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- Disney’s “Freaky Friday” (2003) follows a mother-daughter duo who switch bodies.
- The movie starred Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Chad Michael Murray.
- Many of the original cast members made appearances in the 2025 sequel, “Freakier Friday.”
“Freaky Friday” was originally released on August, 6, 2003, and has since become a comedic classic.
The film, which stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as a mother-daughter duo who accidentally swap bodies, returned for a long-awaited sequel, “Freakier Friday,” in August 2025.
Here’s a look at how the “Freaky Friday” cast has evolved over time.
Jamie Lee Curtis, who was already a formidable star by 2003, played busy mother Tess.
Before “Freaky Friday,” Curtis appeared on a number of shows, including NBC’s “Quincy M.E.” and ABC’s “Operation Petticoat.”
She rose to stardom after her lead role in the 1978 mega-hit “Halloween,” and starred in subsequent sequels between 1981 and 2002.
Between those films, she appeared in “Trading Places” (1983), “A Fish Called Wanda” (1988), and “My Girl” (1991).
Curtis is still an A-list actor who has appeared in critically-acclaimed TV and film projects.
After “Freaky Friday,” Curtis starred in “Christmas With the Kranks” (2004), additional “Halloween” sequels, and “Knives Out” (2019). She even won an Academy Award for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022).
She’s also appeared on TV shows like Fox’s “Scream Queens,” Fox’s “New Girl,” and CBS’ “NCIS.”
Most recently, the actor was on Hulu’s “The Bear” and starred in “The Last Showgirl” (2024). She also reprised her role as Tess in “Freakier Friday.”
Lindsay Lohan played Anna, Tess’ angsty teen daughter.
Lohan was acting long before “Freaky Friday.”
She made a few appearances on PBS’ “Sesame Street” and NBC’s “Another World” before starring in the popular Disney remake “The Parent Trap” (1998).
She also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, “Get a Clue” (2002).
Lohan continued to earn leading roles before taking a break from acting.
After “Freaky Friday,” Lohan starred in “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” (2004) and “Mean Girls” (2004), which catapulted her further into stardom. She also had a brief singing career in between acting roles.
She went on to star in movies like “Just My Luck” (2006) and “Georgia Rule” (2007).
She’s also appeared on popular shows like NBC’s “Ugly Betty,” Fox’s “Glee,” and Netflix’s “Sick Note.”
Most recently, Lohan starred in the Netflix holiday film, “Falling for Christmas” (2022) and made an appearance as a moderator in the musical adaptation of “Mean Girls” (2024).
She reprised her role as Anna in “Freakier Friday.”
Chad Michael Murray already had experience as a teen heartthrob before playing Jake.
Murray’s first professional acting role was on MTV’s “Undressed.” He went on to star on The WB’s “Gilmore Girls” and “Dawson’s Creek.”
He began his most iconic role on The WB/The CW’s “One Tree Hill” in 2003, when “Freaky Friday” premiered.
Murray continued acting on “One Tree Hill” and in several films.
After the movie, Murray had a starring role as the love interest of another teen superstar, Hilary Duff, in “A Cinderella Story” (2004).
When “One Tree Hill” wrapped up in 2012, he appeared in “Fruitvale Station” (2013), “Outlaws and Angels” (2016), and on network series like ABC’s “Agent Carter” and The CW’s “Riverdale.”
More recently, he starred in “Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman” (2021), “Survive the Game” (2021), “Fortress: Sniper’s Eye” (2022), and Netflix’s “The Merry Gentlemen” (2024). He also acted on CTV’s “Sullivan’s Crossing.”
Murray reprised his role as Jake in “Freakier Friday.”
Ryan Malgarini starred as Harry, Anna’s younger brother.
“Freaky Friday” was one of Malgarini’s first roles as a professional actor.
That same year, he appeared in “The United State of Leland” (2003) and on The WB’s “Gilmore Girls.”
Malgarini continues to act sporadically after wrapping “Freaky Friday.”
Malgarini was next seen on CBS’ “Gary Unmarried,” Fox’s “Bones,” and MTV’s “Teen Wolf.”
Aside from reprising his role as Harry in “Freakier Friday,” his most recent role was in the 2020 dark comedy “Dinner in America.”
Christina Vidal was also a child star before playing Maddie, Anna’s friend and bandmate.
Vidal’s first role was alongside Michael J. Fox in “Life With Mikey” (1993).
She also guest-starred on TV shows for years, including ABC’s “The Commish,” and CBS’s “Touched by an Angel.”
In 2001, she went on to play the titular role on Nickelodeon’s “Taina.”
Vidal has worked on several TV shows and a handful of films.
Vidal (who now goes by Vidal Mitchell) had recurring roles on CBS’ “Code Black” and “Training Day.” She also appeared on ABC’s comedy “United We Fall.”
More recently, the actor appeared on Amazon Prime’s “The Terminal List” and Freevee’s “Primo.” She reprised her role as Maddie in “Freakier Friday.”
Haley Hudson played Peg, Anna’s other close friend and bandmate.
Hudson began her acting career as a guest star on Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire” before appearing in “Freaky Friday.”
Hudson continued to appear on television and in movies after “Freaky Friday.”
Hudson went on to join the cast of “Marley and Me” (2008), Showtime’s “Weeds,” and CBS’s “The Mentalist” after filming “Freaky Friday.”
According to IMDb, her latest role was in 2018 when she appeared in the short film “The Answer Mark.” However, she returned to acting to reprise her role as Peg in “Freakier Friday.”
Julie Gonzalo, who was new to Hollywood at the time, played Stacey, Anna’s high-school bully.
“Freaky Friday” was one of Gonzalo’s first roles. Around the time the film premiered, she also appeared on The WB’s “Greetings From Tucson.”
