Elaine Hendrix says Lindsay Lohan's transformation has been "epic," and she is "killing it" as fans celebrate the Parent Trap co-stars reuniting decades after the 1998 film. Hendrix shared the praise exclusively with The Post after making her debut on Dancing with the Stars.
Nearly 30 years after The Parent Trap cemented their place in Disney nostalgia, Hendrix and Lohan have reconnected as both navigate high-profile chapters in their careers. In the 1998 family comedy, Lohan played the twin sisters Annie and Hallie, who swap lives at camp in a bid to reunite their estranged parents. Hendrix, meanwhile, portrayed Meredith Blake, Nick Parker’s stylish but calculating fiancée, a role that has sparked its own fan discourse in recent years as audiences revisit the film’s dynamics and motives.
Hendrix said she hadn’t seen Lohan since they filmed The Parent Trap, and she’s observed how Lohan has navigated fame with resilience and reinvention. "She really is [killing it]," Hendrix told The Post. "I hadn’t seen her since she was a little girl. Since we did Parent Trap. And now that she’s all grown up, you know, we’re reconnected. We’re back in touch. And I just think she’s had an epic life. I feel like she’s had the life that every young woman should have, and she just happened to do it in the spotlight. So I think it’s been epic. And I’m thrilled for her. I love where she’s at now.""
The conversation about Lohan comes as fans have revived dialogue around Meredith Blake, with a growing TikTok movement that envisions a deeper look at the character’s motives and backstory. Hendrix acknowledged the fandom’s attention, noting that her performance has been reinterpreted by a generation that didn't grow up with the film in theaters but has since embraced it anew. "Yes, I’ve seen the fandom’s response," she said. "I have the millennials to thank for that because when you play a character, you always have to justify everything that you’re doing. So from day one, I said Meredith was not the villain, and I had no idea that all I needed to do was wait for the millennials to grow up and understand that. Now here we are.""
In the bewitching orbit of 1990s nostalgia, fans recently celebrated a Freaky Friday sequel, Freakier Friday, which hit screens this past August. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprised their mother-daughter roles Tess and Anna Coleman in the double body-swap sequel, which adds a modern twist to the beloved body-swap premise. Hendrix joined the world of Freakier Friday in a cameo, portraying Blake Kale, a stylist whose presence nods to Meredith Blake’s iconic character. The cameo came about after Hendrix received a call from director Nisha Ganatra, a friend she trusted. "I literally got a call from the director, Nisha Ganatra, who is a friend of mine... and I’m like, ‘Of course! I will do anything that Nisha asks me to do.’" Hendrix recalled.
That sense of long-running collaboration also bleeds into Hendrix’s current spotlight: she is competing on Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with pro Alan Bersten. In her season opener, she paid homage to Meredith Blake by wearing the same wide-brimmed black hat from The Parent Trap and performing the film’s signature handshake with fellow contestants and castmates in attendance. The moment was a wink to fans who have followed Hendrix since the 1990s and a reminder that the performer can still draw on her early screen persona for contemporary stages.
Hendrix has hinted that her time on DWTS is about more than the dance floor. She has been actively rallying support from former co-stars, not just for herself but for the broader cast’s revival in public memory. "I don’t mean to brag, but a lot of [co-stars] are coming to the show," she teased. "I’m calling everybody like, ‘Make a video for me. Come to the show.’ I’m recruiting everyone." The camaraderie on display reflects the deep ties among a generation of performers who first worked together on projects that remain touchstones for many viewers.
The DWTS chapters also illuminate Hendrix’s history with fellow hosts and industry friends. She has known Tom Bergeron, a longtime host for the program before his 2020 departure, for years. The two have swapped stories off camera, including a memorable night at a Los Angeles restaurant where an unexpected security event unfolded. "One time we went to the Grove, and went to dinner afterwards, and some stuff started happening, and I’m like, ‘Tom, I think something’s going on.’ Next thing we know, the SWAT team is dropping from the roof of the restaurant, and we’re like, ‘Wait, what has happened?’ And somebody was in the bathroom with a shotgun. True story." Hendrix laughed, adding that Bergeron remains a friend and collaborator whom she sometimes sees after tapings.
As fans ponder a potential Parent Trap follow-up, Hendrix’s current work in television and stage remains a reminder of how those early roles continue to echo. The convergence of a beloved 1990s film, a new generation’s appetite for revisiting its characters, and a contemporary televised platform has produced a cultural moment that unfolds across generations. Lohan’s continued success in film and fashion, combined with Hendrix’s ongoing presence on DWTS, underscores the enduring resonance of the Parent Trap era and the wider Freaky Friday lineage in contemporary entertainment.
As entertainment audiences look ahead, the question remains whether a proper Parent Trap sequel will ever materialize. In the meantime, Hendrix’s comments and the parallel arcs of Lohan’s and Hendrix’s careers offer a portrait of two actors who continue to adapt and endure in a changing media landscape. The nostalgia that fans bring to each new project — from DWTS performances to new film chapters — keeps the conversation alive about the world that first brought these co-stars into millions of living rooms.
Elliptical as ever, the industry’s current pace suggests the possibility of future reunions, reimaginings, or even a new project that could bridge the gap between the Parent Trap era and today’s streaming and theatrical ecosystems. For now, Hendrix’s praise and Lohan’s evolving career serve as a reminder that the bond formed on set can outlast the years and continue to fuel conversations among longtime fans and new audiences alike.
