Actress Jenna Fischer persevered through a secret shoulder injury during the filming of the Mean Girls movie musical adaptation

Jenna Fischer, renowned for her role in “The Office,” recently disclosed an unexpected challenge she faced while working on the “Mean Girls” movie musical: she filmed with a broken shoulder. This revelation came during an interview with People magazine, where Fischer described the ordeal as “the wildest experience.”

The injury occurred during a ski trip when Fischer fell on a sidewalk, breaking her shoulder just after her initial day of shooting for the musical. Despite the setback, Fischer returned to the set, hiding her injury for the duration of the production. “I had to shoot the rest of the movie with a very newly broken shoulder,” she explained.

In the adaptation, Fischer plays the role of Cady’s mom. She detailed how her physical limitation influenced her performance, notably in her restricted ability to use her right arm. “If you notice in the opening shot of the movie, I’m out in the middle of a field and Cady is singing, and I have a crossbody bag on,” Fischer noted. “That was serving as a sling for me.”

The actress took creative measures to cope with her injury during filming. She removed her actual sling and used the strap of her crossbody bag as an improvised support to keep her arm stable while performing. This adaptation meant Fischer had to perform most of her gestures and actions using only her left arm.

A year after the accident, Fischer is still undergoing physical therapy to fully recover from what she describes as a “complicated injury.” Her experience highlights not only her professionalism and dedication but also the often unseen challenges actors navigate to bring their characters to life.

Fischer’s resilience and commitment to her role in “Mean Girls” have added a layer of off-screen heroism to her on-screen portrayal, underscoring the unseen challenges faced by performers in the entertainment industry.