and beautiful.

[@armyshope]

That's an attractive body to me idk

[@eilazerbe]

@@armyshope me too!! I really love my body already it’s just nice to see people that are famous and beautiful who look like me

[@armyshope]

@@eilazerbe yes I understand you completely

[@Itzmeeee-s9b]

As a bisexual girl from nc who is working through multiple eating disorders right now, I just wish more than anything that I could have a conversation with this woman bc I relate to her so much on so many levels.

[@_sunchildd]

wait. is she talking about the broadway show or the actual movie? which one did all this happen on? with the costumes being changed and all ?

[@hosanna9943]

this is the broadway show and much of this talk surrounding her body was when she was 19, literally still a teenager.

[@SoapNugget]

People are awful, she is so beautiful and so talented.

[@angiesworld8038]

She's a good looking young lady. She's fine and there's nothing wrong with her body. I don't know what those folk talking about.

[@hsd287]

Shes absolutely gorgeous I'm sad this happened to her 😢❤

[@Hippie_girl130]

She is so beautiful and so talented I just don’t understand how people wanna body shame her because she’s curvy. You know what everybody’s body is different. It should not be the same. That’s what God made us the way that it is like I’m curvy I love being curvy

[@alexare6655]

Shes not curvy shes chubby.

[@Nightwolfe_]

I saw the movie recently. There is nothing wrong with her body. She is absolutely gorgeous and I am so shocked people were saying such negative things about her.

[@InuyashaSitboy-po1yj]

This video is misleading it was when she was on Broadway

[@KaYa-sj6et]

Wasn’t this about the broadway musical not the movie

[@MustardSeedFinancial]

Me and my best friend saw it in theaters and I was soooo happy they cast her we thought she looked and fit the role perfectly

[@DankrumStar]

So I had no idea that she played Regina on Broadway until a little while ago… but when I saw the trailer for the new movie my first thought was “oh wow, they have a curvy Regina” and I thought it was incredible! I thinks she’s stunning and talented and I hate that anyone made her feel bad about herself. People are so much more than their damn weight

[@evah6308]

She’s literally so stunning inside snd out ❤

[@lilys_leg_ah_see]

OMG I hate that for you. You are so pretty 😍

[@pibawww]

That must've been terrible to experience

[@rose1234568]

To be fair, when your playing a character that is a notoriously skinny popular high school mean girl, it’s going to be noticed if In the remake she’s different than the original character was…

[@tobysimpson2773]

The fact that somehow this passes for overweight nowadays is ridiculous. Like do you see her? How is anyone in the right mind calling her fat, it actually just makes no sense

[@audreediamond]

I’m thinking of Renee Rob and it’s so disrespectful to change someone’s outfit without their permission so disrespectful

[@casseyannemacawili3214]

why do they have to shame her if they choose her for the role in the first place??

[@ForevaLaTrelle]

She was probably skinnier when she got the role. They didn’t think she would gain weight

[@InuyashaSitboy-po1yj]

This is misleading it happened on Broadway not with the movie

[@Trin-kz2xw]

This is so rude people shouldn’t be body shaming people especially Renée Rap

[@jhalakmalhotra2029]

She is just a little plumpy.Her weight is the average weight.She isn't unhealthy.

[@LeanneLittle]

I feel bad. She doesent even look big! She slayed in the movie! And whoever bullied her should be ashamed

[@LimmoneT]

She was the reason i felt comfortable in my own body and i didnt know she was treated this way for something she cant control

[@ehhhh5137]

The crazy thing is the original Regina George showed signs of an eating disorder

[@stephanieguardado8027]

That is truly sad. People suck. You are lovely dnt listen to them

[@Emma-wm9jg]

This happened on broadway?

[@N08R76H]

The movie I think

[@InuyashaSitboy-po1yj]

​@@N08R76Hno the video is misleading it happened on Broadway

[@Violet0513]

I feel so bad for her😢

[@JT-tx2ns]

I was happy to see her body not being stick skinny but i guess it’s not good enough for the world. Smh. She played the hell out of that role

[@Piper-hates-gale]

Reneé is such a beautiful woman and I think that it was really refreshing for lots of people to see someone that’s not as skinny as the original Regina George be able to play her in this newer version. She has a body type that is just like probably many people in this comment section and around the world and I really hope she’s doing well and is able to feel confident in her own skin. No one deserves to be treated like that and I wish her the absolute best.

[@Chloe.F]

This episode absolutely broke me how she just KEPT SAYING MORE AND MORE NEVER ENDING

[@Kiloalphajulietecho]

I loved that they used a curvy women for the role.

[@raifareduan4417]

But shes so beautiful…

[@sergiorodriguez5945]

I love that’s she’s not the typical size and has a great voice.

