Jodie Foster Turned Down Freaky Friday Sequel—Director Reveals ‘We Begged Her’ For Cameo

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Fans of the original franchise need not worry about missing out on seeing one of its stars in the upcoming sequel titled “Freaky Friday.” Director Nisha Ganatra shared that she made every effort to bring the actor back for a cameo appearance.

A long time ago, before Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis took on the roles, it was a young Jodie Foster who started the franchise as Annabel Andrews in the initial Disney adaptation of Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel, “Freaky Friday.” Although she played the role that made “Freaky Friday” famous worldwide, Foster doesn’t seem inclined to reprise it. Ganatra revealed, “We begged her,” but “She has no plans to do it.

As a huge fan, I was thrilled to learn about the plan that had been set for Jodie Foster to make a heartwarming appearance in “Freakier Friday.” The filmmaker shared with us that they had envisioned her as the principal of the school. In their own words, they tried every possible strategy to make this happen. Regrettably, I never discovered why she ultimately decided against taking part in the cameo. Foster’s rendition of “Freaky Friday” was initially released by Buena Vista Distribution in 1977.

In the movie, Foster starred alongside Barbara Harris as Ellen Andrews. The film garnered favorable critiques upon release and proved to be a financial hit, earning $36 million while only costing $5 million to produce. It even received three nominations, among them Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for both Foster and Harris.

The upcoming movie titled “Freakier Friday” will mark the seventh installment of the series, with roots tracing back to the 2018 musical TV film and Disney Channel original production featuring Cozi Zuehldsorff and Heidi Blickenstaff. However, for many contemporary viewers, the phrase “Freaky Friday” is synonymous with the Lohan and Curtis adaptation. Notably, both actors will be reprising their roles from the initial film when it premieres in August.

Freaky Friday Sequel Features Several Returning Cast Members

When “Freaky Friday” premieres, it will mark more than 20 years since the initial movie graced our screens, yet fortunately for fans, several actors from the original have been confirmed to make an appearance. Many of them will reprise their roles as they did in 2003. Rosalind Chao will take on the part of Pei-Pei, the Chinese restaurant owner who facilitated Tess (Curtis) and Anna’s (Lohan) body swap. Additionally, it has been announced that the character of Jake, Anna’s former boyfriend, will also be portrayed by someone in this new version.

As a movie enthusiast, let me share some exciting news about the upcoming “Freakier Friday”! In this tale, Julia Butters will portray Harper Coleman, Anna’s daughter who experiences an extraordinary swap with Anna herself. Additionally, Sophia Hammons is set to play Lily Davies, a character who finds herself in Tess’s body. Last but not least, the talented actors from “The Acolyte” and “The Good Place” will join our cast as Eric Davies, Anna’s fiancé and Lily’s father. I can hardly wait to see this new ensemble bring the story to life!

Freakier Friday will hit theaters on Aug. 8.

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2025-04-30 19:37