It is strange to consider how many of the most iconic, show-stealing movie villains in history are young women of high school or college age… or even younger. What is it about these self-absorbed and rudely boisterous young ladies that cause audiences to cower in fear or seethe in rage? Let’s find out by revisiting some classic high school movies, a few great college movies, and even a couple of other genres and their loathsome female characters who define what it means to be a “mean girl.”
Kathryn Merteuil (Cruel Intentions)
At a time when Sarah Michelle Gellar was famous for defeating evil whilst leading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast, the actor showed her bad side in 1999's Cruel Intentions as Kathryn Merteuil. The title of this modern retelling of Dangerous Liaisons borrows from the spoiled rich teen's definitive behavioral traits, such as taking advantage of and manipulating people purely for her own amusement.
Tracy Flick (Election)
How is it that one of the most intense and thought-provoking political dramas of all time is a satire following teenager Tracy Flick's bid to be student body president for her Oklahoma high school? Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon gives one of her most scintillating performances in 1999's Election as the ruthless, scheming over-achiever who comes at odds with her teacher (played by Matthew Broderick).
Chris Hargenson (Carrie)
Despite the deadly, otherworldly abilities of Sissy Spacek's title role, there are other characters far more deserving of being called the villain of the 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie, such as Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen). She blames Carrie for her being banned from prom, even though she teased and harassed her, and plots a cruel prank that triggers Carrie’s telekinesis, leading to the death of nearly everyone in the gym, including Chris.
Heather Chandler (Heathers)
In the dark 1988 teen comedy Heathers, Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) strikes up a friendship with the most popular (and despised and feared) clique at her high school: Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and their leader, Heather Chandler (Kim Walker). Fed up with her domineering behavior, Veronica teams up with J.D. (Christian Slater) to kill Heather Chandler, which ultimately does nothing to tarnish her influence over the school’s social hierarchy.
Big Red (Bring It On)
In the Citizen Kane of cheerleader movies, 2000's Bring it On, the Toros at Rancho Carnes High School are initially led by their captain, who calls herself "Big Red" (Lindsay Sloane). However, after she graduates, it is discovered that she sabotaged her team's reputation with the self-serving act of stealing routines from the East Compton High School Clovers.
Amber Von Tussle (Hairspray)
The main antagonist of Hairspray is easily the snobbish and vehemently prejudiced Velma Von Tussle but her teenage daughter, Amber, is a close second for the bullish and fiercely competitive qualities she displays before her change of heart near the end of the story. The role was originated by Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick (later known as Vitamin C) in John Waters' 1988 comedy classic and later portrayed by Brittany Snow in Adam Shankman's 2007 feature based on the hit musical adaptation.
Amber Mariens (Clueless)
What makes Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) from Clueless a lovable '90s teen movie hero is her willingness to use her privilege to benefit others. This makes her the perfect opposite of her spoiled rival, Amber Mariens (Elisa Donovan), who uses her privilege as an excuse to belittle just about anyone she feels is beneath her, which is most people.
Jennifer Check (Jennifer’s Body)
One of the most iconic female horror movie villains of the 21st Century is Megan Fox's title role from 2009's Jennifer's Body, who becomes a deadly succubus after a failed Satanic sacrifice. However, even before she was feasting on her male classmates, the cheerleader was still a conceited jerk who did not deserve a friend like the more meek Needy (Amanda Seyfried).
Courtney Alice Shayne (Jawbreaker)
Jawbreaker is another one of those shocking high school comedies involving homocide – specifically the accidental death of Liz (Charlotte Ayanna) by her friends Foxy (Julie Benz), Julie (Rebecca Gayheart), and Courtney Shayne (Rose McGowan). Even if we take manslaughter via the eponymous candy out of the equation, Courtney is an uproariously villainous teen clique leader who despicably refers to herself as a goddess.
Regina George (Mean Girls)
Any fan of 2004's Mean Girls is probably relieved that Lindsay Lohan was cast as Cady Heron instead of the character she almost played, Regina George, because Rachel McAdams knocked that portrayal out of the park. The actor's iconic breakthrough role does not make the slightest attempt to hide how vindictive, judgmental, and controlling she is and even acknowledges her volatility when comparing Cady's destructive path to her own reputation.
