HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — On Wednesdays, we wear pink. On Saturdays, we watch "Saturday Night Live."
Reneé Rapp stars as Regina George in the new movie musical "Mean Girls," which hit theaters 20 years after the original "Mean Girls" movie. Rapp, who is from Huntersville, North Carolina, is performing as SNL's musical guest this week in the wake of the movie's release.
"I grew up idolizing a lot of the comedians on SNL and also the performers," Rapp told NBC New York. "So I'm very excited to be able to do it. It was a goal of mine to do it before I turned 25 and I turned 24 a couple of days ago."
Rapp graduated from Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte in 2018 after spending her junior and senior years there. Matt Hinson, the music director for the school's musical theater program, taught Rapp and told WCNC Charlotte she had a great personality and a great drive.
"The first thing we noticed, of course, is that voice that she has," Hinson said. "She's an incredible performer. She was always really, really driven to get better, and get better, and get better."
Theater teacher Kelly Petrere directed Rapp in her senior year production, "Big Fish." Petrere said Rapp always put in her full effort and brought positivity to the group setting.
"Our theater community is strong here, and you've got some really great programs and educators and support from each other," Petrere said. "I think Reneé embodies that."
The same year Rapp graduated, she was named Best Actress at the 7th Annual Blumey Awards, created by Blumenthal Performing Arts.
“Renee is extraordinary," Tom Gabbard, president and CEO of Blumenthal Arts, told WCNC Charlotte. "We’re so proud of her. It wasn’t so long ago that she was dreaming big dreams of the artist she would become while performing at Northwest School of the Arts, Theatre Charlotte, and the Blumenthal. Now she’s inspiring young artists around the world with her talent and passion.”
She made her Broadway debut in 2019 playing Regina George in "Mean Girls" until production stopped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She then spent two seasons on "The Sex Lives of College Girls" on Max before releasing her debut album "Snow Angel" in August 2023, stopping in Charlotte on the accompanying "Snow Hard Feelings" tour.
Rapp has also been added to the lineups for several music festivals in 2024: Coachella, Hangout Music Festival, Boston Calling, The Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo. While she hasn't been added to the Lovin' Life Music Fest in Charlotte to date, the festival commented on Instagram that "she’s not off the table!"
Her former teachers said it's been "mind-blowing" to watch her skyrocket, but reiterate she always had the talent and the drive to make it happen.
"As much as we enjoyed working with her and we were able to teach her, it was Reneé who put herself where she is today," Hinson said. "It was Reneé who put herself on Broadway. It was Reneé who moved to the city after high school and decided to put off college and try her hand at Broadway, and she's there less than a year and she's getting cast and Tina Fey notices her. So there's always been something special about her and about her abilities too, but she made this happen."
Rapp will join host Jacob Elordi on the first "Saturday Night Live" show of 2024. You can watch it on WCNC Charlotte starting at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Contact Emma Korynta at ekorynta@wcnc.com and follow her on X.
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