Damian Leigh
{{Short description|Fictional character}}
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Damian Leigh (known as Damian Hubbard in the musical adaptation){{Cite web |date=2019-05-01 |title=For 'Mean Girls' Actor Daniel Franzese, Playing an Iconic Gay Best Friend Was a Blessing and a Curse |url=https://observer.com/2019/05/for-mean-girls-actor-daniel-franzese-playing-an-iconic-gay-best-friend-was-a-blessing-and-a-curse/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Observer |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610210430/https://observer.com/2019/05/for-mean-girls-actor-daniel-franzese-playing-an-iconic-gay-best-friend-was-a-blessing-and-a-curse/ |url-status=live }} is a fictional character from the Mean Girls franchise. He was portrayed by actors Daniel Franzese, Grey Henson, and Jaquel Spivey in the original film (2004), 2017 musical and its subsequent film adaptation in 2024, respectively.
Description
The character Damian has appeared in the film Mean Girls (2004) and subsequent adaptations. He is the gay best friend of Janis Ian who is described within the franchise as "too gay to function".{{Cite web |last=Laguerre-Lewis |first=Kayla |date=2024-01-12 |title=Mean Girls 2024 Ending Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-ending-explained/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=2024-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115092443/https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-ending-explained/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hemenway |first=Megan |date=2024-01-15 |title=How Old Each Main Mean Girls 2024 Cast Member Is Compared To Their Character |url=https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-cast-age-how-old/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=2024-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115203745/https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-cast-age-how-old/ |url-status=live }} He has also been called sarcastic.{{Cite web |last=Cheeda |first=Saim |date=2022-03-12 |title=Mean Girls: The Main Characters, Ranked By Meanness |url=https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-main-characters-ranked-meanness/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=2023-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607174433/https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-main-characters-ranked-meanness/ |url-status=live }} Dessi Gomez of TheWrap has said Damian "stands by Janis' side through thick and thin, as she does with him. He manages to be in on all the girl drama just as much as guy drama around North Shore High. His talents, as showcased in the winter talent show, will take him far."{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title='Mean Girls' Cast and Character Guide: Who Plays Who in the Movie Musical? |url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/mean-girls-cast-character-guide-193252328.html |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-CA |archive-date=2024-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510222156/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/mean-girls-cast-character-guide-193252328.html |url-status=live }}
Roles and portrayals
Social outcasts Damian and Janis teach new student Cady Heron about various cliques at the school and caution her about the "Plastics"—Regina George, Gretchen Wieners, and Karen Smith.{{Cite web |last=Kramer |first=Gary M. |date=2024-01-10 |title='Mean Girls' is a familiar, yet 'so fetch,' retread |url=https://epgn.com/2024/01/10/mean-girls-is-a-familiar-yet-so-fetch-retread/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Philadelphia Gay News |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309225609/https://epgn.com/2024/01/10/mean-girls-is-a-familiar-yet-so-fetch-retread/ |url-status=live }}
= 2004 film =
File:Daniel Franzese May 2015 (cropped).jpg played Damian in the original 2004 film.]]In the original 2004 film, Damian is played by American actor Daniel Franzese. He sings "Beautiful" (2002) by Christina Aguilera during the talent show. After someone in the audience throws a shoe at him, Damian throws it back. He wears a blue hoodie and black sunglasses as an "incognito" look. In Business Insider{{'s}} 2022 list of the "most iconic" outfits from the film, Arielle Tschinkel said the look is "not the most fashionable" but "still iconic".{{Cite web |last=Tschinkel |first=Arielle |title=20 of the most iconic outfits from 'Mean Girls' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/mean-girls-the-most-iconic-fashion-looks |date=Apr 29, 2022 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226123621/https://www.businessinsider.com/mean-girls-the-most-iconic-fashion-looks |url-status=live }} Billie Walker of Digital Spy said Damian's "catty one liners can still be recited by millennials everywhere", but "still failed in its queer representation".{{Cite web |date=2024-01-20 |title=Has the new Mean Girls movie solved its queer issue? |first1=Billie |last1=Walker |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a46439494/mean-girls-queer-lesbian-regina-george/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Digital Spy |language=en-GB |archive-date=2024-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510233708/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a46439494/mean-girls-queer-lesbian-regina-george/ |url-status=live }}
According to Franzese, he was asked to reprise the role for the music video to Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next" (2018), but he was unable to participate because of a schedule conflict.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-01 |title=Damian From 'Mean Girls' Was Supposed To Be In The "Thank You, Next" Video, According To Daniel Franzese |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/damian-from-mean-girls-was-supposed-to-be-in-the-thank-you-next-video-according-to-daniel-franzese-17291971 |first1= Julia |last1=Emmanuele |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=Bustle |language=en}}
= Musical =
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| footer = Grey Henson (left) and Jaquel Spivey (right) played Damian in the musical and its 2024 film adaptation, respectively.