Gonzalo has since appeared on “Veronica Mars” and “Supergirl.”
Gonzalo starred in major films like “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (2004), “Christmas With the Kranks” (2004), and “Must Love Dogs” (2005).
She also joined the cast of several series, including the “Dallas” reboot on TNT and The CW/The WB’s “Veronica Mars.”
Her latest roles were on CBS/The CW’s “Supergirl,” and in the Hallmark TV movies “Cut, Color, Murder” (2022) and “Happy Holidays from Cherry Lane” (2024).
Mark Harmon was already a veteran TV actor when he played Ryan, Tess’ fiancé.
Harmon began his career in the 1970s, appearing on shows like NBC’s “Ozzie’s Girls” and ABC’s “Laverne and Shirley.”
He also had a lengthy run on NBC’s “St. Elsewhere” and CBS’s “Chicago Hope” before beginning his tenure on CBS’s “NCIS” in 2003, the same year “Freaky Friday” premiered.
Harmon worked on “NCIS” for nearly 20 years.
Harmon starred as Gibbs on “NCIS” for nearly 20 years.
In between seasons, he starred in films like “Chasing Liberty” (2004) and “Weather Girl” (2009). He also voiced his “NCIS” character on Fox’s “Family Guy.”
In 2025, he reprised his role as Ryan in “Freakier Friday.”
Harold Gould had an ever-growing résumé before playing Tess’ father.
Gould, the late prolific actor, had over 200 acting credits during his time in Hollywood.
With a TV career stemming back to the 1960s, he appeared on popular series like CBS’s “Dennis the Menace,” CBS’s “The Twilight Zone,” and ABC’s “The Love Boat.”
He also had a popular run on NBC’s “The Golden Girls” before joining the cast of “Freaky Friday.”
Gould worked a bit longer until he died in 2010.
Gould appeared on CBS’s “Cold Case” and FX’s “Nip/Tuck” after filming the movie.
A spokeswoman for Gould told The New York Times that he died of prostate cancer at age 86 in 2010.
His last credit on IMDb was in the 2010 short “The Day the Music Died.”
Lucille Soong, a veteran actor, played the restaurant employee who cursed Anna and Tess to inhabit each other’s bodies.
Soong has been working in Hollywood since the late 1950s.
Among other roles, she appeared on the ABC series “The Avengers” and “Dharma and Greg,” as well as in “The Joy Luck Club” (1993).
Soong continues to work on television and do voice work for movies.
After “Freaky Friday,” Soong appeared on ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Fresh Off the Boat.”
She also had a role in Disney’s “Sky High” (2005).
More recently, she lent her voice to Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” (2021) and appeared in three episodes of the Hallmark+ mini series “Holidazed” (2024).
Soong also reprised her role in “Freakier Friday.”
Rosalind Chao played Pei-Pei, the owner of the restaurant Tess and Anna dined in when they switched bodies.
By the time she joined the cast of “Freaky Friday,” Chao was already a veteran actor.
Her career began in 1970, working on projects like the short-lived CBS animated series “The Amazing Spider-Man,” NBC’s “Diff’rent Strokes,” and CBS’s “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”
She also starred in “The Joy Luck Club” alongside Soong.
Chao appeared in Disney’s “Mulan” in 2020 and continues to act in film and TV projects.
After “Freaky Friday,” Chao joined the Fox series “The OC” and ABC’s “Don’t Trust the B- in Apartment 23.”
She has appeared on more network shows like CBS’s “Hawaii Five-O,” ABC’s “Black-ish,” and NBC’s “This Is Us.”
She also starred in Disney’s 2020 “Mulan” remake, and more recently, she worked on FX’s “Better Things,” Showtime’s “The First Lady,” and Netflix’s “Sweet Tooth.”
Chao reprised her role as Pei-Pei in “Freakier Friday.”
Stephen Tobolowsky played Mr. Bates, Anna’s no-nonsense high school teacher.
Tobolowsky was already a well-known character actor before “Freaky Friday.”
He appeared on hit shows like CBS’s “Designing Women,” and in film projects such as “Mississippi Burning” (1988), “Thelma and Louise” (1991), and “Groundhog Day” (1993).
Tobolowsky has since appeared on hit sitcoms, including “One Day at a Time” and “The Goldbergs.”
Tobolowsky had many roles after the film’s release, notably on CBS’s “CSI: Miami,” HBO’s “Deadwood,” Fox’s “Glee,” and Showtime’s “Californication.”
Some of his latest credits include Netflix and Pop’s “One Day at a Time,” ABC’s “The Goldbergs” and Nickelodeon’s “The Loud House,” and Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This” (2024).
He reprised his role as Mr. Bates in “Freakier Friday.”
Willie Garson already made a name for himself before portraying Evan, Tess’ high-strung therapy client.
Garson worked steadily in Hollywood since 1986.
He appeared on NBC’s “Cheers,” and in films like “Soapdish” (1991), “Groundhog Day” (1993), and “Being John Malkovich” (1999).
One of his more notable roles was on HBO’s “Sex and the City” as Stanford Blatch.
Garson returned to his “Sex and the City” character over the years, and acted until his death in 2021.
Garson appeared on shows like USA’s “Monk,” CBS’s “CSI: Miami,” and HBO’s “John From Cincinnati.”
He returned to his role as Stanford Blatch for the “Sex and the City” movies in 2008 and 2010.
The actor also worked on shows like USA’s “White Collar” and Netflix’s “Big Mouth.”
He appeared in the 2021 drama “Before I Go” and on the HBO “Sex and the City” reboot “And Just Like That,” which was his final role before his death in September 2021.
This story was originally published on August 7, 2023 and most recently updated on August 8, 2025.
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