Jamie Lee Curtis Reveals How Freaky Friday Changed Her Career

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Freaky Friday was anything but a funsucker.

Over time, the 2003 movie featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon has gained a lot of popularity with fans-enough to warrant a follow-up film, Freakier Friday, which came out in 2025. (Freakier Friday is now available digitally on October 7th and on Blu-Ray November 11th.)

But for Jamie Lee, the original movie bears special weight. 

“It took me by surprise in my career,” she shared in a segment featured in Freakier Friday’s extra content. “It quickly became a turning point for me professionally, as the film was a huge hit all over the world.”

Chad also considers the movie a peak in his career, with the word “nostalgia” immediately springing to mind when he reflects on it.

“You know, 22 years ago, when I was starting out in filmmaking,” the One Tree Hill alum explained, “I moved to a new city and had the chance to work with Jamie Lee and Lindsay on a film that really resonated with a lot of people. It was a story many could relate to.”

Oh my gosh, it’s just *so* sweet! Apparently, all the stars of the movie look back on filming with such warm feelings. And Lindsay? She’s said she felt “really excited” the *entire* time she was on set! It just makes me love the movie even more knowing how happy everyone was making it!

“We were consistently enjoying ourselves,” she continued. “I only cherish positive memories from my time on set.”

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen many reunions, and this one was truly special! When the cast came back together after twenty years, the positive energy was still going strong – particularly between the two main actresses. It was lovely to witness such a genuine connection after all that time, and it really showed on screen. It’s a testament to the power of good chemistry, wouldn’t you agree? I’m always thrilled to see these heartwarming moments.

As Lindsay shared with TopMob News about Jamie Lee in April, she said, “We’ve remained close friends throughout the years, making it a truly wonderful experience to work together again. It felt like collaborating with a best friend, which was really lovely.”

Additionally, Lindsay-mother to 2-year-old son Luai with her husband Bader Shammas-enjoyed the chance to play her character again, but during a different time in her life.

She explained, “It was wonderful to see Anna grow up and become a mom in the movie. It felt really good to bring that stage of her life to the screen.”

Read on for secrets behind the Freaky Friday franchise. 

The 2003 film Freaky Friday is based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers. It’s actually the second time this story has been adapted for the screen. The first movie version came out in 1976, and a television movie followed in 1995.

The film’s producer Andrew Gunn contacted Jodie Foster, who originally played Annabel in the 1976 movie, hoping she’d be willing to play the mother. However, Foster declined the role, feeling that her presence in the film might draw unwanted attention away from the story.

Originally, Annette Bening was chosen to portray Tess Coleman. However, she had to withdraw from the project just six days before the scheduled start of filming.

4. Having first become well-known as the original “scream queen,” Halloween actress Jamie Lee Curtis believed her time as a leading lady was over. However, director Mark Waters contacted her about taking over the role from Bening.

In 2003, Curtis explained to the Telegraph that he had been presenting himself to interviewers as 44 years old, slightly overweight, and with grey hair – and he wasn’t going to cover it up. He also felt happy with where he was in life. He added that he’d always understood in this industry, there comes a time when it’s best to gracefully step away.

5. However, after reviewing the screenplay and discussing the role with Waters, Curtis chose to play the leading lady-going so far as to dye her hair and learn guitar-a decision that ultimately breathed new life into her career. As she put it, taking on the role “shows what can happen when you let go and let yourself feel liberated.”

6. Following her successful debut in The Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan stepped back from acting for a while. She shared that the sudden attention from becoming famous so quickly had been disorienting for her.

Everything happened very quickly, and Parent Trap was a fantastic film,” she explained to IGN back in 2003. “How could I possibly follow that up with something even better? I really wanted to focus on my education and experience a normal childhood. So, I went to high school, and I took on two projects for the Disney Channel, which were enjoyable, just to stay active.

But when she came across the script for Freaky Friday, Lohan knew it was “perfect” for her.

7. Before Lindsay Lohan landed the role of Anna, she competed with four other actresses for the part. Initially, she didn’t make a strong impression on director John Waters. In a 2005 episode of TopMob’s True Hollywood Story, he stated her audition was “probably the worst of the five.” However, Waters also admitted, “we also agreed she was a star.” He explained that she possessed an “amazing turbulence and energy” that he believed would be captivating for the character.

8. Kelly Osbourne was originally chosen for the role of Lohan’s best friend, but she ultimately decided against participating in the film after her mother, Sharon Osbourne, received a diagnosis of colon cancer.

In 2013, Osbourne told Cosmopolitan that he had to choose between focusing on his career and being with his mother during what might have been her final days. He said the decision was easy. “I said, ‘Fk you, career, hello, Mother,'” he explained. He then dedicated himself to becoming his mother’s full-time caregiver, providing 24/7 care.

9. Lindsay Lohan shared her first on-screen kiss in a movie with Chad Michael Murray, who portrayed Jake, Anna’s romantic partner. In a behind-the-scenes feature, Lohan mentioned, “I wasn’t very nervous-not after they made us do it fifteen times!”

10. However, Murray shared during a 2019 interview on Busy Tonight that he also kissed Curtis privately to calm Lindsay Lohan’s anxiety before filming their kiss. Curtis invited both Lohan and Murray to her trailer hoping to ease the tension before the cameras started rolling. Murray explained that Curtis “just grabbed me by the back of the head and made out with me.” His response was, “Dude, I just made out with Jamie Lee Curtis! This is great!”

11. Tom Selleck was first chosen to play Ryan, Tess’ boyfriend, but he left the film when Bening decided not to participate. Mark Harmon then took on the role, and he and Curtis became good friends. Curtis later appeared in several episodes of NCIS, Harmon’s popular CBS crime drama.

12. Orgy band member Amir Derakh gave Curtis and Lohan guitar lessons. Lohan later recorded her debut song, “Ultimate,” which was featured on a movie soundtrack.

13. Lindsay Lohan’s mother and former manager, Dina Lohan, makes a brief appearance in the last scene as a wedding attendee.

14. Marc McClure, known for playing Annabel’s love interest in the 1976 film, has a quick cameo as Boris, who delivers something to someone.

15. In a different version of the ending, Harry (Ryan Malgarini) and Grandpa (Harold Gould) ate the fortune cookies that caused them to switch bodies right when an earthquake struck, which could have led to another movie.

Rumors of a follow-up film started spreading after Curtis mentioned at a 2022 Halloween Ends press event in Mexico City that she would definitely return as Tess. She also shared a funny story about her friendship with Lohan, saying she always double-checks to make sure Lohan’s texts aren’t a phishing scam.

I was just reminiscing about shooting one of the most memorable scenes from the movie, and it brought back a funny memory. We were in the car, munching on French fries, and trying to learn the rap section in the middle of a song. As I recall, it was the Justin Timberlake track ‘Like I Love You.’ We kept playing the tape over and over, rewinding it constantly, and the two of us were actually writing out the lyrics to the entire rap right there in the car! It was a fun, collaborative moment.

Just three months before the 20th anniversary of the first movie, TopMob News reported that Curtis and Lohan were planning to switch bodies again. Lohan shared with People magazine, “We chat nearly every other day anyway, so I think this will be a really enjoyable experience.”

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2025-10-01 20:20