Why Tom Selleck Dropped Out Of Freaky Friday

Although 2003’s Freaky Friday is a cult classic, the Disney body swap comedy originally offered a major role to Tom Selleck. Directed by Mark Waters, Freaky Friday was a huge hit for its stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Earning over $160 million on a budget of only $26 million, Freaky Friday paved the way for Lohan and Waters to make teen movie history a year later when the pair reunited on Mean Girls. Freaky Friday’s adaptation of Mary Rodgers’ classic novel was hugely popular and its sequel, Freaky Friday 2, will be released in 2025.

Before Freaky Friday became a cult classic, the movie endured a surprisingly lengthy production process filled with snags. Producer Andrew Gunn wanted the original movie’s young star Jodie Foster to return as the new movie’s mom, but Foster felt that this stunt casting would detract from the remake. Screen legend Annette Bening was then cast alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer supporting star Michelle Trachtenberg, but both actors eventually left the project due to scheduling conflicts. The long wait for Freaky Friday’s sequel is not surprising considering how troubled the original movie’s production was, with another major star also dropping out.