[@armyshope]

She is cool

[@Yourmom-k3g]

Bro saying she’s not the typical size is offensive lmaoo

[@armyshope]

@@Yourmom-k3g oh shit y'all on the internet overjudge every comment you read and try to correct it everyone thinks differently grow up and face it Intentions matter the person meant it in a good way

[@Yourmom-k3g]

@@armyshope intentions or not words can fucking hurt. In the videos she’s talking about how she’s dealing with a ED on how everyone comments on how’s she curvier than the expectations. And I never even degraded the person for saying what they did, I just pointed out how’s it offensive. Maybe you’re quick to judge, cause my intentions were to correct the person so they don’t go around saying that.

[@armyshope]

@@Yourmom-k3g well I'm an INFJ, what do you expect.

[@A.M.A.TRIO0]

How she’s so beautiful

[@tatumlogan2242]

DON’T COMMENT ON MY BODY, DO NOT REPLY

[@Seraphina93]

Omg she’s literally a tall goddess The producers belong in a death note

[@cielocanales7562]

Big actress, excellent performance. It liked me a lot his delivery and his songs. The opinion that exert of his body is and will keep on being a subject devastador for all the humanity since it exists a lot of ignorance but the most important is that to her at all of these opinions nefastas affect him. Who loves , loves his body such cual while it do not play against of his health. It is a youngster talentosa, good-looking and with a harmonious body .

[@MyLilNicole]

I am not gay or bi, but I think she looks amazing! I can't believe people gave her crap when she looks like a goddess 😢

[@zoedangerpascover1533]

That happened to me to but not on broadway and also I was 12 💀

[@TheCRYSTALLURE]

Here’s my thing tho…if y’all had a “problem” w/ Renee due to her ED…WHY CAST HER TO TALK ABOUT HER?????😑😑😑 make it make sense. I noticed the clothing in the production throughout & thought they did that as a stylistic choice but the bars are getting lower & lower.

[@somethingunholy9130]

She’s playing Regina George who gains weight throughout the movie, it’s sad she struggled with it in real life too, must’ve been difficult for her

[@Annie.onll11]

What was the costume change? And she’s absolutely stunning❤

[@amishasingh6227]

I love her she is just like me ❤😍🩷💗

[@Shinitkun]

I love that she’s thicc. I find that soooo attractive and that’s what makes her unique lol

[@jamiealfenso737]

That's so fd up..... Especially considering she's THIN...... NOT CURVY..... THE F

[@zyqa]

I never realized how much of an "issue" that was for the production team. As a member of the Audience, anytime I saw her on screen I couldn't help but think of how gorgeous she looked, I saw no flaws, and still don't.

[@InuyashaSitboy-po1yj]

This video is misleading it happened when she was on Broadway

[@armyshope]

I honestly liked her being curvy, she looks very attractive

[@lightquest2]

there was literally nothing wrong with her body…god i can’t stand people 🙄

[@Lulubaby303]

NO HONEY, SHE IS FUCKING GORGEOUS!!!!!! SHES TALL, GORGEOUS AND BEAUTIFUL ❤❤❤ FUCK YALL FOR BODY SHAMMING. You want twigs. There are plenty falling from the trees QUITE FUCKING NATURE AND LET THE BEAUTIFUL LIVE ❤❤❤

[@evenif7431]

What an amazing collab! I love their energy!

[@faerykpop]

Okay but idk about the broadway show as no offense i refused to watch BUT DIDNT SHE AND WASNT SHE SUPPOSED TO GAIN WEIGHT CAUSE OF THE CALTINE BARS? AND SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!!! WHAT CONTRADICTING SHIT IS THIS

[@Sarahkara1313]

I am 1000% convinced her being a curvy Regina is the only reason people shit on her costumes so much in the movie. Like come ON - it’s 2023 (when the movie came out) - it would be fucking weird if they were all still wearing little plaid mini skirts snd cardigans. That’s literally just NOT the fashion for teen girls now

[@timmybee2963]

I will 100% say in my personal OPINION I think mean girls should not have been a musical ever because if deal with one of the main characters gaining weight specifically because also one of the line is “I never weigh more than 115” that right there means you have to maintain a weight, you have to look a certain way. Physically and not just visually. Heather chandler in heathers could be played by a bigger actress. Regina George could not. Due to one line. Yes they could change the line and they did for film but Broadway doesn’t care. Film does. They changed the line to make it to theaters. Not because they wanted to

[@RRLnext]

But she looked amazing as Regina George..!!!! Like a real boss lady. She has loads of charisma, especially with her curves!!!!!

[@leslierawlings9860]

I thought she was perfect

[@melissabloemen]

Wait, they called her curvy?? Based on her body in this short she for sure isn't curvy though? She's just a normal weight and honestly I would call her skinny! Like maybe not model skinny but just normal girl skinny which imo is way prettier anyway

[@vaeshipp6637]

Dude that’s so unbelievable. She is so GORGEOUS like she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Everything about her is sexy and perfect