Exclusive Interview With Freakier Friday Producer Kristin Burr

On reconnecting with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, and the enduring appeal of the film’s concept.

With Freakier Friday now streaming on Disney+, we chatted with producer Kristin Burr, whose credits include Cruella, Christopher Robin, Ice Princess, and both Freaky Friday films. In this exclusive interview, she shares her experience of “going home” as the cast and crew reunited for the sequel, what makes the characters so relatable, and how the creators decided on the fate of Anna’s band, Pink Slip.

Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Interview With Freakier Friday Producer Kristin Burr

What were the biggest differences between working on Freaky Friday vs. Freakier Friday?

Probably the biggest difference is that on the first Freaky Friday, we were the kids. We were late 20s, early 30s. Now, we were the old folks. And with age came the appreciation that you don’t always get these opportunities to go home again. We did.

How was it seeing Jamie Lee and Lindsay return to these characters after 22 years?

It was just delightful. They each came to their characters with a recognizability, but had grown and matured. They still push each other’s buttons (as all mothers and daughters do), but there’s a comfort and reliance on each other that comes with growing up. You could particularly see that with Anna (Lindsay Lohan), who wasn’t a misunderstood, semi-rebellious teenager any longer. She’s a mature adult who [has] her own teen now!

What do you think it is about both Freaky Friday movies that resonates across generations?

I think that Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) are incredibly relatable. They represent so many mothers and daughters. [There’s] a constant push and pull of holding on and letting go that all families go through.

The music of the first movie is so iconic. How did the team put the idea of Pink Slip into play, and how was it bringing them back for the sequel?

There were certain things from the first film that we knew had to come back for the sequel. Pink Slip was at the top of that list. We went back and forth for a while about whether they were all still in the band and performing. How famous were they? How successful?

However, once we decided that Anna was a single mom about to start a blended family, we wanted [her] to still be in the music business, [but] she needed to have a job that kept her close to home.

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For more stories from the Freakier Friday set, check out our interview with stars Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons.