What Danny DeVito Really Thinks of That Iconic Mean Girls Line
Even when Danny DeVito isn't working, which is almost never, his very existence remains a cottage industry.
Whether it's an It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia tattoo of Frank Reynolds or his flesh-and-blood character in 1988's Twins drawn as a cartoon and spliced into any scenario imaginable...
Damian in Mean Girls spoke for one and all when he shrieked, "Oh my god, Danny DeVito! I love your work!"
And the prolific actor is here for it.
"I dig that kind of stuff," DeVito exclusively told E! News as he geared up for the big Super Bowl Sunday premiere of the State Farm commercial that reunited him with his Twins brother Arnold Schwarzenegger. "It's cool to have that kind of shout-out. I look through all the memes, people send me the shirts."
The tattoos are "very bizarre," he added, "but it's fun. It's good to have fans, you couldn't do it without them."
It's in no small part thanks to fans' enduring love of the Ivan Reitman-directed comedy starring DeVito and Schwarzenegger as genetically modified twins Vincent and Julius, who were separated at birth and reunite just in time to save the, er, shorter one from a crisis situation, that State Farm came calling.
The reaction to Twins has been "through the roof" for so many years, DeVito explained, and "we have so much fun together." So when this idea was presented to him and Schwarzenegger, it was a no-brainer.
The 60-second spot, which premiered during the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII, mostly plays on the Austrian star's action-movie chops and thick accent that prevents him from pronouncing "Like a good neighbor" the way the rest of the State Farm family would prefer. Enter DeVito to get it right and needle Schwarzenegger like only a brother could.
The duo "keep it light, keep it fun," said DeVito, who used a day off from his Broadway show I Need That, co-starring his daughter Lucy DeVito, to fly out and shoot the commercial. "We clown around a lot. We're very serious guys about our work—of course—but we do like to, every once in awhile, throw a curveball."
And here's a change-up: After hoping to work together again for 30 years (after Twins they co-starred in the less-regarded 1994 comedy Junior), the longtime buddies—"We'll have lunch or go smoke a stogie together, or just hang out"—are closer than ever to making it happen.
"We've found something that we're developing, Arnold and I," DeVito shared, "a movie that we hope very soon you can experience on a big screen. We're working hard on that."
Whether or not it'll be family-friendly enough for their respective grandchildren to enjoy, he didn't say. But for decades the 79-year-old has made a point of doing "as many things as I can do for the kids," from My Little Pony, Hercules and The Lorax to Matilda—he'll be narrating Matilda Live at the State Theatre in New Jersey March 22—and his 11-month-old granddaughter Sinclair Lucille can have her pick.
For now, however, Sinclair—whose parents are DeVito and Rhea Perlman's artist daughter Grace, 38, and her husband Andy Giannakakis—only needs her grandfather to show up to be entertained.
"I come in, she grabs my glasses, she's grabbing my face," DeVito said, squeezing his own cheeks for emphasis. "It's all that stuff. And what they say about that grandpa situation is really true. You have so much fun with the kiddo and then you pass it back to your daughter and your son-in-law."
Still beaming, he added, "She's crawling all over the place, she's just about to pulling herself up to start walking, and it's just a joy. The best."
As for Perlman, still his wife of 42 years though they separated in 2017, "she's a great mom and now she just can't be happier as a grandma," DeVito said. "You miss those little babies when they grow up. You love 'em"—Lucy, 40, Grace and son Jake, 36—"but boy, those little tiny feet...Get a nibble of that toe."
And he's thrilled to be sharing this chapter with Perlman—which showed when he shouted out her four career wins during his 2023 Emmys bit with the Always Sunny cast last month, prompting a collective "aw" (and turning on a light bulb for those finding out that Matilda's parents are married in real life).
She's "a great partner," DeVito said, "and always has been."
We say, cheers to all of it.
Meanwhile, Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger's State Farm ad had a lot of good neighbors. Keep scrolling to see the most star-studded 2024 Super Bowl commercials:
He's putting the Cera in CeraVe. The Superbad star pitches the ultimate collab with the skincare company in this hilarious spot. Watch the ad here.
In this ad, the Twins costars have a sweet reunion—or do they? After all, when Arnold struggles to deliver the insurance company's iconic phrase, prompting his longtime pal to step in... much to his chagrin. Watch the ad here.
Tax season with a fun twist. In the Taika Waititi-directed spot, TurboTax enlisted the Abbott Elementary star to reveal an exciting new contest. Watch the ad here.