Judy (Sleepaway Camp)
For incessantly teasing her, kissing her love interest, Paul (Christopher Collet), and encouraging Meg (Katherine Kamhi) to throw her into the lake, Judy (Karen Fields) definitely had it coming when Angela (Felissa Rose) decided to end her life. However, we cannot admit that she earned some sympathy when we saw her death scene, which is easily one of the gnarliest from the cult favorite 1983 summer horror movie, Sleepaway Camp.
Marianne Bryant (Easy A)
Perhaps Amanda Bynes' reputation for playing funny, relatable protagonists worth rooting for inspired her to go against type in the acclaimed 2010 high school comedy, Easy A. Her character, Marianne Bryant, uses her religious beliefs as justification to harass her classmates, especially Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) when her "innocence" becomes a topic of discussion.
Sharpay Evans (High School Musical)
In all three of Disney Channel's High School Musical movies (the third of which received a theatrical release), Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) rules East High School's drama club with an iron fist. To make matters worse, the self-absorbed diva spends much of the first two movies trying to earn the affection of basketball star Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) despite his romance with Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens).
Leslie "Spike" O'Malley (Back To The Future Part II)
If there is one additional member from Griff's (Tom Wilson) gang in Back to the Future Part II whom we would deem the most memorable and, especially, the most intimidating, it would have to be Spike (Darlene Vogel). Most movie mean girls typically specialize in psychological mind games but she has no qualms about using physical violence to coerce Marty McFly Jr. (Michael J. Fox) into doing their bidding.
Lana Thomas (The Princess Diaries)
In 2001's The Princess Diaries, Mandy Moore plays Lana Thomas – a popular cheerleader who makes life rough for Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) before discovering her royal lineage. However, even after that revelation, she does not change her tune much and tries to use her target's newfound popularity to her advantage by pretending to be friends with the princess.
Rachel Witchburn (Sydney White)
Sydney White from 2007 is a modern retelling of the story of Snow White, starring Amanda Bynes as a free-spirited college student who befriends a group of seven male social outcasts. She is driven to seek solace from them when she is disbarred from the Kappa Sorority by its queen, Rachel Witchburn (Sara Paxton), who ruthlessly strives to be "fairest of them all" (a.k.a., Number 1 on her university's online hot list).
Danielle Bouseman (Happy Death Day)
We must admit that Rachel Matthews' character from Blumhouse's fun, freaky 2017 time loop movie, Happy Death Day, does redeem herself a bit in 2019's Happy Death Day 2U, in which Danielle is depicted as charitable and even helps Tree (Jessica Rothe) return to her own reality. Of course, that was just an extra-dimensional version of Kappa Pi Lambda's controlling and conceited leader, so she still counts.
Marion Hawthorne (Harriet The Spy)
In the 1996 adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh's 1964 novel, Harriet the Spy – the first Nickelodeon movie – the bane of the titular, precocious sixth grader's (Michelle Trachtenberg) existence is Marion Hawthorne (Charlotte Sullivan). The stuck-up spoiled girl ends up ruining Harriet's life and her relationship with her best friends when she discovers her private notebook and spreads her most unpleasant secrets to her classmates.
Laura Lizzie (The Craft)
With mad respect for Fairuza Balk's brilliantly unhinged performance as Nancy Downs, one of the scariest characters from 1996's The Craft is someone who does not even practice black magic: Christine Taylor's Laura Lizzie. The blonde teen takes pleasure in humiliating and belittling the likes of Rochelle (Rachel True) for her race and Sarah (Robin Tunney) just for being the new girl at school, which is why she hexes her with a spell that causes hair loss.
Angelica Pickles (The Rugrats Movie)
Anyone familiar with the classic animated TV show, Rugrats, should know that the worst offenses three-year-old Angelica Pickles (voiced by Cheryl Chase) has committed against her younger "friends" (and even some adults) have been depicted on television. However, said offenses are so heinous, even for a girl her age, that using 1998's first big screen spin-off of the beloved Nicktoon as an excuse to include her on this list is absolutely justified.
Ambrosia (May)
One of the most sympathetic horror movie villains in the genre's history is Angela Bettis' eponymous character of 2002's May, who was driven to murder for several reasons, including her peers' unfair treatment of her. The worst offender is the domineering Ambrosia (Nichole Hiltz), who cruelly belittles the lonely, abused woman and ruins her romance with Polly (Anna Faris).
