Fitting in with a nasty clique of girls who call themselves the Plastics, isn�t easy for Cady. Her new acquaintances trade vicious gossip, ban losers from their exclusive lunch table and send cruel Internet messages.

"Cady loses herself in the process of trying to be like the other girls," says Lohan, "and her personality changes, not for the better."

When Cady attracts the interest of Aaron (Jonathan Bennett), the ex-boyfriend of her new pal, Regina (Rachel McAdams), it spells big trouble. Regina is leader of the Plastics, who rule the school.

London, Ont. native McAdams (The Hot Chick), enjoyed the role. "I get to be mean, awful and do horrible things," she teases. The character also faces a lot of challenges. "I get hit by a bus, have to wear a spinal halo, gain weight, lose weight, I�m a fashion guru, have the best clothes, big hair and all the cutest boys."

The number one cute boy, Aaron, finds himself caught between the affections of Cady and Regina. Actor Jonathan Bennett relates to the character, as he was once in the same situation in real life.

"I�ve been torn between two girls," he recalls, "and they�ve both wanted to date, but you have to pick one of them because it�s a bad idea to date both at the same time."

Mean Girls got its start when Saturday Night Live head writer Tina Fey was hired to adapt a New York Times magazine article called �Girls Just Want to Be Mean�. Fey has a role in the film as a teen counsellor, and several other former and current SNL cast members are in the film, including Amy Poehler, Ana Gasteyer and Tim Meadows.

Lacey Chabert, best known for TV�s Party of Five, plays Gretchen, one of the Plastics. "My character is really neurotic," she explains, "and terrified of Regina, but kind of idealizes her. Gretchen is a tattletale. She�s gossipy. She knows everyone�s secrets and is always spilling them."

Shot on location in Toronto, the cast of Mean Girls all stayed at the same hotel. Chabert comments, "We felt like we were in college and having a dorm experience."

Lohan says in reality, her co-stars were far from mean. "We had a lot of fun. It�s not often you get a bunch of girls together who all get along."

The actors have their own opinions on dealing with verbal abuse at school. Lohan�s advice for teens? "Just ignore it. If you say something back, it�s gonna drag the whole situation out. Be completely nice to them and kill them with kindness."

Chabert�s own awkward stages as a teen were broadcast to millions who watched her on TV. She recalls, "I went through a stage where my arms were really long and people called me monkey girl. We all have growing pains."

Bennett, who wore braces in high school, admits he was dorky, but gained self confidence when the braces came off. "I have a good survival tip if you're getting picked on by bullies. Remember, you�ll become more successful than anyone else after you graduate. That�s how it always works. The cool kids become losers and the dorks become popular."