Lindsay Lohan reflects on challenges of child stardom and peace. [Image Source: LADBIBLEGROUP]
Lindsay Lohan has shared the intense difficulties she encountered as a child star, describing the overwhelming nature of early success in Hollywood. The actress, known for her roles in hits like Freaky Friday and The Parent Trap, recently reflected on her life changes since stepping away from the spotlight and moving to Dubai in 2014 to find peace.
In an interview with Vogue Arabia, Lohan revealed how the fast pace and scrutiny of Hollywood took a toll on her wellbeing. She said,
“It was all so overwhelming and consuming,”
highlighting the challenges she faced living under constant public attention. She explained that despite advice from her parents, she chose to stay in Los Angeles when she was young, saying,
“I should have listened to my mom and dad and moved back to New York. But I was young and wanted to be in L.A.,”
showing how she struggled with the demands placed on her as a prominent young star in the early 2000s.
Reflecting on Isolation and the Need for Protection
Lohan further explained how the pressures of fame felt like a double-edged sword, blending moments of fun with significant hardship during her youth. She admitted,
“And I didn’t know. So yeah, while a lot of it was fun, it was hard when I was young,”
and added,
“It was a double-edged sword. Now I look back and wonder, ‘Why didn’t anyone just go and take me out of there, protect me more?’ You don’t know how to do that yourself when you’re a teenager.”
The actress expressed how her experience led her to want to escape the industry altogether. In her words,
“I wasn’t having fun in the business anymore. I wasn’t finding roles I loved. It’s not a life I wanted to live, you know? It’s not a real life. It pushed me so far away that I moved to the other side of the world. And I’m so glad I followed my gut.”
After relocating abroad, she started a family with husband Bader Shammas, welcoming their son Luai in 2023.
Jamie Lee Curtis Applauds Lohan’s Move for Personal Peace
Jamie Lee Curtis, Lohan’s costar in Freaky Friday, praised her choice to leave the U.S. for a quieter life. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2025, Curtis said,
Image of: Lindsay Lohan
“She was looking to find [a calm] place and quiet. That wasn’t going to be in New York or L.A., because they’re filled with aggro people. It impressed me so much.”
Lohan herself reflected on growing up in the public eye, saying,
“I grew up so much in the public eye that I never really had the space to take time for me and just live a normal life,”
before emphasizing, I found it there.
Rebuilding a Career with Family and Artistic Focus
After years marked by public controversies and legal struggles, Lohan has begun a career resurgence that balances work with family life priorities. Since signing a multi-picture deal with Netflix four years ago, she has appeared in films such as Falling for Christmas (2022), Irish Wish, and Our Little Secret (both released in 2024). On choosing projects carefully, she told Entertainment Weekly,
“Everything I do is [about] what’s going to work for my family,”
and continued,
“If something works around that, it’s meant to happen. If it doesn’t work around that, it’s a no-go.”
Lohan described Freakier Friday’s success as a personal goal realized after taking time away from theatrical films since her 2013 movie The Canyons. She revealed,
“I had this thing in my head during COVID, I was like, ‘I want to work with Netflix and do a couple movies, but I want to work with Disney again, too.’ It came to fruition because I believed it,”
and added,
“Those things are meant to happen. I love my life, and I’m grateful for these moments I have.”
Upcoming Projects and Future Directions
Lindsay Lohan is currently developing a biopic about actress Ann-Margret and will soon star in Hulu’s television adaptation of the novel Count My Lies, marking her first lead role in a scripted TV series. Meanwhile, Lisa Ann Walter, Lohan’s co-star from The Parent Trap, revealed that Lohan reached out to Disney about producing a sequel to The Parent Trap following the positive reception of Freakier Friday. This suggests Lohan’s ongoing plans to reconnect with earlier chapters of her career while continuing to build new work that aligns with her personal life and goals.
