Freakier Friday's Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan on reuniting for sequel
It’s time to get freaky all over again! Decades after they first swapped lives in a fun adventure, the cast of Freaky Friday is back after two decades for more laughs and love in Freakier Friday, which is in theaters Friday. The reunion is more than just a trip down memory lane; it’s a hilarious peek into what happens when a beloved cast grows up, becomes parents and gets ready to tackle the chaotic fun of a sequel, which Jamie Lee Curtis now calls “frequel,” demanding the Disney marketing rep get a raise. From Curtis’s infectious “weirdo” energy to Lindsay Lohan’s new-mom perspective, the stars of this long-awaited film are dishing on everything from perfecting each other’s mannerisms to the on-set pranks that prove some things — like a good laugh — never change. The film picks up decades after Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna’s (Lindsay Lohan) initial body-swapping adventure. Anna is now a single mom preparing for her wedding to a new man (Manny Jaincto), and Tess is a supportive grandmother. When their families clash, a mysterious four-way body swap occurs. Anna ends up in her rebellious daughter Harper’s (Julia Butters) body, while Harper is in Anna’s body. Tess finds herself in her soon-to-be step-granddaughter Lily’s (Sophia Hammons) body and Lily is in Tess’s. This forces them all to literally walk in each other’s shoes, while they race to reverse the spell before Anna’s wedding. Freakier Friday is a pure delight to watch, with several nods and winks that hard-core fans of the original will recognize. It’s not just a bagful of nostalgia, but makes it fresh and fun for new audiences too. We sat down with Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Chad Michael Murray, Manny Jacinto, Vanessa Bayer and Nisha Ganatra in Los Angeles, where the sequel was filmed, to discuss why the original movie’s magic has endured and what it means to return to a story that has touched so many. The conversation dives deep into the evolution of their characters — like how Tess has become a more supportive mom and how Anna has matured into a mother herself — and the challenges of playing a body-swapped version of a person they know so well. The cast opens up about the playful atmosphere on set, revealing how ad-libbing and physical comedy were essential to bringing the new film to life and proving that the genuine camaraderie between them is just as strong as ever. Vancouver-born director Nisha Ganatra describes Curtis as a brilliant physical comedian. “She surprised me the most when she jumped full on to the hood of a car and slid down and did that maybe five times in a row. Just her sheer joy and energy — Jamie is somebody who always has advice on how to do things that you are dying to hear. She is just a fountain of wisdom. She is a joyful person and she leads with her heart,” said Ganatra. Ganatra, whose film also stars notable Canadians Jacinto and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, is in awe of Canada’s melting pot. “Who doesn’t love Canada? There’s just something so amazing about the way Canada’s done diversity, without telling everyone to lose their own heritage and just value each other’s differences.” Freakier Friday is more than just a sequel; it’s a reunion of a beloved family, both on and off-screen. Lohan best described the significance of returning to this story for a generation that grew up with the original: “It’s such an honor and it’s such a beautiful thing. You wish to make movies where you can then do a sequel and everyone grows with you. I think that’s what we were able to do with this, and it’s just a really exciting moment that we get to share with everyone, especially when it’s such a happy, heartfelt movie to have generations love that and grow with that and share that with their children, that’s a beautiful thing.” There’s no doubt that Freakier Friday is poised to capture the hearts of both longtime fans and a new generation.
