Tina Fey Says Her Daughters ‘Never’ Think She’s Cool but She’s Found a Hilarious Way to Impress Them (Exclusive)

Tina Fey’s Daughters Alice and Penelope Don’t Think She’s a Cool Mom!

The comedian and actress attended the 2023 American Museum of Natural History Gala in New York on Thursday, where she spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about her toughest critics: daughters Alice, 18, and Penelope, 12.

“You’re never cool [to your kids]” says Fey, 53. “No, you’re never cool and you shouldn’t try to be. Just let it happen!”

The star – who enjoyed a date night at the event alongside her composer husband Jeffrey Richmond, 62 – did come up with a solution to win them over though. “We watch television and say, ‘We know that person. You like that show? We know them,'” Fey says. “And then they say, ‘No, you don’t’.” ”

“Make some famous friends,” adds Richmond. “There’s more to it than you think!”

“There are so many of them that they’re easy to get,” jokes Fey.

Tina Fey attends the American Museum of Natural History’s 2023 Museum Gala at the American Museum of Natural History on November 30, 2023.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Tina Fey Says 9-Year-Old Daughter Penelope Didn’t Get ‘Girls5Eva’ Role At First: ‘It Was A Little Treat For Her’

Actress Scarlett Johansson (39), Hilaria Baldwin (39), Alec Baldwin (65) and 44-year-old actress Busy Philipps also attended the event on the red carpet.

Fey and Richmond have ties to Philipps. They worked with the actress on Girls5Evawho are both executive producers, and on the upcoming Mean girls film musical, based on Fey’s 2004 film of the same name and subsequent Broadway production (with music by Richmond).

During an appearance in February on Late Night with Seth MeyersFey — who reprises her role as teacher Miss Norbury in the new film — praised the upcoming film’s “amazing cast,” which includes Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall, Angourie Rice as Cady, Reneé Rapp as Regina, Auli’i Cravalho as Janis, Jaquel Spivey as Damian and Philipps as Regina’s “Cool Mom” ​​Mrs. George.

Musical film ‘Mean Girls’: Everything you need to know

Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond attend the 2023 Nova Ball.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Asked if Meyers, 49, would have to adapt the Broadway show’s songs for the film, Fey said they were going for a “pop” sound. “It’s actually a fascinating process because [on] Broadway, everything has to play in the back of the house. And in movies you can kind of go back and things can be very intimate,” she explained.

The star also gave a shout-out to their “very cool directing team” and choreographer, promising, “It’s going to be good.”

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Last month, Paramount released the much-anticipated first trailer for the movie musical — albeit without any songs from the musical. New Mean girls arrives in theaters on January 12.

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Source: HIS Education