Mean Girls 10th anniversary: "It was a significant movie," says Neil Flynn

How it created a new kind of comedy.

Mean Girls was "a significant movie" because it helped to launch the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest female comedy stars, according to Neil Flynn.

The Scrubs actor, who played Cady Heron's dad in the 2004 hit, told Digital Spy that he believes the movie helped establish star and writer Tina Fey and pave the way for a new kind of comedy.

© REX/Startraks Photo

Neil Flynn

Tina Fey in Mean Girls

"I think Mean Girls was a kind of significant movie," Flynn said. "It was a very successful comedy and it was also before Bridesmaids and it really launched some of today's biggest women in comedy.

"It was the beginning of Tina's rise to global domination. I think that movie is a touchstone for a lot of people. In the same way Animal House was for my generation really."

Flynn added of the enduring appeal of the film, which celebrates its 10th anniversary today: "I didn't necessarily think it would be a big deal but I knew that it would be funny because Tina wrote it.

Mean Girls was originally released April 30, 2004 in the US

"I got the part because somebody else dropped out and I happened to do the table read of it just because I knew Tina. The actor doing it couldn't fulfill his duties, sort of like a Miss America thing, so I stepped up."

Flynn confessed that he hasn't been keeping track of the recent cast pictures on Instagram, and isn't certain a full reunion will ever happen.

"I stay out of the world, I have nothing to do with Facebook or the internet - I don't know how to use half of it, I think I'm better off," he commented. "It's just asking for trouble - so I don't know anything about that I'm afraid."

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