The Parent Trap Star Who Had A Crush On Dennis Quaid While Filming

Dennis Quaid's famous good looks once caught the attention of his "The Parent Trap" co-star. Not that we're shocked. Obviously, Quaid is a serious actor with a shelf full of awards to match. Plus, his backlog of films has made movie studios nearly $2 billion, according to The Numbers. However, Quaid is definitely one of Hollywood's original celebrity heartthrobs.  

The Chicago Tribune credits 1987's "The Big Easy" for thrusting Quaid into the role of a sex symbol, but that's really a matter of personal preference. But if we're nominating particular roles, then Quaid's role in "The Parent Trap," where he played Nick Parker — a single, thoughtful, divorced father — should definitely be in the running. Quaid's performance was so sympathetic that we were willing to forgive his terrible decision to entertain Meredith Blake's gold-digging ways. Ironically, Quaid's former "The Parent Trap" star was just as enamored with him while filming the beloved movie.

Here's how she handled it.

Which star from "The Parent Trap" set her sights on Dennis Quaid? That would be Lisa Ann Walter, who played Chessy. "He was one of my sexy dreamboat idols," Walter shared with Vanity Fair in 2019. "Dennis — I had to pretend I didn't have a crush on him, and I really did. When I first got around him, I blushed all the time. Then, on the last day, I made him say something pretty filthy to me from 'The Big Easy'... He knew what it was." Elaine Hendrix — who was also present in the interview — shared what made Quaid so appealing. "He would be Mr. Melt-you-with-his-smile one minute — and then you'd go have lunch with him, and he'd walk away, and he's had half his lunch on his shirt because he's such a dude," Hendrix explained. 

During an episode of "Watch What Happens Live," Walter shared whether or not she and Hendrix ever acted on their attraction to Quaid. "Elaine's my best friend. If she had made a move, I would have known about it," Walter shared. "I absolutely had a crush on him. [Elaine] was very young, so maybe he was crushing on her a little bit." Walter also shared which line from "The Big Easy" Quaid performed for her. "Your luck's about to change, Cher," Quaid said, according to Walter. "And I fell on the ground," she added.

Lisa Anne Walter's crush on Dennis Quaid may not have been obvious to viewers, but really, who could blame her? However, Elaine Hendrix was also a little beside herself over Quaid. Plus, her admiration obviously helped stoke the scorching passion between their characters. "I thought we had tremendous chemistry," Hendrix shared with Insider in 2021. She also addressed the age difference between the two. "One of the generalized differences between men and women is that boys mature later and girls mature earlier. So I think I was sort of an older 26," revealed Hendrix, who added that Quaid had a youthful spirit. 

Ultimately, neither Hendrix's nor Walter's characters ended up with Quaid. However, they have since found lifelong friendships in one another. In 2019, the close friends accompanied each other to The Tony Awards. "True glamour is going to @thetonyawards with your #BFF @lisaannwalter in a taxi wearing couture by @nataliafedner. New York City baby!" posted Hendrix to Instagram.