Rachel McAdams is getting some great reviews for her latest movie, Game Night, an action-packed comedy co-starring Jason Bateman, Kyle Chandler, Chelsea Peretti and Lamorne Morris (a/k/a New Girl’s Winston, one of the funniest characters on TV). The 39-year-old actress missed the premiere of the film, and was reportedly absent because she is expecting her first child with her boyfriend, screenwriter and director Jamie Linden.
Rachel did sit down with The New York Times for an interview to promote the film. The Canadian-born actress said that she tries hard to avoid getting pigeonholed into one kind of role or genre, stating that “You have to intentionally shake it up sometimes.”
One role that Rachel will never be forgotten for is Regina George, the most memorable Mean Girl on film. While some people may not be able to separate Rachel from the character she played in the 2004 film, she’s definitely glad she took on the role. She told the Times:
Does Regina George haunt me every day? She does have that quality. [laughs] No, I have to thank Regina George for giving me some longevity. I’m forever grateful to Tina Fey [the Mean Girls screenwriter] and Mark Waters [the director]. I remember when I read it, I called my agent right away and said, “I will play any part in this, please, please, please.” I was at the beginning of my career, and it was a lofty thing out there, that I really, really, really wanted to do. I’m always looking for larger-than-life characters, which is probably why I like playing villains. They get away with so much.
From her part in Mean Girls and her memorable turn as a popular girl who swaps bodies with Rob Schneider’s seedy, small-time criminal in The Hot Chick, you’d think Rachel was a natural at comedy, but she confesses, “Comedy still really intimidates me.” She humbly went on to add, “I am in awe of true comedians. Although they work very hard at it, I think it’s something they’re born with and the rest of us are just running to keep up.”
Rachel also talked about the after effects of an October piece in Vanity Fair where she and Selma Blair detailed the sexual harassment they were subjected to by writer/director James Toback. She told the NYT that she was glad she made her story public and noted that, as far as the film industry goes, she said she felt “we’re at a real turning point.” She added, “I’m really grateful to be a witness to it in my lifetime. I love that people are talking and listening and there’s compassion. It’s a good thing.”
Here’s a fun fact: do not come for Rachel if a bingo game is involved. She admitted, “Even though it’s a game of luck and chance, I take it pretty seriously. I have weird, good bingo karma.” She seems like an awesome lady. I can’t wait to see Game Night, it really sounds like a fun way to spend a couple of hours (and it was filmed here in Atlanta to boot).
Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com, Pacific Coast News
Game Night was hilarious. I love her!
She’s actually not Canadian-born. She’s just Canadian. As in, she continues to live in Toronto and when she goes away to film shit in the winter, people call the newspaper to pressure her into shovelling the sidewalk outside her house.
@polonoscopy On Wikipedia it says she was born in London, Ontario, Canada? Pretty sure she’s Canadian.
Also this is a really weird and specific criticism.
Wiki says she was born in London, Ontario, Canada. So that’s probably accurate. Regardless, she was great in the movie.
Actually, she was born in London, ON.
Yes, she is Canadian-born Canadian, who continues to live in Canada, so there is no need to specify that she was born there, like you would with someone who moved to US years ago and is now perhaps a citizen. She is just plain ‘ol Canadian.
It has to be kind of cool to have embodied an iconic character that still lives in the minds of many. I like that she really tries to mix it up and play diverse characters.
Congrats if she is pregnant.
She deserves such a better career. Loved her from Slings and Arrows on. I’m so tired of seeing her in girlfriend roles, she can carry the hell out of a movie.
Agreed. I often wonder if she wants to be famous. Like I think she’s consciously avoided it and made decisions that have kept her out of the limelight. It sounds crazy but whenever I look at her career it’s the only thing that could explain it. I am sure she’s on the short list for a lot of roles but then…?
Yeah I think she could definitely have a bigger career,paycheck,celebrity. I am happy for her because it seems like she’s doing acting the way it can/should be done-out of the limelight when she wants,privacy,and still works and is very well liked.She seems like a person you’d really like to hang out with.
She did go for roles in big time franchises from Sherlock Holmes to Dr Strange. And apparently tried out for others.
Seems as if being known as a solid character (supporting) actor may be the way to go for a longer career.
My personal favorite actors from older films were known as character actors, not leading men/women.
She is famous though, people know her name. She’s just not into doing pap walks, showing off her personal life, giving wild interviews that go viral.
I prefer her type of career by far. She isn’t attention hungry. She is there to work and will have an extended character acting career with occasional leads in smaller quality films. This is the road to a long career where aging doesn’t work against an actress. Some of the best actors are character actors, and they can have regular (ish) lives. You see them all over New York just living, sometimes doing some quality theatre, maybe a meaty role in a big movie, an excellent acclaimed character in a smaller one. They can add cache to smaller projects without the pressure to carry films to a billion dollars.
Well yeah. But more good roles would mean more exposure. And i think she found a good balance between her and celebrity life.
She is super cute, modest, down to earth. Gotta love her.
I still can’t believe she turned down Anne hathaway’s part in Devil Wears Prada…her star really would’ve shot into the stratosphere.