Mimi (Psycho Goreman)
A definitive, modern example of a central character who is the worst part of their own movie is Mimi from Psycho Goreman. Some might say that this funny, creative, and insanely gory throwback to '90s sci-fi B-movies would have been more enjoyable if the young girl, who awakens and becomes the captor of the titular alien warlord (voiced by Steven Vlahos and physically portrayed by Matthew Ninaber), was not such an irritatingly narcissistic bully.
Amanda Buckman (Addams Family Values)
On one hand, it is easy to understand why Amanda Buckman (Mercedes McNab) is intimidated (or downright terrified) by Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci) when they attend Camp Chippewa together in 1993’s Addams Family Values. On the other hand, the spoiled rich girl’s domineering behavior and superiority complex makes it a little fun to watch her fall prey to Wednesday’s tricks, such as when she sabotages a play recreating the first Thanksgiving.
Madison Morgan (The DUFF)
In 2015's The DUFF (an acronym for "designated ugly fat friend"), Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman) maintains a connection with the popular crowd by being friends with the more conventionally attractive Jess (Skyler Samuels) and Casey (Bianca Santos). However, she would never be caught dead being friendly with aspiring reality show star Madison Morgan (Bella Thorne), who believes her incessant rudeness and cruelty is actually one of her more endearing qualities.
Christie Masters (Romy And Michele's High School Reunion)
Early on in 1997's Romy And Michele's High School Reunion, we meet the eponymous duo (played by Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow) and their school bully, Christie Masters (Julia Campbell). When she appears at the reunion, it is clear that the now "happily married" woman has not changed one bit and is still every bit of the overly judgmental jerk she was a teen.
Blaire Lily (Unfriended)
For much of Blumhouse's surprisingly effective 2015 found footage horror flick, Unfriended, we are hoping to see Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig) and her friends survive the wrath of a mysterious entity that has infiltrated their Skype chat. That is until we discover that Blaire, in addition to being outed as a manipulative liar, posted the embarrassing video that drove the late Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman) to take her own life and that her vengeful spirit has been the one taunting her.
Monique Valentine (She's The Man)
Played by Virgin River's Alexandra Breckenridge, Monique Valentine is a controlling girlfriend – ahem, "ex-girlfriend" – to Sebastian (James Kirk), incessantly cruel to Viola (Amanda Bynes), and mercilessly rude to just about everyone else she crosses paths with. There is no question of who deserves to win when a fight breaks out between her, Viola, and Olivia (Laura Ramsey) in one of the most iconic moments from 2006's She's the Man – a modern take on Shakespeare's play, Twelfth Night, or What You Will.
Harriet Bentley (Wild Child)
In the 2008 coming-of-age comedy, Wild Child, Emma Roberts stars as Poppy – a spoiled, rich American girl who is reluctantly shipped off to a boarding school in the United Kingdom. Not making things any easier for her is the cruel Harriet Bentley (Georgia King), whose hatred for Poppy drives her to frame her for arson.
Jessica Spencer (The Hot Chick)
Before she played Regina George, Rachel McAdams made her feature film debut in the 2002 comedy The Hot Chick as Jessica Spencer, who accidentally switches bodies with a petty thief, played by Rob Schneider, thanks to a pair of magic earrings. Of course, it is hard to have sympathy for the high school cheerleading captain's bizarre predicament because, before the swap, she is a horribly mean-spirited and manipulative jerk.
Julie (The Toxic Avenger)
The volatile and giddily sadistic lunatic Julie (Cindy Manion) is the mastermind of the disastrous prank that causes meek, awkward gym custodian Melvin (Mark Torgl) to fall into a vat of toxic waste and become the eponymous vigilante from Troma's 1984 B-movie, The Toxic Avenger. This decision ultimately seals her downfall as Toxie (Mitch Cohen) later seeks revenge on her with a pair of scissors.
Gwen Grayson (Sky High)
When we first meet Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in 2005's Sky High, she seems like a kindhearted model student. As it turns out, her entire reputation was part of a plan for world domination because, in reality, she is the supervillain Royal Pain, who was transformed into an infant years earlier.
Tracy Campbell (The Rage: Carrie 2)
Played by Charlotte Ayanna, Tracy is, essentially, the Chris Hargenson to Rachel Lang’s Carrie in the loosely connected sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2, from 1999. She, too, plans a cruel prank against the protagonist (played by Emily Bergl) for spending too much time with her boyfriend, Jesse (Jason London), unaware that she will eventually fall prey to the social outcast's telekinetic powers.
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