The eyewatering sum Lindsay Lohan was reportedly paid for half a day's work on new 'Mean Girls' movie revealed

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By VT

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Before "fetch" became a cultural catchphrase, Lindsay Lohan was already making waves as one of young Hollywood's brightest stars. It's no wonder that Paramount Pictures was willing to generously compensate her for her triumphant return to the Mean Girls franchise.

Paramount, when approached for comment, chose to remain tight-lipped on the amount she was paid for the film, while Lohan's representative declined to provide any statements.

Check out the trailer for the new Mean Girls film:

Lohan's surprise appearance in the new film, penned by the brilliant Tina Fey, garnered thunderous applause at the New York premiere on January 8.

In her scene, Lohan returns to the math competition that served as a pivotal moment in the original film, offering a heartwarming reunion for Mean Girls fans.

According to Variety, sources have revealed that Lohan, who skyrocketed to fame with her iconic role in the 2004 film, earned a cool $500,000 for a brief half-day appearance in the latest installment of the series, a musical adaptation that features a fresh clique of Plastics led by Angourie Rice and Reneé Rapp.

The franchise has evolved beyond the big screen, giving rise to a successful Broadway musical. To make her cameo even more spectacular, the actress flew all the way from Dubai to grace the red carpet.

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Credit: James Gourley / Getty

Paramount, like many studios, recognizes the allure of nostalgia and has been eagerly reuniting original cast members for key roles in recent films.

This strategy aims to tap into the fond memories fans have of the original works. For instance, in 2017's Baywatch, they enticed former cast members to make brief but significant appearances.

For the highly anticipated 2022 release Top Gun: Maverick, Val Kilmer was brought back to shoot an emotional scene as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, despite his vocal limitations due to a battle with throat cancer. The Los Angeles Times hailed Kilmer's return as the most powerful moment in the box office blockbuster.

In the new Mean Girls, Lohan doesn't reprise a younger or older version of Cady Heron, her iconic teenage alter ego. Instead, her scene serves as a clever bridge between the past and the present, adding depth to the film's narrative.

Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., the musical adaptation has already found its rhythm at the box office. It claimed the top spot during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, raking in an impressive $33.2 million domestically.

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Credit: Jason Mendez / Getty

Initially slated for streaming exclusively on Paramount+, the $36 million film changed course after test screenings indicated a strong demand for a big-screen experience.

Exit polls reveal that the film appeals to both Gen Z viewers and those aged over 35, with the latter demographic particularly elated by Lohan's unexpected presence, which Paramount managed to keep hush-hush until the film's debut.

The new Mean Girls centers on the high school escapades of Cady Heron, portrayed by Angourie Rice, as she navigates the world of the "it" crowd ruled by Regina George (Reneé Rapp stepping into Rachel McAdams' shoes).

Avantika Vandanapu and Bebe Wood complete the film's central quartet. Fey and Tim Meadows reprise their roles as a weary math teacher and a bumbling principal, respectively.

Lohan's return to the big screen comes after a more than decade-long hiatus from studio films. She marked her comeback with the Netflix romantic comedy Falling for Christmas in 2022 and is set to appear in Netflix's Irish Wish, premiering on March 15.

Featured image credit: Hippolyte Petit/Getty