Janis Ian
Mean Girls character
Lizzy Caplan as Janis Ian in Mean Girls
First appearanceMean Girls (2004)
Last appearanceMean Girls (2024)
Created byTina Fey
Portrayed byLizzy Caplan (2004 film)
Barrett Wilbert Weed (stage musical)
Auliʻi Cravalho (2024 film)
In-universe information
Full nameJanis Ian (2004 film)
Janis Sarkisian (stage musical)
Janis ‘Imi’ike (2024 film)
NicknameDyke (2004 film)
Space Dyke (stage musical)
Pyro-les (2024 film)
OccupationStudent at North Shore High
Significant otherKevin Gnapoor (2004 film)
Unnamed Girlfriend (2024 film)
NationalityAmerican
EducationNorth Shore High
ResidenceEvanston, Illinois, United States

Janis Ian, also referred to as Janis Sarkisian or Janis ʻImi’ike in the musical versions, is a character from the Mean Girls franchise.

She is portrayed by Lizzy Caplan in the original 2004 film, Barrett Wilbert Weed in its Broadway musical version and by Auliʻi Cravalho in the musical film.[1]

Janis is the best friend of Damian Leigh, and ex-best friend of Regina George. Her main goal throughout the story is to get revenge on Regina for spreading rumours about her, and she does this through the use of new girl Cady Heron, who is enlisted to help Janis take down Regina.

Biography

Janis was born April 29, 1987, and is of Lebanese heritage.[2]

Janis was best friends with Regina George throughout her childhood and was previously very fashionable and feminine. This all changed in eighth grade after Regina got her first boyfriend Kyle. Janis was upset that Regina was spending more time with Kyle than her, which annoyed Regina to the point that Regina did not invite her to her birthday pool party. Regina told Janis that she did not invite her because she thought Janis was a lesbian. This resulted in Janis’s mother calling Regina's mother and shouting at her. After the incident, Janis had shaved half her hair and left school due to being upset about Regina's treatment of her. During her time away, Janis developed a different style and expression and grew a bitter hatred towards Regina for telling everyone she was lesbian.

Janis returned to North Shore High some time before Cady Heron joined. She stayed away from Regina and befriended Damian Leigh in that time.[3]

For the musical film adaptation, Janis' last name has been changed to ‘Imi’ike,[4] and she is out and proud.[5]

Personality

Janis is a punk rocker who is witty, artistic, and opinionated. While she can seem aggressive, she cares deeply about her friends and is honest about her feelings. Despite this, Janis can hold grudges for a very long time and can be stubborn.[6][7]

Role in Mean Girls

Janis begins the movie as a social outcast, and is always seen with Damian. Janis befriends Cady Heron and encourages her to pursue a friendship with the plastics when she sits with them on her first day, with the goal of using Cady to find a way to take down Regina George as revenge for their fall out. While Cady initially sees Regina as sweet, Janis warns her the opposite is true. After Cady returns to Janis's house from a Halloween party in tears after Regina kissed her crush, Aaron Samuels, Janis concocts a plan to take down Regina, including destroying her friendships, her relationship with Aaron, and her body.

While plotting against Regina, Cady learns about Regina and Janis's past friendship, which crumbled as Regina believed Janis was lesbian (and had a crush on her) and spread rumours because of it. Cady slowly stops talking to Janis afterwards and the two hardly talked by the time Cady successfully overthrew Regina. The friendship was broken after Cady lied about being unable to attend Janis's art show due to going to a show with her parents in Madison the same night, when she actually stayed home and threw a party without inviting Damian or Janis. This causes Janis to lash out at Cady before driving away.

When the Burn Book is released (where Janis is called simply "dyke"), there is a riot and then the girls have to attend an apology workshop in the gymnasium. During Janis's apology, she reveals everything that she and Cady had done to Regina and at the end of her speech, she jokes that the reason she hates Regina so much is because of her "big, lesbian crush" on her, before receiving cheers from the other girls. At the Spring Fling dance, Janis is nominated for Spring Fling Queen (as Damian had rigged the vote as a joke) alongside Cady, Gretchen and Regina. She loses the crown to Cady, but is given a piece of it from Cady as a sign of mending bridges and forgives her. Janis ends the movie being friends with Cady and Damian and having began a relationship with Kevin Gnapoor.

Mean Girls on Broadway

Janis was also in Mean Girls on Broadway, now being referred to as "Janis Sarkisian". She was played by Barrett Wilbert Weed.[8]

Role in Mean Girls (2024)

Janis' character remains very close to the original 2004 film and musical, however one notable change is with her sexuality. While the original film only alluded to her being a lesbian, it is revealed according to Damien that Janis came out to Regina by giving her a Beanie Baby plush with a pride flag pin. However after playing a game of spin the bottle during a party, Regina began flaunting around the plush, naming it an abbreviation for "obsessed lesbian." This offended Janis so much she lit the plush on fire, which also caused Regina's backpack to receive flame damage. Near the end of the film, Janis is seen attending the Spring Fling with an unnamed girlfriend.[9] She is now referred to by the surname ʻImi’ike and is played by Auli'i Cravalho.

Reception

Janis's character has been perceived as more villainous as time goes on, but the character is still positively received.[3][10]

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ McCormick, Colin (June 7, 2023). "Mean Girls Cast & Character Guide". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
    2. ↑ Baska, Maggie (5 February 2021). "Mean Girls fan thinks we all missed the 'most iconic joke' in the entire film". Pink News. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
    3. 1 2 Enoch, Jenicka (2019). "10 Moments Janis Ian Was the Hero We Deserved". Geeks. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
    4. ↑ "Auli'i Cravalho's character in 'Mean Girls' remake has Hawaii twist". hawaiinewsnow.com. 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
    5. ↑ Tyrrell, Caitlin (January 9, 2024). "Mean Girls Janis Actor Shares How She Made The Iconic Character Her Own: "Pyro-Lez, Loud And Proud"". Screen Rant. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
    6. ↑ "Janis Ian Character Analysis". CharacTour. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
    7. ↑ "Janis Ian Descriptive Personality Statistics". Retrieved 18 October 2023.
    8. ↑ Minton, Melissa (May 30, 2018). "Lizzy Caplan Met the New Janis Ian at the "Mean Girls" Broadway Musical". Teen Vogue. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
    9. ↑ "'Mean Girls' remake clarifies the queer storylines muddled by the original". NBC News. 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
    10. ↑ Mack, David (22 October 2019). "Lizzy Caplan Agrees That Janis Ian Was Actually One Of The Mean Girls". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.