God, Devil wears Prada is a great film but man it would have been even better if Rachel took Anne’s role. I’ve always found Anne so smug, even before it was fashionable to hate her. I was rooting for Emily Blunt in that film 😂
@Caitlin Bruce – Hathaway’s performance in that film had me doing something I’d never done before: understand the appeal of Julia Roberts. I kept trying to think of anyone who could have made that role work and I imagined a young Julia Roberts. Now though I’ll wonder what it could have been with McAdams.
I was rooting for Blunt too.
I didn’t know that. She would have been so much better than Hathaway.
Wasn’t it rumoured that Meryl didn’t have any time for AnnE either. Meryl and Emily are tight didn’t she introduce John and Emily?
Nope on all counts. Meryl famously chose to stay in character through production, but was quite warm when finished. And why on earth would Meryl have introduced those two anyway?
I love Anne in the movie. I was a big fan of Anne in movies, though.
I believe John Krasinski was introduced to Emily by Anne H.
John and Meryl were in Its Complicated together, I thought I heard she introduced them but I could be wrong.
I never heard that before. I wonder why she turned it down. I read somewhere that she wanted to move away from mainstream material but I wonder if that was really the reason, or the only reason.
I’ve said this before on her. I will never understand her desire to be a blonde or have blonde highlights. She is attractive in a forgettable way. Nothing special. When she goes back to being being a brunette or an auburn hair color, she becomes stunning. Her features and skin pops when framed by the deeper color. Her eyes, iips, complexion, everything just stands out.
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/70/40/41/704041a88f31337d059ad4d809429e73–haircolor-love-her.jpg
I noticed how great she looked in the photo with the very dark burgundy lipstick-it did something for her complexion and made her more pretty,then I remembered she once was auburn/brown and your link is great she is truly beautiful with warmer hair tones.
That’s funny, I feel the exact opposite. I think she is BEAUTIFUL but that dark hair in Wedding Crashers (on her) left me cold. Funny how we all have our preferences on people.
This woman is naturally beautiful, I hope she doesn’t mess up her face with plastic surgery
Personally I think she’s one of those people that can pull off any color hair. I remember when she had pink hair briefly and girl still looked good!
She really is good at playing a b*tch, and I mean that lovingly. Not just Mean Girls but also in The Family Stone and Midnight in Paris. She didn’t portray those characters as one-dimensional stereotypes, they all had a realness to them that I think a lot of us can relate to. But then she can also turn on the charm like in Wedding Crashes and About Time, or be kick-ass like in Red Eye, and of course her dramatic work like State of Play, The Notebook, Spotlight…She’s so versatile and talented. I see an eventual Oscar win in her future.
Agree. She reminds me of Katharine Hepburn somewhat tho far less outspoken and public.
When I was in high school, I thought she was perfect. Still kind of do. She’s beautiful and sounds lovely..
After all these years, I’m still in awe of her interpretation as Regina. She completely disappears in it. Definitely one of the best comedic performances of that decade.
It’s no surprise to me she’s proven through time that she’s a very talented actress, but how she could dodge from Regina George’s persona makes me think she’s a great human being too, in terms of intelligence and character. When an actor gets too stuck on one type of character, I tend to wonder if that is just the real him/her. See Adam Sandler, Vin Diesel.
Saw Game Night and it was hilarious! Go see it!
By the way, was in Atlanta a couple of weekends ago for a getaway and loved the city as well.
The Dr. King National Park was everything I dreamed it would be and exactly what my heart needed.
Nice to see someone who owns their past characters, instead of demeaning or disowning them. She perfectly captured the high school, popular person, two-faced mean girl persona. Love that movie.
I loved her in RED EYE! On a different note, how much is Lindsay Lohan’s head exploding right now? Rachel is crediting MEAN GIRLS for giving her a solid career, and if LL didn’t bring up that she was the “Star” of that movie every 5 minutes no one would remember she was even in it.
SHE is very talented, I loved Game Night.
I really enjoy watching her in movies and also her interviews.
Rachel seems very down to earth, genuine and authentic, must be because she is Canadian.
Every time I go to Canada on business or vacation, I find the people warm, kind, pleasant, friendly, professional and intelligent.
Maybe something in the water.
I love that she is not in my face 24/7, selling me everything under the sun ( hello J.Lopez).
Rachel doesn’t seem to be about Hollywood or gone Hollywood, just works in Hollywood.
Good head on her shoulders!
I have such a girl crush on her, she’s awesome!
God, she is beautiful. Jamie looks like a gerbil
A) I love her
B) Whoever made her wear that gold dress needs to be fired. She looks naked under the skirt. It’s absolutely horrid
She really is my girl crush. I love her in everything, even when she’s played a mean girl. So expressive. I would like to see her in more movies!
She was born in St.Thomas, ontario, Canada. Her Parents still live here. She attended Central, Elgin High School in St. Thomas. People in St.Thomas are incredibly proud of her. She skated while she was younger and she credits that for her inspiration for being mean girl Regina George.
Game Night was really funny! I loved her scene with the stitches! I like that she keeps her life on the down low.