Meeting her in person, Lindsay Lohan has never looked better. At 39, her skin is glowing and flawless, and the years of drug and alcohol addiction, when she looked neglected, wild and older than her age, feel farther away than ever. Hollywood is full of child stars who rise early and crash hard, but far fewer who return after the fall.
That is why, when “Freakier Friday,” starring Lohan, hit theaters about a month ago, a sequel to “Freaky Friday” and her first feature film shoot since 2007, there was widespread excitement about her transformation. Hollywood loves a comeback story.
Lohan was born in New York, started modeling at 9 and had her breakout role at 12 in “The Parent Trap.” In the years that followed, she became a global star with films such as the iconic “Mean Girls,” “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” and “Just My Luck.” But as her career soared, her private life deteriorated. She became known mainly as a party girl, and was photographed in clubs, drunk and out of control. Her mental and physical state began to affect her work. Stories of lateness, missed shooting days and an inability to function leaked to the media. Job offers dropped dramatically, and her career essentially faded.
In the years after that, Lohan largely disappeared from public view. She moved in and out of rehab, until in late 2013 she entered a treatment program and later gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey. She openly acknowledged her addiction and said she was determined to stay sober. “Now I feel whole again, and I have a strong desire to keep that feeling,” she said at the time. Around then, Lohan decided on a major turning point. She distanced herself from the party scene and began living quietly, away from the spotlight.
One of her decisions was to move to Dubai in 2014. She was seen wearing a hijab and said she was studying the Quran and had found “a lot of peace” in Islam. In Dubai she met Bader Shammas, a Kuwaiti finance professional from a wealthy Christian family. When they first met, she told “Allure,” “I feel like you are the person I will be with forever.” The two married in 2022, and a year later they had a son, Luai, which means “shield” in Arabic.
Over the past year, Lohan has returned in a big way. She starred in two Netflix films, “Irish Wish” and “Our Little Secret,” and social media has been consumed with her new look and speculation about cosmetic procedures. Lohan has said it is simply healthy eating and splashing her face with ice water in the morning. In the interview, she is indeed very beautiful, and also warm, friendly and kind.
“Freaky Friday” premiered 20 years ago, and now you have a sequel. What does that mean to you?
“It is a full circle moment for me, and also a new beginning. Even though I was so young when I did the first film, I had already been through a lot in my life at that time. I needed time to stop.”
What was it like working again with Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred with you in the first film?
“Jamie is one of a kind. She is a loving, fun person. She was an important figure in my life, especially when I was young in Los Angeles and alone. I used to go to her for personal advice. She is still important to me, and we are close. Recently I sent her a photo that came up in my memories, and two seconds later she had already posted it on Instagram.”
In this film you are playing a mother, after becoming a mother yourself. How did that shape the way you approached the role?
“Motherhood helped me. Even though I am not yet a mom to a teenager, I was a teenager once, and I know what I put my mother through. I was excited to play a mom, it is a completely different place. Being a mom opens your eyes to parts of life you did not see before. Life looks different. It helped me bring something new to the character.”
You and Julia Butters, who plays your daughter, also sing the song “Baby” together. What was that experience like?
“It is a song that hits you right in the heart. Now that I am a mom, I can relate to it in so many ways. Watching your child develop, being a good parent, and also taking care of yourself. When I sang it I started crying because I thought about my son and about Julia, who is growing up in the industry. I wanted to protect her and be there for her.”
Who stops you in the street these days, younger people or older people?
“People of all ages, but a lot of young kids, which surprises me. It is a great feeling to make kids happy and laugh. I am grateful that anyone stops me in the street.”
When fans stop you, which film do they want to talk about most?
“They used to stop me because of ‘Mean Girls,’ but now it is ‘The Parent Trap,’ and that is surprising to me. I think it is because of my fair skin and freckles, maybe also the raspy voice. If I had to choose my most sentimental film, it really is ‘The Parent Trap.’ It was my first movie.”
Would you come back to that film in a parent role?
“Only if Nancy Meyers, the director, did it. I am looking for new projects and challenges as an actor. I have a lot more to show, and I feel like I still have not touched parts of my talent.”
You have lived such an intense life, with fame from a young age. What helped you feel stable and connected to yourself?
“I found myself when I lived outside the United States. When I moved to Dubai, I stepped away from everything, and I could take time to travel, be alone, think about family and building my own life. I realized how much I love acting, but now I have balance between my private life and work that is just work. That balance and quiet are what I am most grateful for.”
Lohan’s next project is a mini series, “Count My Lies,” in which she will play a wealthy woman hiding dark secrets, and she is also serving as a producer. “I am really looking forward to it because it is a different character,” she said. “I want more projects like that, ones that let me stretch my abilities as an actor and go to new places. At the same time I am starting to build my own skincare business, which is something I love.”
Now that you are back in the industry, do you worry about facing fame and paparazzi again?
“No. The only time I worry is when I am in New York and walking down the street with my son. I do not want him to be part of that. Other than that, I am used to it.”