The rapper introduces you to NYX's newest Duck Plump lip gloss. Watch the ad here.
Objection, too many stars in this ad. The beauty brand pulls out all the stops in it's court-themed commercial that sees Gina on trial for using luxury makeup products, with Rick arguing—in front of TV's most iconic judge—that e.l.f. has a full collection of more affordable, cruelty-free products. Watch the ad here.
You're doing amazing in your first Super Bowl ad, sweetie. The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch makes her big game debut in a 30 second spot that wonders whether the twist of an Oreo was behind some of the world's biggest moments—from the wooden horse entering Troy to the Kardashians reshaping reality TV forever. Watch the ad here.
The seven-time Super Bowl Champion is back at the big game–this time to poke fun at his many accolades. After all, the ad makes it clear that the sports betting platform is for everyone—as long as you’re not Tom Brady. Why? As Vince Vaughn explains, he just doesn’t need any more wins. Watch the ad here.
The greatest game ever played… on the beach. While waiting for a new keg of Michelob ULTRA to be available at a beachside bar, the soccer legend finds himself in the middle of a pick-up game—and yes, he proves he’s the GOAT no matter the pitch. Watch the ad here.
Coach Taylor himself delivers a heartfelt pep talk to all the Super Bowl viewers whose team didn't quite make it to the final game. Watch the ad here.
In this hilarious ad, the stars swap out a fairly crucial memory—including some of their most iconic work—to hold onto the knowledge of everything Uber Eats can deliver. Watch the ad here.
The Bupkis star is on the case—to deliver Totino's to fans for the Big Game, that is. With the help of his robot army, he outmaneuvers pizza delivery men to ensure everyone has enough of the beloved snack. Watch the ad here.
The 30-second spot sees the Saturday Night Live alum experience different versions of herself—played by a few familiar faces—through her travels. Watch the ad here.
Coors' Chill Train is back—and in the conductor's seat is a particularly cool figure. Among the guests along for the ride: the "Heart Like a Truck" country singer. Watch the ad here.
The internet loves a talking animal, and this ad shows the meteoric rise to fame Kate's cat faces after uttering a simple word: "mayo." Among Mayo Cat's major feats? Well, that includes a press tour, a best-selling book and a whirlwind romance with none other than Pete Davidson. Watch the ad here.
The gummy clusters channel their inner Jennifer Beals by recreating the iconic “Flashdance…What a Feeling” scene from Flashdance. And as for who taught the candy those iconic moves, well, that would be the He’s all That star. Watch the ad here.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star tries out a new look, only to discover he may bear a resemblance to the iconic Pringles logo. Luckily, it seems he may have found his next big role. Watch the ad here.
The two-time Oscar winner faces his toughest role yet: As Wrexham AFC's mascot Wred Dragon. The ad, from Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort, sees the Welsh actor pulling out all the stops, with a little help from some cold brew along the way. Watch the ad here.
The Wednesday star’s trip to the market with her grandmothers, Dina and Mita, takes quite a turn after The Falcon and The Winter Soldier actor swoops in to steal the last bag of Doritos Dinamita. Undeterred, the ladies take after him like a pair of octogenarian superheroes, only for Jenna to ultimately secure the bag. Watch the ad here.
The Community alum travels from the '70s into the future for a chance to dive into the Popeyes chicken wings. And as the 30-second spot makes clear, the journey to the future was well worth it. Watch the ad here.
The beer brand is turning the Big Game into a big night out with their commerical featuring the new character, the Bud Light Genie. As for what kind of shenanigans he gets up to with Peyton, Post and Dana? You'll have to tune in and find out. Watch the ad here.
Now this is a tasty consolation prize. M&M's ad sees the trio of NFL legends, all of whom have never won a Super Bowl, finally get their rings. And they're not the only non-winners to take home a prize as two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett—who laments losing twice in the same year—gets her gold. Watch the ad here.
This commercial slaps. At least this sounds like new Gen Z slang icon Martin would say. The Oscar-winning filmmaker stars in—and directs—this cute ad that sees aliens try to make contact with busy humans to no avail…until they turn to the most 21st century way of communicating: online. Watch the ad here.
These stars may no longer spend a lot of time in front of the audition camera—except when it comes to a role in a T-Mobile ad. Bradley and his mom, who starred in the 2023 commercial, are joined this year by the Suits stars as well as IRL couple Common and Jennifer, not to mention the Big Little Lies alum. Watch the ad here.