Home Movies

Who played Glen Coco in ‘Mean Girls’ and did he even get paid?

What a legend.

Image via Paramount Pictures

If you insist on never having heard someone loudly exclaim “four for you, Glen Coco!” at any point in your life, then chances are you’re lying. As one of the most iconic quotes from teen dramedy Mean Girls, the beloved phrase is often uttered in any sort of situation at any given time. And considering today is officially Oct. 3, also known as Mean Girls Day — as brilliantly showcased in the movie when teen hunk Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett) asks Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) what day it is — the endless amount of meme-able quotes from the film are alive and well.

Recommended Videos

In celebration of Mean Girls Day, die-hards are taking a long stroll down memory lane and fondly remembering one of the most iconic characters from the entire film — and that would be Glen Coco. Despite not uttering a single second of dialogue and serving no real purpose towards the plot of the movie, the aforementioned character has undoubtedly become an icon in the Mean Girls community.

In the memorable encounter in the movie, Damian Leigh arrives at the door of a class dressed as Santa Claus to pass out candy grams. During his dropoff, Leigh explains “four for you, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco!” while handing four candy grams to the character. In hilarious fashion, Leigh insists there are no candygrams for Gretchen Weiners as he leaves the classroom.

Who played Glen Coco?

David Reale Getty
Image via Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Despite the character being so well-known, it’s apparent that many people might not know who the actor behind the character is. The infamous character was notably portrayed by actor David Reale, who had ended up in the film completely by coincidence. As the story goes, Reale initially auditioned for a specific role in the movie, although he was passed up and the role was given to someone else. However, that didn’t stop Reale from showing up in the movie in some capacity.

According to Reale, the majority of the movie was filmed across the street from his apartment, so one day during filming, he decided to just show up on set. Reale explained he showed up to just watch a few scenes being filmed and possibly get a free lunch. However, once he was spotted and recognized for his earlier audition, director Mark Waters allowed Reale to stand in as an extra in the movie — and the rest is history.

Did Reale get paid for the movie?

Aaron Samuels turning around in his chair asking Cady Heron what day it is in the movie 'Mean Girls'
Image via Paramount Pictures

Despite being involved in one of the greatest comedy scenes of all time and scoring a free lunch in the process, Reale revealed that he was never actually paid for his involvement in the film. Instead, Reale received the aforementioned “consolation prize” from the director, and has gone down in history as a straight-up legend. You go, David Reale.