While I consider both Mean Girls and Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be comedic masterpieces, beyond that, the films share little else. Which is why you might find the current proliferation of edits and fan fictions shipping Regina George with Wimpy Kid’s Rodrick Heffley to be a bit surprising. Over the past week, across social media, fans have been weaving an epic love story between the two; one that sees the eldest Heffley brother (specifically the 2010 film adaptation version played by Devon Bostick) falling head over heels for the fabled high school queen bee that Rachel McAdams brought to life back in 2004.
They're an unexpected pairing, but those familiar with the age-old art of cross-shipping are likely desensitized to this sort of chaos. It’s an internet tradition that allows fans to play matchmaker with characters from different fictional universes—by crafting elaborate art, stories, and videos that chronicle these faux romances.
Compared to other recent cross-ships, like the Draco Malfoy and Jeremiah Fisher love affair that had a stronghold on my FYP this summer, the Regina and Rodrick ship feels tame, especially given how they genuinely seem compatible. (I’m aware of how ridiculous that statement sounds, and I'm not proud of it.) They’re both calculated and quick-witted; they both use casual cruelty as a defense mechanism. The real surprising element of this match is how realistic it seems, which explains why videos splicing together scenes of the two are racking up millions of likes and comments begging for the powers that be to green-light some sort of crossover adaptation that could unite them without the use of CapCut.
This creative, slightly unhinged pairing has that precious “AI could never” energy. Only the human imagination—specifically that of user @monia_lynn, whose fan art has been widely credited for starting the recent Regina/Rodrick wave—could pull from each character’s lore and cultural legacy to create such a gloriously chaotic inside joke. Rachel McAdams and Devon Bostick have yet to address the mass hysteria, but now that people are planning Regina and Rodrick couples’ Halloween costumes, the pressure is on for those two to release some official statements. It's only right that they recognize the part they played in creating one of the year's most iconic celebrity couples. R + R 4ever.
