Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis at D23, announcing their new movie, Freakier Friday.
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis recently opened up about their upcoming return to the screen together in the much-anticipated sequel to their 2003 hit film Freaky Friday. Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at Disney’s D23 event on August 9, the two actresses shared insights into their evolving friendship, the impact of the original film, and the excitement surrounding the sequel, which has been officially titled Freakier Friday.
During the event, both stars were asked who they would swap bodies with in real life, much like their characters did in the original film. Lohan, now 38, smiled as she reflected on her answer. “Anyone? Maybe my baby,” she said, referring to her one-year-old son, Luai Shammas. “Just to see — because he is, so pure and just so happy, just to see life through his eyes, just every day. He’s just this beautiful bundle of joy. I can’t think of anything else.”
Jamie Lee Curtis, 65, took a different approach to the question, expressing her admiration for sports stars. “I wanna be Caitlin Clark for a day. I wanna play basketball like Caitlin Clark,” Curtis said enthusiastically. “She’s my lucky number, 22.” Caitlin Clark is a standout player in women’s basketball, and it seems Curtis wouldn’t mind trading places with her to experience the game firsthand.
Freakier Friday marks the return of Lohan and Curtis as Anna and Tess Coleman, the mother-daughter duo who magically switched bodies in the 2003 film. The original movie was a major success, not only for its lighthearted comedy but also for its heartfelt exploration of the bond between mothers and daughters.
Reflecting on how their relationship has grown over the years, Lohan and Curtis expressed a deep affection for one another. “I think we’ve grown so much closer since then. Especially on this movie,” Lohan shared with PEOPLE. Curtis, who has always been a mentor figure for Lohan, added, “Lindsay was 15 going on 16 when we made Freaky Friday. And it was a big success. It was a big success for both of us.”
Curtis went on to explain how she’s made an effort to maintain a genuine connection with Lohan over the years. “And I just feel like since that time, I’ve always tried to make sure that she understood that I existed in a very real way and that it wasn’t some fake movie, that we were friends and that I cared about her. Because there are many hard things about being a young actor in the glare and spin of this business is awful,” Curtis said, highlighting the challenges that come with growing up in the entertainment industry.
Lohan acknowledged that at the time of the original film’s release, she didn’t fully grasp the significance of its success. “I didn’t realize it then because I was so young,” she admitted. “As I get older, seeing how much people have loved it and how much it stays with people, it’s in people’s homes, that’s when you realize what an impact it had on people and how much of a success it was.”
The sequel, which fans have eagerly awaited, came about after years of speculation and hope. Curtis shared that she frequently received questions about the possibility of another Freaky Friday movie. “Besides people asking me about Halloween, the only thing, any country anywhere, whoever it is, wanted to know about was ‘Are we making another Freaky Friday?’” she said. It was this persistent fan interest that led Curtis to call Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, and suggest they make another film.
As Curtis pointed out, the timing for a sequel felt right. “It was time. And Lindsay is now a mommy, and Lindsay is old enough to be the mom of a teen,” she said with a smile. “I mean, a young, young mom — but you’re old enough to be a mom, but it works.” Curtis believes the new film is more than just a comedy; it’s a “love letter to mothers and daughters,” showcasing the evolving relationships between generations.
Lohan echoed this sentiment, noting the beauty of the film’s portrayal of family dynamics. “It’s so beautiful to see the three generations in this. It’s so beautiful to see how Anna looks to Tess for advice. But then Tess still wants to kind of come in and give out the advice. And Anna has become a little bit like Tess in a way very much in this… which is what happens in life. You always become a little bit like your mom,” Lohan said.
The pair also took to the stage at D23 to reveal the official title of the sequel to an excited audience. After some playful banter, they counted to three and announced the name: Freakier Friday.
In addition to Lohan and Curtis, several original cast members are set to return, including Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, and Christina Vidal Mitchell. The sequel will also introduce new characters played by Manny Jacinto, Julia Butters, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Sophia Hammons. The film, directed by Nisha Ganatra, is set to hit theaters in 2025.
