Ariana Grande Reveals Her 'Mean Girls' Lookalikes for the "Thank U, Next" Video
Ariana Grande is drawing inspiration from classic teen comedies for her "Thank U, Next" video. The singer shared a picture of the cast for the video's Mean Girls-inspired section on Instagram.
'Tis the season of giving thanks and Ariana Grande is thankful for her exes, as you already know if you've heard her latest breakup anthem/bop "Thank U, Next." Ariana has been hard at work teasing the hell out of the song and, TBH, her hard work is paying off.
First, she's got other famous people working over time to promote the song thanks to it being a legit ear worm/all-around fun AF track.
"Thank U, Next" became the unofficial theme song of this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. "Ariana Grande is my life right now," Bella Hadid said of the song. "I love 'Thank U, Next.' I also love Halsey’s new song 'Without Me.' She’s performing today and I get to walk to it."
Lameka Fox agreed and named the track as her runway inspo for the show as well. "'Thank U Next' by Ariana Grande," she said when we asked about her confidence-boosting song choice. "It’s such a powerful song and I love the message behind it because at the end of the day, self-love is important and the song's catchy."
In addition to being endorsed by actual runway models, the song's Mean Girls-inspired video looks absolutely epic. Ariana has been personally promoting that part, most recently with an Instagram pic of the beyond-perfect cast she put together. Behold:
A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)
A photo posted by on
Ariana stars as Regina George and she nails it, obviously, but the real scene-stealers here are Elizabeth Gillies and Jonathan Bennett. Dynasty star Gillies, who costarred in Victorious with Ariana back in their Nickelodeon days, stands in for Lindsay Lohan's Cady Heron and she's such a ringer for the OG Mean Girls star that you'll have to do a double-take. Then, of course, there's Bennett, who makes a great Aaron Samuels, mostly because he actually played Aaron Samuels in the movie.
Rounding out Ari's Mean Girls mini-cast are Alexa Luria as Karen Smith and Courtney Chipolone as Gretchen Wieners.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
The singer also shared more high-quality stills of herself channeling Regina George on Twitter and the shots are amazing.
pic.twitter.com/UFONYNRHU1November 23, 2018
coming soon pic.twitter.com/oXuTjUmewJNovember 23, 2018
pic.twitter.com/jM397t5MHUNovember 23, 2018
The "Thank U, Next" video will also feature send-ups to Bring It On and Legally Blonde.
A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)
A photo posted by on
A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)
A photo posted by on
Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by the fact that this video isn't out yet.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Gwyneth Paltrow Pioneers the Minimalist's Boho-Chic Template
The Goop founder updated the nostalgic trend with an understated mini dress.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Kate Middleton Has a "Big Job" to Tackle Behind the Scenes on Top of Busy Spring Season
The Princess of Wales has plenty to juggle these days.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Fall 2025 Trends Embrace Curves—Runway Casting Is Another Story
According to a new study, fashion week has never been less inclusive.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
The Melancholic Sound of Success
The artist known as Japanese Breakfast opens up about finding her sound on a new album after experiencing whirlwind success.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
LISA, Doja Cat, and Raye Perform a Glamorous 'James Bond' Tribute at the 2025 Oscars
The Academy Awards are for the pop girls, actually.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Open the 2025 Oscars With a Showstopping 'Wicked' Performance
The awards show began with a medley of songs inspired by the Best Picture-nominated film and adaptations of 'The Wizard of Oz.'
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Aly & AJ Share What Music Shaped Them—And What's on Their Playlist Now
With their new album 'Silver Deliverer' coming soon, the sister act opens up about their musical preferences for the 'Marie Claire' series "Listen Up."
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Beyoncé Wins Album of the Year for the First Time Ever at the 2025 Grammys
The superstar—who has the most wins in the award show's history—took home the biggest prize of the night for 'Cowboy Carter.'
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Chappell Roan Wins Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys—And Called Upon Record Labels to Enact Artist Healthcare Reform
The Midwest Princess made a powerful speech while accepting the award for Best New Artist.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Doechii Wins Best Rap Album at the Grammys and Dedicates the Award to Black Women: "You're Exactly Who You Need to Be"
"The Swamp Princess" is the third female rapper to take home the gramophone.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
RAYE Shares What Music Shaped Her—And What's on Her Playlist Now
The Best New Artist-nominated singer discusses Britney Spears, Charli xcx, and Nina Simone.
By Quinci LeGardye Published