20 Years After 'Freaky Friday': Where Is The Cast Now?

Fans today might remember that the 2003 film "Freaky Friday," starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, is a remake of the original movie from 1976 — but some might not realize the story was actually adapted from the book "Freaky Friday" by Mary Rodgers, published in 1972. Essentially, it's the story of a mother and daughter at odds, seemingly unable to understand the other's point of view. In the remake, Curtis and Lohan switch bodies via magical fortune cookies until they learn to appreciate each other's perspective.

The 2003 film did well at the box-office (making $160 million worldwide) and was a hit with critics and audiences. The New York Times called it, "a quick-witted, perfectly modulated family farce with a pair of beautifully matched performances from Ms. Lohan and especially Ms. Curtis, who does some of her best work ever." Roger Ebert agreed, writing, "they're right for these roles not only because of talent, but also because of their essential natures."

In November 2022, Variety revealed that there's a possible sequel in the works. According to the outlet, both Lohan and Curtis are talking with Disney about the possibility. Curtis shared that she felt the ages of both actors would work well, commenting, "We're both committed to it, and it's not ours to make." Fingers crossed it works out, but until then, let's take a look at what some of the actors of "Freaky Friday" have been up to.

Beloved actor and World War II veteran Harold Gould had his television debut in the early '60s after earning a PhD from Cornell in dramatic speech and literature. He made a name for himself portraying Rhoda Morgenstern's father in both "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and its spinoff "Rhoda." He appeared in numerous other TV shows through the decades: "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Twilight Zone," "The Partridge Family," "Dallas," "The Golden Girls," "St. Elsewhere," too many to name! He also graced audiences in the theatre. By the time Gould appeared in "Freaky Friday" as the sometimes confused but always wise-cracking grandpa, he was 80 years old and had played and perfected such a role. When Ryan tries to win over his stepdaughter-to-be — unsuccessfully — Grandpa tells him with confidence, "Stop groveling, man. Let her come to you."

After "Freaky Friday," Gould appeared in just a handful of other roles, including the movie "English as a Second Language" and guest spots on the TV shows "Cold Case" and "Nip/Tuck." Almost fittingly, his last credit was in a video short entitled "The Day the Music Died," where he played Old "Wise" Man. The Emmy-nominated actor ended his career with an impressive 206 credits on his IMDb page.

In September 2010, Gould passed away from prostate cancer (per The Hollywood Reporter). At the time of his death, he was 86 and survived by his wife of 60 years, their three children, and five grandchildren. Gould was considered one of the great character actors of his time.

Willie Garson started acting in the mid-'80s, appearing mostly in television. By the time "Freaky Friday" came along, he had almost 20 years under his belt. In the film, he played one of Tess' regular patients, who was definitely on the needy side. During this time, Garson was most of the way through his run on "Sex and the City" as Stanford Blatch, Carrie's best friend. Garson went on to do more TV, including "CSI: Miami," "John from Cincinnati" (where he had 10 episodes), and "Two and a Half Men." He also appeared in both "Sex and the City" movies and 2017's "The Polka King" with Jack Black.

Garson, who was single and an adoptive parent, shared with People that the moment he saw his son, he knew he was his child. The two met at a 2008 adoption fair, and it was made official in 2010. He shared frankly how Nathan changed his life, saying, "I'm a narcissistic, entitled, spoiled actor, so my entire life has been focused on myself. Until the moment I met Nathan, and then it wasn't. And it's a better life."

Sadly, Garson passed away in 2021 of pancreatic cancer. His former "Sex and the City" co-star was one of many who paid tribute to the actor online. "The anguish. The magnitude of the loss of a 30 + year friendship," Sarah Jessica Parker wrote on Instagram when sharing several snaps of them together.

Long-time actor and Hollywood royalty (from parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh) Jamie Lee Curtis holds several spots in pop culture history, including her scream queen role in the "Halloween" franchise and her part as body-switching mom Tess, who shreds on the electric guitar in "Freaky Friday," a role for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. The actor followed that up with the holiday film "Christmas with the Kranks." From "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" to 2019's "Knives Out," Curtis has been in numerous films. Among her TV appearances, she was on "NCIS" and six episodes of "New Girl" as Jessica Day's mother. Fittingly, in 2015 she started a recurring role in "Scream Queens" with Emma Roberts; Curtis also had the opportunity to direct an episode of the show.

