Fans of the 1998 “Parent Trap” remake might recognize a familiar face in “Freakier Friday.”
The sequel to the 2003 film, which hit theaters on Friday, Aug. 8, sees Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as iconic mother-daughter duo Anna and Tess Coleman.
But they’re not the only two actors to reunite on the Disney set.
Elaine Hendrix, who portrayed the evil fiancé to the dad of Lohan’s character in “The Parent Trap,” has a cameo with her former co-star.
Here’s what to know about Hendrix’s cameo in the “Freaky Friday” sequel and how it pays homage to her role in “The Parent Trap.”
Who Is Elaine Hendrix in ‘Freakier Friday’?
Hendrix makes a cameo in “Freakier Friday” as Blake Kale, who works for a magazine featuring Anna’s client, pop star Ella (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). Anna, as an adult, manages a record label.
In one scene, Hendrix addresses Anna as “puss,” which is what her “Parent Trap” character, Meredith Blake, called Lohan’s characters, Hallie and Annie.
Who Does Elaine Hendrix Play in ‘Parent Trap’?
In the 1998 “Parent Trap” remake, Hendrix plays Meredith, the unlikable fiancé to Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid).
Lohan’s characters, twins Hallie and Annie, are attempting to break up Meredith and their dad in an effort to reunite him with their mom, Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson).
When the “Parent Trap” remake first came out, Meredith was largely seen as the antagonist in the film. But in recent years, some TikTok users have come to the character’s defense.
In a June interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hendrix applauded the film’s longevity and addressed Meredith’s newfound support, saying she has “millennials to thank for that.”
“My whole career, I’ve defended Meredith Blake, tooth and nail. I had to justify everything she did and believe in her. I had to think, she’s the good guy! I’m happy and grateful that everybody else is catching up with that, now,” she told the outlet.
What Has Elaine Hendrix Said About Being in ‘Freakier Friday’?
In a July 22 joint post with Hendrix, IMDb shared side-by-side images on Instagram that compared a shot from “The Parent Trap” to a photo from the “Freakier Friday” premiere. Both photos — 27 years apart — showed the actor alongside Lohan and Lisa Ann Walter, who plays Chessy in “The Parent Trap” and has remained friends with Hendrix.
On July 24, Hendrix shared her own solo shot on social media from the premiere, writing, “FREAKIER FRIDAY PREMIERE was a dream come true.”
The actor thanked Disney and gave a special shoutout to the film’s director, Nisha Ganatra, for asking her to “jump in the sandbox in the first place!”
In another June interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hendrix credited Ganatra for bringing her on for “Freakier Friday,” saying she remembers telling the director, “Girl, you know I’ll show up for you to do anything.”
Outside of a virtual “Parent Trap” reunion during the pandemic, Hendrix told the outlet that she and Lohan “loosely” stayed in touch after the 1998 film, given their age difference at the time.
“I got to physically see her, and we spent a lot of time together on set, hanging out, reminiscing, and catching up,” Hendrix said of reuniting with Lohan for “Freakier Friday.”
“Now, we’re better about staying in touch with one another,” she added.
While Lohan “lives on the other side of the world” from Hendrix and has kept busy with her family, the “Dynasty” actor explained they’ve stayed in touch via social media and texting, which she called “quite lovely.”
“I’m so happy for her and where she is in her life,” Hendrix says of Lohan. “It’s nice, in these new chapters of our lives, to be in contact.”
“There’s a lot of people who live a lot of lives. Life lifes, you know what I mean? There are few people who live their life in such a public way that she was thrusted into,” Hendrix added of Lohan. “We go to see things we just don’t normally see about people. To see her now after so much that she’s gone through. She’s just in a really great place. She looks great, she’s so happy, and I’m happy and thrilled for her.”
