In a feat that saw Mean Girls briefly intersect with The Big Bang Theory, honorary mathlete LundgrensFrontKick has figured out which characters rank as the most combative.
Starting with the assumption that Regina George (Rachel McAdams) would land in the top spot, LFK used statical analysis methodology to calculate the incidence rate of overtly hostile and passive-aggressive behaviors from each character in the film and shared the results in the /movies subreddit.
The Redditor recorded every instance of belligerence from each character in proportion to their screen time to determine the frequency of their behavior. Unsurprisingly, Regina acted out every 1.53 minutes. However, Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) came in a close second, with just 1.59 minutes between her moments of aggression.
LFK found that Janis’ best friend Damian (Daniel Franzese) and Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) tied as the third-meanest characters in the movie. Regina’s duplicitous bosom buddy Gretchen Weiners (Lacey Chabert) placed fourth, followed by Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennet). Interestingly, the least mean-spirited of the central characters in the movie turned out to be Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfriend), who only acted out twice.
trpnbiles7 could not resist responding to LFK’s post with a classic Mean Girls quip:
Other fans seem to be in awe of LFK’s mathematical abilities and offered them a spirited compliment.
There’s no doubt that the statistics produced thought-provoking results. While the film’s title places the onus of the spitefulness on the members of Regina George’s clique, LFK’s results show that the hostility was not limited to them, as they were part of a wider toxic culture that still resonates with audiences around the world today.
To catch up with what the actors have been up in the years since the film’s release, check out this article.
Mean Girls is currently streaming on Netflix.