Panka was a schoolchild when Mean Girls was first released in 2004, but the cult teen movie has become an enduring pop culture phenomenon.
It has inspired millions of quotes, memes and a successful musical adaptation which has run on Broadway and the West End.
Written by Saturday Night Live star Tina Fey, it follows home-schooled Cady Heron, who grew up in Africa, as she navigates the jungle of her new US high school.
But the standout character is “queen bee” Regina, head of the Plastics clique and the meanest of the mean girls.
Panka describes her as an “amazing” character to play – and one she didn’t expect to get when she entered the competitive audition process.
“At every turn, I was like, this is going way too well,” she recalls.
It will not be lost on audiences that Panka and Rachel McAdams, who portrayed Regina in the original movie, are from different ethnic backgrounds, and many fans will have a strong image of the character in their minds.
“I feel like we all remember that 2004 movie so well, all the quotes, so I just know how iconic Regina is,” says Panka.
“Obviously I give my own spin on things, I am always really inspired by Regina and Rachel McAdams’ version of Regina, I just think she is extremely iconic and hilarious.”
But the significance of Panka’s casting, and what it represents to other aspiring actors, is not lost on her.