Posted in: Disney, Movies | Tagged: disney, film, Freakier Friday, freaky friday

Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on One Star's Freakier Friday Audition

Jamie Lee Curtis shares how seeing Sophia Hammons’ standout audition convinced her the young star was perfect for Freakier Friday.

More than two decades after the release of the 2003 hit comedy Freaky Friday, Disney finally answers its fans' (and its stars') long-held hopes for a sequel with Freakier Friday, a theatrical follow-up that had been carefully making traction for years before officially entering production in 2024. And now, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan returning as mother-daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman, the film dives even deeper into body-swap chaos, this time involving Anna's teenage daughter and her soon-to-be stepdaughter. It's essentially aiming to offer a multigenerational twist packed with both warm nostalgia and new comedic dynamics.

Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Her First Impression of Sophia Hammons' Freakier Friday Audition

A big reason fans felt this sequel was worth the wait? The ensemble cast of new and returning stars. In fact, Curtis, who not only stars but also serves as a producer, knew early on who embodied the right spirit for her character's expanded world. As she tells Collider about casting Sophia Hammons (who plays her character's soon-to-be stepdaughter), the actor reveals, "I watched all the auditions, and I kept saying… 'That English girl, she's really, really good.' And she goes, 'She's not English.' I was like, 'Shut up! Shut up.' I mean, it was really a little shocking to me because it's a pretty mature performance… So, I had some early views."

Upon release, the majority of critics and audiences responded positively to Freakier Friday, as it currently holds fairly strong scores across review platforms. And while it's far from perfect, the consensus appears to be that the sequel has (mostly) struck the right balance of charm and freshness. During opening weekend alone, the film grossed a healthy $29 million at the domestic box office, even as it shared screens with other summer heavy-hitters. Now, it sits at a global box office haul of $44 million (with an estimated budget of $40 million), so who knows what the future holds? Maybe we'll even get another film one day. And while it might be for a more niche audience, the film's success showcases that moviegoers are still gravitating to nostalgic IPs, regardless of the genre.

Disney's Freakier Friday is in theaters everywhere.

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