Filming Filming took place between October and December 2002.
Development The concept for a remake of
Freaky Friday (1976) originated when producer
Andrew Gunn met with Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group president
Nina Jacobson to discuss potential projects. Gunn proposed either a new adaptation of
Freaky Friday or a reboot of
Witch Mountain. Though Jacobson was initially hesitant due to a
1995 ABC remake of
Freaky Friday, she ultimately agreed. Gunn,
The Walt Disney Company executive
Kristin Burr, and screenwriter
Heather Hach began discussing potential ideas, eventually gaining support after the success of
The Princess Diaries (2001), which proved that female-led, family-focused films could be commercially viable. Director
Mark Waters joined the project after a meeting with Gunn and Burr, despite initial doubts about the quality of the script. He responded positively to the concept and had personal fondness for the original film. The early draft of the screenplay depicted a psychiatrist mother and a daughter who wrote for her school newspaper and aspired to interview
Gwen Stefani at the
House of Blues. Waters revised the characters into a straight-laced mother and a rebellious, alt-rock daughter, believing their contrast would make the premise more compelling. Lohan later stated that the character’s revised punk-leaning style and attitude were influenced by pop-punk singer
Avril Lavigne, whom she cited as a key reference for Anna Coleman’s look and persona.
Amir Derakh served as the film's guitar consultant, coaching Jamie Lee Curtis and rehearsing with the fictional band members. While Lohan trained for a year to learn the guitar, the final film used overdubbed performances by studio musicians.
Casting Initially, Andrew Gunn hoped to cast
Jodie Foster—who played the daughter in the 1976 version—as the mother, but she declined.
Annette Bening and
Michelle Trachtenberg were cast as the leads, but both exited due to scheduling conflicts, with Bening reportedly anxious about the script. Curtis was ultimately cast four days before production began, after Jacobson recommended her based on her performance in
True Lies (1994). Curtis initially nearly declined due to being a parent. Lohan's audition was reported to be underwhelming, but her prior success in
The Parent Trap (1998) and strong chemistry with Curtis secured her the role. Other actresses considered for the role of Anna included
Mischa Barton,
Kristen Stewart,
Mae Whitman,
Evan Rachel Wood,
Brie Larson,
Emmy Rossum,
Kristen Bell,
Shiri Appleby, and
Danielle Panabaker.
Chad Michael Murray was cast as Jake based on his audition with Lohan, during which he deliberately aimed to make her feel the character's intended discomfort.
Rosalind Chao was cast as Pei-Pei and based her performance on her father, who ran a
Chinese restaurant in
Orange County, California.
Kelly Osbourne was originally cast as Maddie but withdrew after her mother
Sharon's
cancer diagnosis. She was replaced by
Christina Vidal. Other actresses who auditioned for members of the fictional band Pink Slip included
Raven-Symoné,
Naya Rivera,
Ashley Tisdale, Gwen Stefani,
Sophia Bush, and
Kat Dennings.
Tom Selleck was initially cast as Ryan, but left the project after Bening's departure.
Mark Harmon was later cast in the role.
Ryan Malgarini was selected for the role of Harry after auditioning with his grandparents. He was the only child actor given a full script before auditioning and was chosen over
Spencer Breslin,
Angus T. Jones, and
Daryl Sabara.
Marc McClure, who played Annabel's love interest in the 1976 film, appears in a cameo role as Boris the delivery man. Additional cameos include Lindsay Lohan's mother,
Dina Lohan, and director Mark Waters.
Soundtrack The orchestral score was written by
Rolfe Kent and orchestrated by
Tony Blondal. Lohan also recorded a song for the soundtrack, titled "Ultimate". ==Reception==