Why You Don't See Regina George's Actress Rachel McAdams In Movies Much Anymore

A year after making a significant breakthrough in her acting career, Rachel McAdams was still one of Hollywood's biggest stars. In 2005, she appeared in three very different movies — "Wedding Crashers," "Red Eye," and "The Family Stone" — all of which were commercial hits. With the exception of "The Family Stone," they were all critically well-received also. The logical next step for McAdams would surely be to continue striking while the iron was hot. 

However, the actor had other plans and opted for a career hiatus in 2006. She told The Times (via HuffPost) that she wanted to "Step away so I could hear my own voice again," and claimed to be in danger of being influenced by "too many cooks in the kitchen." "Truthfully, I never really wanted to be a big movie star. I never even wanted to work outside of Canada or outside of the theatre," she added. Although she turned down several significant roles in major films during this time — including parts in "Casino Royale," "Iron Man," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Mission: Impossible III," and "Get Smart" — McAdams didn't stay away for long.

Fortunately, Rachel McAdams swiftly overcame her box office challenges. Following another short break between projects, she bounced back in 2009 with a string of consecutive commercial successes: "State of Play," "The Time Traveler's Wife," and "Sherlock Holmes." This remarkable year of standout performances marked one of her many official career comebacks. All three films proved successful for very different reasons and contributed to maintaining McAdams' status as a sought-after actor in the industry.

In "Sherlock Holmes," McAdams' character received criticism for her perceived two-dimensional nature. However, her commendable effort in her portrayal demonstrated her ability to make the most of her character's constraints and showcased her star power for future franchise endeavors. Meanwhile, "State of Play" and "The Time Traveler's Wife" garnered mixed critical reviews but resonated strongly with their target audiences. This series of triumphs was the milestone McAdams needed to prove that taking control of her career was the best decision she could've ever made.

While writing "Midnight in Paris," Woody Allen had one actor in mind to play Inez, the demanding fiancée to Owen Wilson's character Gil. That actor was Rachel McAdams, who he first discovered after watching "Wedding Crashers." His certainty in his decision to cast her only grew after hearing glowing reviews from McAdams' "The Family Stone" and "Morning Glory" co-star Diane Keaton. But how did Allen convince the hesitant McAdams to get on board? According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he told her, "You don't want to go your whole life playing these beautiful girls. You want to play some bitchy parts. It's much more interesting for you."

McAdams agreed, and the film went on to become Allen's highest-grossing movie of his career and the most commercially successful independent film of 2011. It was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture, and the cast was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. McAdams' next big arthouse film came in 2017 with her highly-praised role in "Disobedience." The film, which garnered critical acclaim and a British Independent Film Award nomination for best supporting actress, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. To this day, McAdams' portrayal of Esti Kuperman, a complex and repressed Orthodox Jewish woman grappling with her forbidden love for a childhood friend, remains one of her best performances.

After more than a decade of delivering unforgettable performances, the Academy finally acknowledged Rachel McAdams' undeniable talent in 2016. In the critically acclaimed and best picture-winning film "Spotlight," McAdams portrays journalist Sacha Pfeiffer, embroiled in the investigation of child abuse within Boston's Catholic Church, and shares the screen with industry heavyweights Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Stanley Tucci. McAdams not only earned praise from critics but also garnered prestigious award nominations from the Academy, Critics' Choice, and the Screen Actors Guild.

McAdams stood out amidst the stellar ensemble cast, celebrated for infusing her performance with emotional depth and an authentic approach to the real-life subject matter and the film stands as her second-highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes. Acknowledgment from the Academy was a well-deserved milestone for McAdams that some of the greatest actors never even come close to experiencing.

When Marvel comes knocking at your door, you answer — and that is precisely what Rachel McAdams did when she entered negotiations to play Dr. Christine Palmer in "Doctor Strange." Expressing her enthusiasm, she shared with MTV, "I met with Scott [Derrickson] and loved his vision, he was so passionate. And the opportunity to work with Benedict [Cumberbatch] was kind of a no-brainer. And Marvel makes amazing films, so it was a complete package." McAdams received acclaim for her performance, specifically for taking an underdeveloped role and transforming it into a three-dimensional character.

In true McAdams fashion, she disappeared from the franchise for six long years — not counting her appearance in the animated Disney+ series "What If...?" in 2021. Eventually, she returned for the sequel "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" in 2022. This time, McAdams embraced a new multiverse version of her character, relishing the opportunity for more action scenes compared to the first film. "I love action. I love being physical. As an actor, I always feel like it gets me out of my head, and fun surprises come out of getting to just move," she told Vanity Fair. The sequel was met with mixed reviews from critics but ultimately impressed Marvel fans across the board. When questioned by Empire (via CBR) about a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, McAdams remained open-ended, stating, "You never know what's going to happen with the MCU, right? It's vast and endless, so — to be continued."

In 2023, Rachel McAdams was once again ready for a comeback, a term perhaps loosely applied as her career had yet to experience any major downturns. Nevertheless, the wave of attention and recognition was undeniably well-deserved. This resurgence coincided with the release of the coming-of-age film "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," where McAdams portrays Margaret's (Abby Ryder Fortson) free-spirited mother, Barbara. The film garnered widespread acclaim for its feel-good comedy, authentic portrayal of adolescence, and sincere performances, securing its place as McAdams' highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes so far.

In discussing her decision to join this project, McAdams told Collider, "The fact that Judy Blume was giving her blessing after 50 years for that movie to finally be made, for the books to be adapted, was I think a really big deal." She added, "I just felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I love Judy Blume so much, grew up reading her and it felt pretty surreal to be in that company." Additionally, McAdams garnered further attention with the 2024 theatrical release of the "Mean Girls" musical remake. While not appearing in the movie, the remake has evoked nostalgia for the original, a film that catapulted McAdams to fame.

Ultimately, Rachel McAdams has never been drawn to the allure of fame that accompanies a career in acting. "I think it was sort of a vague idea in my mind when I was a kid, when you think, 'What would that be like?'" she explained to The Los Angeles Times. "But it wasn't something I really meditated on or planned for in any way." Even with the kind of life she leads today, she still prefers to spend her life away from the spotlight with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Although it's clear acting remains a firm part of McAdams' identity, she's always approached the job on her terms. "I guess I always had a sense that it would be OK; either it's going to work out or it's not," McAdams admitted to Bustle. She added that her breaks from acting "really helped me feel empowered. It helped me feel like I was taking back some control. And I think it sort of allowed me to come in from a different doorway."