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Unlike the original film, Damian brings a male partner to the dance in the musical and 2024 film adaptation.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=Mean Girls: What do modern queer teens think of the (very queer) musical reboot? |first1=Charlotte |last1=O'Sullivan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/mean-girls-gay-renee-rapp-b2479481.html |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=The Independent |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229082642/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/mean-girls-gay-renee-rapp-b2479481.html |url-status=live }}
On stage, Damian has been played by Grey Henson on Broadway,{{Cite web |title=See the 'Mean Girls' Casts Side-by-Side with the Other Actors Who Played the Characters |url=https://people.com/mean-girls-casts-side-by-side-pictures-8399924 |date=November 9, 2023 |first1=Kelsie |last1=Gibson |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116175409/https://people.com/mean-girls-casts-side-by-side-pictures-8399924 |archive-date=2024-01-16 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=People |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Marks |first=Peter |date=May 31, 2018 |title=Tina Fey and her 'Mean Girls' team wrote him a showstopper. Then he got a Tony nod. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/tina-fey-and-her-mean-girls-team-wrote-him-a-showstopper-then-he-got-a-tony-nod/2018/05/31/4dad01d6-5dcc-11e8-8c93-8cf33c21da8d_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604085316/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/tina-fey-and-her-mean-girls-team-wrote-him-a-showstopper-then-he-got-a-tony-nod/2018/05/31/4dad01d6-5dcc-11e8-8c93-8cf33c21da8d_story.html |archive-date=June 4, 2018 |access-date=May 10, 2024 |work=The Washington Post}} Eric Huffman,{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Scott |date=2023-04-25 |title=Actor Eric Huffman Talks 'Mean Girls' at Broward Center {{!}} Hotspots! Magazine |url=https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2023/04/25/actor-eric-huffman-talks-mean-girls-at-broward-center/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602181138/https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2023/04/25/actor-eric-huffman-talks-mean-girls-at-broward-center/ |archive-date=2023-06-02 |access-date=2024-05-10 |language=en-US}} and Ethan Jih-Cook.{{Cite web |last=Kelsall |first=Cameron |date=2023-09-28 |title=Philly native speaks on lead role in 'Mean Girls' national tour |url=https://epgn.com/2023/09/28/philly-native-speaks-on-lead-role-in-mean-girls-national-tour/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309230505/https://epgn.com/2023/09/28/philly-native-speaks-on-lead-role-in-mean-girls-national-tour/ |archive-date=2024-03-09 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Philadelphia Gay News |language=en-US}} Henson was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
== 2024 film adaptation ==
In a review of the 2024 film, in which Damian is portrayed by Jaquel Spivey,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-01-13 |title=Jaquel Spivey Says Mean Girls' Damian Is 'Truly That B*tch' |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mean-girls-movie-musical-star-jaquel-spivey-main-character-energy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319163039/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mean-girls-movie-musical-star-jaquel-spivey-main-character-energy |archive-date=2024-03-19 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Teen Vogue |language=en-US}} André Hereford of Metro Weekly said Damian and Janis "are the ringmasters, narrating the entire story" of the production.{{Cite web |last=Hereford |first=André |date=2024-01-13 |title='Mean Girls' Returns With a Fetching New Film Adaptation |url=https://www.metroweekly.com/2024/01/mean-girls-returns-with-a-fetching-new-film-adaptation/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Metro Weekly |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227072816/https://www.metroweekly.com/2024/01/mean-girls-returns-with-a-fetching-new-film-adaptation/ |url-status=live }} In 2024, Caitlin Tyrrell of Screen Rant said Auliʻi Cravalho's portrayal of Janis "brings a new layer to the friendship between Janis and Damian as two LGBTQ+ kids who may have bonded in part because of their sexuality".{{Cite web |last=Tyrrell |first=Caitlin |date=2024-01-09 |title=Mean Girls Janis Actor Shares How She Made The Iconic Character Her Own: "Pyro-Lez, Loud And Proud" |url=https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-aulii-cravalho-janis-character-change/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510233722/https://screenrant.com/mean-girls-2024-aulii-cravalho-janis-character-change/ |url-status=live }}
See also
{{Portal|LGBTQ}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Mean Girls}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leigh, Damian}}
Category:Teenage characters in film
Category:Film characters introduced in 2004