‘Freakier Friday’ Returns to Los Angeles, Revisits Iconic Coleman Home Lost in Fires
“Freakier Friday,” the sequel to Disney’s 2003 body-swap comedy, has brought Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis back together on the big screen — and back to Los Angeles for one of the rare major studio films to be shot extensively in the city.
Directed by Nisha Ganatra, the film catches up with Anna (Lohan) and her mom Tess (Curtis) 22 years after their first supernatural mishap. Now a single mother and rock star, Anna navigates life with her teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters), whose rivalry with new stepsister-to-be (Sophia Hammons) sparks another round of body-swapping chaos.
While the original Freaky Friday showcased the coastal charm of Pacific Palisades, the new film expands its view of L.A., capturing eclectic neighborhoods and landmarks such as Echo Park Lake, Silver Lake’s Café Tropical, the Los Feliz Theater, and the First Street Bridge downtown. The production also made stops at Pete’s in Eagle Rock, the Arts District, and Jeni’s Ice Cream.
One of the most emotional returns was to the Coleman family house from the 2003 film. Located in Pacific Palisades, the home served as a nostalgic anchor for the sequel. Filming wrapped there in summer 2024 — just months before the Palisades fire destroyed the entire neighborhood, including the house. The Altadena Town & Country Club, where a pickleball scene was filmed, was also lost in the fires.
Other notable settings included Hollywood’s Record Parlor, transformed for a scene with Curtis, Lohan, and Chad Michael Murray; the Line Hotel in Koreatown, which hosted the wedding rehearsal dinner and a retro-inspired bachelorette party; and the Wiltern Theater, where a climactic concert tied the story’s magical elements together.
“Freakier Friday” not only reconnects audiences with beloved characters, it also serves as a love letter to Los Angeles — highlighting both its vibrant cultural backdrop and the challenges facing film production in the city today.
Read the full feature at Variety.
