The rise of “Mean Girls” star Reneé Rapp from Charlotte
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 08: Reneé Rapp attends the Global Premiere of "Mean Girls" at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater on January 08, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
Charlotte witnessed a star in the making when Reneé Rapp took the stage at Belk Theater as Sandra Bloom from the musical “Big Fish” in 2018.
- The Huntersville native and then-high school senior at Northwest School of the Arts left Belk Theater that night as the Blumey Award-winner for best actress.
- A win at the Blumeys, the regional high school theater awards, meant a trip to New York to compete in the Jimmy Awards. Rapp went on to win the Jimmy Award for Best Actress. That’s like winning the Tony Awards of high school theater.
Driving the news: The 24-year-old stars as Regina George in the musical adaptation of “Mean Girls,” which hit theaters over the weekend.
- Plus Coachella just announced her as part of this year’s lineup for the popular music festival, which will take place in April in California.
Why it matters: Rapp is one of several students to emerge from NWSA and the Blumey Awards who went on to have success on a larger stage. Others include Grammy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Eva Noblezada and Liam Pearce.
Catch up quick: Rapp has been busy since she left Northwest School of the Arts.
- She played Regina George on “Mean Girls: The Musical” on Broadway and Leighton Murray in Mindy Kaling’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls” on Max.
- Rapp released her EP “Everything to Everyone” in 2022 and her album “Snow Angel” in 2023, then collaborated on a song with Megan Thee Stallion for the new “Mean Girls” film. Now she’s performing sold-out shows across the globe.
- She received two MTV Video Music Award nominations in 2023: Best New Artist and PUSH Performance of the Year.
What’s next: Rapp will be the musical guest for “Saturday Night Live” on Jan. 20.
What we’re watching: Everything Rapp is involved in.
Of note: Rapp was not available for an interview for this story.
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Editor’s note: We updated this story with a response from Rapp’s representative about an interview and to include that she will perform at Coachella.