Lacey Chabert, who's most well-known for her role as Gretchen Wieners in "Mean Girls," is still trying to make fetch happen 22 years later, but this time around, she has the perfect partner in crime: a pack of hungry dogs.
The actor is joining forces with dog food brand CESAR to embrace the incoming deluge of nostalgia associated with the 2004 film as the unofficial Oct. 3 holiday approaches.
The campaign, aptly named "Just Eat CESAR!" in reference to Gretchen's iconic crash out as The Plastics' relationship with Regina George withers, features an exclusive, limited-edition CESAR Pink Pack.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Chabert reminisced about her time on the "Mean Girls" set and explained why she thinks the film still connects with audiences
more than two decades later.
"There are so many relatable themes in the movie," she said. "I feel like everyone relates to at least one character in the movie or goes, 'Oh, I've been there before. I've had that dynamic in a friendship.'"
While filming, Chabert recalled knowing the project felt special, but never imagined fans would still be celebrating it 22 years later.
"The hardest thing for me was trying not to laugh at everyone," she said. "Everyone around me was just so funny."
One of the film's most memorable moments, Gretchen's infamous "We should totally just stab Caesar!" meltdown, also carries special significance for the actor because it was part of her audition for the role.
She remembered casting director Marci Liroff encouraging her to stop holding back and fully embrace Gretchen's emotional spiral.
"She really loses it in this moment. Go for it," Chabert recalled being told.
In Chabert's mind, Gretchen's taste in dogs would be every bit as distinctive as her taste in fashion.
"I think Gretchen would have not just a dog. I think she would have like an entire pack of Chihuahuas probably that would be very hyper and they would all have matching outfits for sure," she said.
The answer wasn't entirely hypothetical. Chabert, who previously owned three Chihuahuas named Teacup, Teaspoon and Kitty, said her family is hoping to rescue another dog in the near future.
When asked which "Mean Girls" quote fans still repeat to her most often, the answer was unsurprising.
"Definitely, 'That's so fetch,'" she said.
The catchphrase became so common that even her daughter eventually noticed.
"Once she finally saw the movie, she goes, 'That's why people always come up to you and say, 'That's so fetch.' I had no idea,'" Chabert said.
As part of the campaign, CESAR will roll out exclusive social media videos featuring Chabert. Fans can join in on the fun too, sharing their own pink-inspired moments with their dogs and their canine cliques by tagging CESAR on Instagram and TikTok while using the #CESARShare hashtag.
The limited-edition Pink Packs will go on sale on a first-come, first-served basis on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and Wednesday, Sept. 23, at CESAR's campaign website while supplies last.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lacey Chabert is still trying to make fetch happen. This time, it's for dogs.
