Yahoo Finance 'Mean Girls' Source Author Slams Tina Fey, Threatens Legal Action Against Paramount for Compensation
Rosalind Wiseman, whose parental-help book was adapted into Mean Girls, claims she has not been fairly compensated for the film
The author whose book was adapted into Mean Girls by Tina Fey says she will take legal action against Paramount Pictures over what she claims is a lack of compensation.
In an interview with the New York Post, Rosalind Wiseman says, "I'm clearly recognized and acknowledged by Tina as the source material, the inspiration. I'm recognized and yet I deserve nothing?"
Wiseman's parental-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes was the source material for the hit 2004 comedy starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried and Fey, 52.
The Saturday Night Live alum adapted the New York Times best-selling author's work into Mean Girls and the film went onto become a pop-culture phenomenon, grossing $130 million worldwide and even inspiring a hit Broadway musical.
Wiseman made about $400,000 in 2002 in a deal that relinquished rights to derivate works such as musicals or TV shows in perpetuity, per the Post.
Reps for Paramount and Fey did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment Thursday morning.
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Related: Mean Girls Cast: Where Are They Now?
The author claimed to the Post that her original contract included net profits, but that Paramount has told her Mean Girls did not make any.
"Yes, I had a terrible contract, terrible, but the movie has made so much money, and they keep recycling my work over and over again, so to not even consider me," she said.
Referring to Fey, Wiseman told the Post, "It's really what my work has been about, especially Mean Girls. Women don't have to be best friends — we can get mad at each other, but when it comes down to it we need to actually support each other."
She also said, "We have reached out to Paramount to have things be more equitable, but Paramount is not interested in that."
RELATED VIDEO: Mean Girls Could've Looked Very Different
Wiseman also recently shared a post on her Instagram about the situation, saying it was important to speak about her "ongoing negative experience with Mean Girls as its inspiration and source material."
She added, "People have been asking me 'Are you ok?' I am good — I am in control of my story and what happened to me."
Wiseman's lawyer, Ryan Keech, told the Post, "It is nothing short of shameful for a company with the resources of Paramount to go to the lengths to which it has gone to deny Ms. Wiseman what she is fairly entitled to for having created."
Mean Girls has become a cult classic since it premiered almost two decades ago, spawning numerous catchphrases and even inspiring its own national day.
Related: Everything to Know About the Mean Girls Musical Movie
The plot was adapted into a 2018 Tony-nominated Broadway show, also written by Fey, which was wildly successful. And now the musical is being adapted into another movie.
The main cast for the film was announced in December 2022. Senior Year actress Angourie Rice is set to star as Cady Heron and Sex Lives of College Girls star Renée Rapp will reprise her Broadway role as Regina George.
Auli'i Cravalho, the voice actress behind the title character in 2016's Moana, will play Janis, while Jaquel Spivey, from Broadway's A Strange Loop, will play Damian.
Avantika and Bebe Wood are set to play Regina's Plastics cohorts, Karen and Gretchen, while The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Christopher Briney will play Aaron Samuels.
In February, Fey announced that she and Tim Meadows would step back into their movie roles as Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall, respectively.
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