In 2021, Curtis received the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award at the Venice Film Festival. In her emotional speech, she said of her parents, "They both came from such humble beginnings, and through the miracle of the movie industry, they were able to reach such creative heights..." She said she knew both her parents would be proud of her. In 2022, not only did Curtis appear in the award-winning film "Everything Everywhere All at Once," but at 63 years old, she starred in "Halloween Ends," the (supposed) final movie in the "Halloween" saga.

Curtis is also a published children's book author of a dozen titles, and she was the photographer of 2022's "What Do You See?" with writer and illustrator Barney Salzman.

Starting her career as a child actor and model, Lindsay Lohan is most remembered for her breakout roles in Disney's 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap." Perhaps boosting her star status even more was her second remake project, "Freaky Friday." Lohan followed that up with "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" and "Mean Girls." It was also in 2004 that she released her first album, "Speak."

In adulthood, Lohan continued to work, focusing mainly on films and a handful of indie projects. Then, in 2015 came a big move on Lohan's part when she moved to Dubai for a fresh start, per Emirates Woman. She shared with the publication that her life was very different in Dubai: "I don't have to be publicly seen all the time, or discuss what I'm doing."

In 2019, Lohan executive produced her own reality show called "Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club," which followed her management of a club in Greece. In 2022 she launched her own podcast, "The Lohdown with Lindsay Lohan," and appeared in a Netflix Christmas movie, "Falling for Christmas." Best of all, Lohan got married in a secret 2022 wedding! Though she has publicly gone through some challenging times and troubles with the law, Lohan has transformed to revitalize her career and reach so many new achievements.

Ryan Malgarini was just 11 years old when he played Harry, Anna's little brother, in "Freaky Friday" in 2003. Malgarini was adorable and funny as he fumbled through the mother-daughter switch that made his sometimes mean sister be so sweet to him while his mother suddenly treated him like a pest.

After "Freaky Friday," the actor appeared in an episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" and then landed another primo role as Will Robinson in "The Robinsons: Lost in Space." In 2005, he put his little brother skills to good use as Bradley in Disney Channel's "Go Figure," and he was Benjy a year later in a film adaptation of Thomas Rockwell's novel "How to Eat Fried Worms." Malgarini was a series regular on the sitcom "Gary Unmarried," which ran for two seasons, from 2008 to 2010. He told CBS on the red carpet, "I just love coming to work every day and just laughing. ... It's been a great experience." After starring opposite Haley Lu Richardson in the film "The Young Kieslowski" and appearing in several more TV shows, Malgarini's last credit to date was in 2020's "Dinner in America."

In terms of social media, there's not much more than a private Instagram with a bio that reads, "I used to act as a kid. Now I just act like one." 

In 2023, Mark Harmon hit a milestone of five decades in television and movies. And a good chunk of his credits have been in roles of authority, especially in law enforcement or medicine, so it was a fun departure for fans to see him as the fiance in "Freaky Friday." But Harmon wouldn't step away from his niche for long, because the same year the film came out, the actor started a whopper of a role — Special Agent Leroy Gibbs on "NCIS."

While Harmon focused primarily on "NCIS," he did rake in a few other roles, including a part in the film "Weather Girl," voicing his "NCIS" character on "Family Guy," and appearing on four episodes of "NCIS: New Orleans." In 2012, Harmon received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In his humble acceptance speech, the actor couldn't take all the credit, saying, "I'm a team guy. I believe no one does it alone."

By the end of 2018, rumors were swirling that Harmon was leaving "NCIS" for health reasons, but according to Page Six, the actor's rep denied the report. The Hollywood Reporter revealed in 2021 that Season 19 would be the end of the road for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. However, since Harmon has been a producer on the show and his character is "away fishing," only time will tell if the stars align for Harmon's return to the cast.

The early 2000s were a busy time for actor Chad Michael Murray. The new talent was cast in recurring roles on two TV shows: "Gilmore Girls" and "Dawson's Creek." Murray soon landed a part in the major motion picture "Freaky Friday," playing the motorcycle-riding "bad boy" Jake, whom Anna had a crush on. Of course, when Anna inhabits her mother's body, Murray primarily works opposite Jamie Lee Curtis. Even after Murray began his six-season run on "One Tree Hill," the actor starred alongside Hilary Duff in "A Cinderella Story" in 2004 and was in the slasher film "House of Wax" in 2005. That year, Murray married actor Sophia Bush, but the couple divorced the following year.

