Instagram/@galaelf
For her October 3rd post, Galadriel kept the tone effortlessly festive and nostalgic, stirring up waves of loving responses. The post states only, “Happy October 3rd ✨ 🧡,” which is an obvious wink to an iconic date from pop culture that the so-called in-crowd promptly responded to.
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October 3rd is considered an auspicious day by one generation as “Mean Girls Day” quite literally from the unforgettable moment in the 2004 flick where Cady Heron has said, “On October 3rd, he asked me what day it was.” The simple phrase of Galadriel became a rich piece of cultural reference. Thus, it becomes an acknowledgment between people who recognize a chunk of cinema that has stood the test of time for over 20 years, instantly creating a communal bond with those in on the joke. It can be an insightful reminder for Galadriel, who is an acting coach herself, towards aspiring actors and performers in her care that a well-scribed character and an unforgettable line will be remembered forever.
About half of the people in the comments appeared to be witty with each other while reacting with an array of happy faces and laughter. One interesting crossover interpretation was given by a user stating, “gwen tennyson swiftie canon 😭,” followed by another adding, “And ashley brown!!” Such discussions indicate how fandoms often intertwine to create their own collaborative information network where characters from an animated series, say Ben 10, and real-life performers, say Taylor Swift, can exist side by side.
A more reverent attitude towards the material was seen in another comment: “She is the greatest poet of the 21st century.” That may be a stretch; nevertheless, the work of Tina Fey is much adored and respected. This Mean Girls quote has transformed into a snippet of common vernacular, cited as religiously as any other bona fide day of celebration.
Conversely, another follower put forth a somewhat personal and sorrowful remark: “I need someone like you in my life.” This could imply that for some followers, Galadriel’s post referenced more than a film-an emblem of the playful, mutual closeness, and inside-joke connection that the scene in the film represents. In other words, they become reminders of how social media can simultaneously emphasize community and yearning.
More hilarious is this comment: “I thought that was a past video of Patricia Heaton dancing at first lol.” Worthy of tossing into the annals of history, this comment exemplifies one instance in which content can be interpreted from utterly different angles, as filtered by the viewer’s own frame of reference, thus providing an extra unintended layer of comedy.
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This conversation stands as a testament to how a seemingly one-liner cultural reference can really be of power in building an interactive audience for a public persona. Galadriel could very well have put her camera down and just left the whole thing with the meme; instead, she trusted her audience to catch the reference and thus forged a shared identity and celebration. Of course, this is an amazing case study in audience engagement through a public persona and finding avenues of connecting to one’s followers via nostalgia. In honesty, the very fact that Mean Girls celebrations on October 3rd exist stands as a monument to the living legacy of the film and the abilities to have very far-reaching annual traditions for millions.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
