Chad Michael Murray recalls giving Lindsay Lohan her first onscreen kiss in Freaky Friday, guided by Jamie Lee Curtis.
Chad Michael Murray recently opened up about sharing Lindsay Lohan’s first onscreen kiss during the 2003 film Freaky Friday, a moment that stood out for both actors. Speaking about the experience, Murray credited Jamie Lee Curtis with easing the nerves surrounding the scene, which took place while the actors were still quite young.
The Significance of Lindsay Lohan’s First Onscreen Kiss
Although Lindsay Lohan had acted prior to Freaky Friday, including a major role in The Parent Trap at age 12, the kiss she shared with Murray was a notable milestone for her. At around 16 years old, this marked her initial experience of filming a romantic scene on set. Murray recalled the moment as being filled with anxiety given their young age and the pressure of performing that type of scene for the first time.
How Jamie Lee Curtis Supported the Young Actors
Jamie Lee Curtis played a vital role in guiding both Murray and Lohan through the awkwardness of the kissing scene. Murray described her as a supportive and playful presence who helped calm their nerves during filming. In a 2023 interview, he detailed the way Curtis personally demonstrated how to approach the scene by kissing him first in her trailer, making the act feel less intimidating.
“Jamie helped us through all that. I remember just trying to hang on and hope that no one figured out I wasn’t very good at this,”
Murray said.
“Now I’m in her trailer and Lindsay is in there. And Jamie says, ‘We just want to talk to you about this onscreen kiss,’”
he recalled.
“I’m like, ‘OK, great, whatever makes you comfortable. We’re going to crush it.’ And Jamie says, ‘See? Don’t even worry about it! You’re just doing the work.’”
“Ultimately, long story short, Jamie goes, ‘Forget about it, come here.’ And she kisses me and pulls away and goes, ‘See? It’s easy! It’s nothing! Right, Chad?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s great! Fantastic!’”
he added.
Image of: Chad Michael Murray
“And from that moment, I kept thinking how I’d get to go home and tell my dad that I kissed Jamie Lee Curtis! How cool is that? We grew up watching True Lies, Trading Places. Halloween to this day is my favorite horror movie.”
“What a trooper she is for just leading the way and breaking it down so simplistically for Lindsay and trying to make her feel comfortable,”
Murray noted about Curtis’s kindness and encouraging nature.
Returning to Freaky Friday for the Sequel
Years after his initial experience, Murray reprised his role in the follow-up film Freakier Friday and observed how much more confident the cast had become in their craft. He praised both Lohan and Curtis for their impressive performances, especially highlighting their physical comedy skills and ease on set compared to their early days.
“And then here you are today and now you can see everybody so much more comfortable in their craft and just letting loose. Lindsay’s so good in this movie. She’s so good in this movie. Jamie is so good in this movie. The physical comedy that they both bring to this picture is insane,”
Murray shared in August.
The experience of sharing Lindsay Lohan’s first onscreen kiss, supported by Jamie Lee Curtis’s encouragement, marks a memorable chapter in Chad Michael Murray’s career and illustrates the importance of mentorship in early acting roles. As the actors have grown, their performances reflect increased confidence and skill, promising continued success in their projects.