Following "One Tree Hill," Murray hit a bit of a lull, which may have had something to do with his reported behavior at the time, per E! News. Murray told the outlet, "I was just living my life, going out, and I changed everything." He added, "When you're young and you're thrown into something that I was definitely not ready for — I'm human and screw up." In 2012, he returned to "One Tree Hill" for an episode in the final season. Murray met actor Sarah Roemer when they were both on Crackle's "Chosen." The happy couple married in 2015, and they have two children.

In 2021, Murray played serial killer Ted Bundy in "Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman," and for 2023, he's already set to appear in "Sullivan's Crossing." The star has been the leading man in a number of Christmas rom-coms.

Christina Vidal burst onto the Hollywood scene at 11 years old, appearing alongside Michael J. Fox in the film "Life with Mikey." Vidal worked steadily through the rest of the '90s, including her role in the beloved Disney Channel Original Movie "Brink!" In 2001, she began her titular role in Nickelodeon's "Taina," which ended in 2002. The actor explained to the Los Angeles Times, "I was in Germany with my pop group [Gemstone] when I got called to audition in L.A. Taina loved to sing and dance and act — and I love to do all three of those things." So the star was a pro by the time she was cast in "Freaky Friday" as Anna's friend and lead singer of their band. Also in 2003, Vidal started a new series, "10-8: Officers on Duty," which lasted one season.

The actor focused primarily on television moving forward. She snagged guest spots on "Monk," "House," and "Blue Bloods." In 2016, she became Christina Vidal Mitchell when she married actor Marcus Emanuel Mitchell, and the couple now has two children. In 2017, she got a recurring role on the cop show "Training Day," based on the film of the same name, but it seems that her role in the series "United We Fall" has had the biggest impact on her, per her 2020 interview with the Latin Times. "I felt like an equal, and I felt creatively free and supported," Vidal said, specifically mentioning co-star Jane Curtin. "It was the best experience of my life." 

In 2022, she was in five episodes of "The Terminal List."

Amazingly, Haley Hudson's first movie role was in "Freaky Friday," as a bandmate and friend of Lindsay Lohan's Anna, after only one guest spot on TV in Season 2 of "Lizzie McGuire." From there, Hudson continued to work in both movies and television, but to date, she holds just under two dozen credits.

In 2008, she appeared in an episode of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" as well as the film "Marley & Me," with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. She also appeared in three episodes of "Weeds" and in 2010 garnered a spot in a show called "Look," but it lasted a single season. That same year she was in the film "Killer by Nature," and in 2012, she landed one of the top spots in horror movie "The Pact." Hudson also has a soundtrack credit on the film for performing "The Judas Song." The actor played the same character in 2014 for "The Pact II." 

Hudson's last credit is in 2018 for a video short called "The Answer Mark." A quick search for any social media of the actor doesn't yield much more than others who have the same name, so only time will tell if we will see Hudson on screen again.

Stephen Tobolowsky is a prolific actor of both television and film with almost 300 credits to his name, spread over more than four decades in the business. In "Freaky Friday," the actor plays Anna's teacher who is unfairly downgrading her papers. Turns out that Mr. Bates was once scorned by Anna's mother, Tess, and is out for revenge.

Throughout the 2000s, Tobolowsky garnered more roles on the big and small screen, including in shows such as "The West Wing" and "Will & Grace" and in the films "Garfield," "Failure to Launch," and "Wild Hogs." In 2008, Tobolowsky had an eight-episode arc on "Glee," coincidentally playing a character with the same last name (Ryerson) as the character he's most known for in "Groundhog Day." The actor joined the cast of "Californication" in Season 4, and not long after that concluded, he jumped to two long-running gigs on other shows. In 2017, he started with the remake of "One Day at a Time" and has consistently been on "The Goldbergs" since Season 2, with new episodes slated for 2023. What likely had to be a unique and exciting opportunity for the actor was the "Groundhog Day" parody Super Bowl commercial for Jeep in which Tobolowsky reunited with co-star Bill Murray.

Tobolowsky might typically play a side character, but in real life he's the main character and has the stories to prove it, which he's been sharing on his podcast "The Tobolowsky Files" since 2009. He said in a Lone Star Plate interview, "Some are about heartbreak, or one, I was held hostage at gunpoint in a grocery store."

Fairly new to screen acting in the 2000s, Julie Gonzalo had the opportunity to play Anna's former friend Stacey Hinkhouse, who for some reason took to bullying Anna in "Freaky Friday." The Argentine actor went on to such hits as "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "A Cinderella Story" with Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, and teaming up again with Jamie Lee Curtis, "Christmas with the Kranks." At the premiere, Gonzalo had only good things to say about Curtis. "I've been so blessed to work with her twice," she said. "I couldn't ask for a better role model."

