Freakier Friday's Manny Jacinto and Chad Michael Murray on body swap mischiefs and lessons

News24

7 days ago

We spoke to Manny Jacinto and Chad Michael Murray about their roles in the Freaky Friday sequel.
Jacinto and Murray praised their female co-stars, celebrating the film's focus on showcasing strong, talented women.
Murray teased the possibility of a third film, hinting at 'something crazy' and an even more adventurous direction for the franchise.
Chad Michael Murray described reprising his role in the much-anticipated Freak Friday sequel as 'the cherry on top.'
Now showing in cinemas, the film brings magic, humour, and heartfelt connections back to the big screen. During a roundtable interview with co-star Manny Jacinto, the pair shared behind-the-scenes moments and what could be next for the franchise.
While Murray returns as high school boyfriend Jake, Jacinto joins the cast as Eric, Anna's (Lindsay Lohan) love interest.for The Walt Disney Company Limited
About being part of a film that puts women characters at the heart of the story, Jacinto said, 'It is a huge honour to work with such talented, incredible women in the industry and to let them shine.'
'Just getting to witness their come up...the next evolution in their careers with Jamie, Lindsay, and [director] Neisha. It's an honour.'
Murray added, 'It's nice to kind of be the cherry on top, that's what we are. But I will ride on those ladies' coattails any day of the week. Their work is phenomenal; they carry this movie in such an incredible way.'
'Understanding'
Freakier Friday is set 22 years after the original, Anna (Lohan) is now a music manager and a single mom to 15-year-old Harper (Julia Butters). Her mom, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), acts as co-parent to Harper, but she often crosses boundaries. Meanwhile, Eric (Jacinto) is the dad of 15-year-old Lily (Sophia Hammons), a new student at Harper's school. The pair don't get along, but their parents hit it off, and soon there's a wedding and an impending move to London.
What makes the film 'freakier' is that there is a double swap: Anna finds herself in Harper's body, while Tess and Lily switch places.
Murray said the actors crushed it when asked if it was hard to keep track of who was who during filming.
'It was so evident to me because of the mannerisms. They made the characters so specifically defined, where you could pick up on the ABCs of who everyone was.'
While the film is packed with laughs and shenanigans, Murray said that 'understanding is the root base of the film.' Using the analogy of road rage, he highlighted how people often react without knowing the struggles others may be facing, such as family illness, financial troubles, or personal hardships.
The film's lesson is about fostering 'understanding and empathy for our brothers and sisters,' said the 43-year-old.
Freakiest Friday?
Where would you like to see their characters go if there was another film?
Jacinto joked about a not-so-PG scenario involving Jake, Anna, and Eric in a throuple.
'The opportunity to swap would be exciting for sure,' added Murray.
'I think taking the movie in an insane direction would be difficult, but achievable. This was achievable; it would just be a lot of work. Everyone sits down, puts their heads together and creates something crazy. I know some ideas are popping around, but I don't want to ruin it. So we'll see what's going to happen. You never know.'