Gonzalo has had recurring roles on "Eli Stone" and "Veronica Mars," and she landed the role of Pamela Barnes in "Dallas," a reboot of the original series, but with a twist. Instead of copying old storylines, it was meant to be more of a continuation of the original show. Gonzalo continued appearing in film and TV, and she became a series regular in the Arrowverse in 2019, playing Andrea Rojas on "Supergirl."

Gonzalo welcomed a new baby in June 2022, sharing the news on her Instagram. According to People, daddy is Chris McNally, her co-star in the 2018 Hallmark movie "The Sweetest Heart." Apparently, the couple have been very hush-hush about their relationship as well as the pregnancy.

American actor Rosalind Chao has been appearing on-screen since the '70s, her first credit being "Here's Lucy." Chao and her "Freaky Friday" co-star Lucille Soong were both in "The Joy Luck Club" in 1993. Ten years later, Chao played Pei-Pei, a restaurateur Anna and Tess encounter on the night when they receive the magic fortune cookies. The majority of Chao's roles that followed were on television shows including "Six Feet Under," "Grey's Anatomy," and six episodes of "The O.C.," but she also appeared in the 2005 film "Just Like Heaven" with Reese Witherspoon. The 2010s brought even more TV roles.

In 2019, the actor was in "The Laundromat," starring Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas. The following year, Chao appeared in Disney's live-action version of "Mulan," playing Mulan's mother, Li. The actor shared in interviews how important the movie was to her personally. She told Hawaii News Now, "Nothing reflected back at me on screen that was positive when I was a young kid. I mean, I didn't even see myself in media." She went on to say that with "Mulan," young children could have what she didn't, adding, "I can't tell you how moving that is."

Chao has a new project in the works for 2023, a sci-fi series about aliens called "3 Body Problem," based on the novel of the same name. 

Chinese-American actor Lucille Soong turned 84 years old in 2022, and after 60-plus years in show business, she's still going strong. In "Freaky Friday," Soong is listed as Pei-Pei's mom, but her role is pivotal in the story, as she is the one who sees Anna and Tess arguing and gives them the magic fortune cookies that make them switch bodies. Following that film, the actor was in "Sky High," "Just Like Heaven," "Nancy Drew" and the horror film "Heebie Jeebies," as well as guest spots in TV shows including "The King of Queens" and "Desperate Housewives."

In 2015, she began playing Grandma Huang on "Fresh Off the Boat," a role in which she is in a wheelchair and speaks English sometimes, but mostly Mandarin. In a 2017 interview with the Center for Asian American Media, Soong said she enjoyed playing the role and being a grandmother. The actor also shared how her career began in the late 1950s and early '60s. "I am an accidental actress. It just happened in my life. When I moved from Hong Kong to London, I was walking to shop for grocery in the street. An agent chased me and approached me to go to Spain for a movie, '55 Days at Peking,'" she said. Soong continued, "This is the second time I was put in a movie so it seemed that was my fate." 

Soong voiced a character for the film "Raya and the Last Dragon" in 2021, but we'll have to wait and see what comes next for this actor.

Actor, dancer, and singer Erica Gimpel rose to stardom on a TV show called "Fame" as a student in an arts school. In "Freaky Friday," Gimpel plays the teacher instead. She is concerned about her student Harry, Anna's brother. Gimpel has a memorable scene with Jamie Lee Curtis during a parent-teacher conference, after Anna and Tess have already switched bodies. At the time of filming, the actor had just completed six years as a recurring character on "ER."

In the years to follow, Gimpel acted primarily in television, with a nine-episode run on "Veronica Mars," four episodes on "Boston Legal," and in 2011, 10 episodes as a detective on "The Young and the Restless." She also appeared in films such as "Blue Eyes" and "Veronika Decides to Die," with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Gimpel was on two seasons of "God Friended Me" from 2018 to 2020 and had a guest spot on "9-1-1" in 2022. The actor has more in store for 2023, including "Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches."

Despite her long career in show business along with the varied roles she's taken on, the actor will always be Coco from "Fame" to many of her fans. She said in a 2021 interview, "I, to this day, will travel around the world and people will come up to me and say, 'You don't understand, that school, that show, inspired me to follow my dream.'"