Lindsay Morgan Lohan was born on the 2nd of July, 1986 in New York City and raised in Long Island. She is the eldest of four with two brothers and a sister. Lindsay’s career started at a very young age. At just three she was the first redheaded child to be signed by the Ford Modeling Agency. She appeared in print ads for companies like Toys “R” Us and modelled for Calvin Klein Kids (usually with siblings Michael and Ali) and Abercrombie Kids.
Lindsay was talented but after auditioning for some T.V. commercials she was unsuccessful. Just before she was about to give up she was awarded the role in a Duncan Hines commercial. Over sixty commercials followed including a Jell-O commercial with Bill Cosby. Lohan began appearing in soap operas, and in 1996 she landed a role in NBC’s soup opera, Another World.
Lohan was ready for the big screen. She left Another World when Nancy Meyers cast her in the Parent Trap. She played twins who attempt to bring their divorced parents together. The movie pulled in $92 million worldwide with critics praising Lohan’s performance. Disney signed her onto a three picture deal after the movie’s success. Her next two movies, Life- Size andGet a Clue, were made for T.V. Just before Get a Clue she shot a pilot for a new sitcom called Bette but left when production moved to Los Angeles. The show was cut after sixteen episodes.
After Get a Clue Lohan took time off from her movie career to focus on music. In September 2002 she signed a five-album deal with Estefan Enterprises. But Lohan was soon cast in her next Disney film, Freaky Friday. The remake of the classic had her starring alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. The movie pulled in over $160 million and allowed her to show off her singing abilities. The soundtrack ended up in the Billboard’s Top 20 in less than three weeks.
But her movie success didn’t follow into Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004). Lohan’s first movie which was not a remake only grossed $30 million and was a failure according to critics. “Though still a promising star, Lohan will have to do a little penance before she’s forgiven for Confessions,” Robert K. Elder wrote. Later that year Mean Girls was released to critical acclaim and $128 million worldwide. It was her first non-Disney film. Steve Rhodes said, “Lohan dazzles us once more.”
Lohan was asked to host Saturday Night Live three times, in 2004, 2005, and 2006, after her Mean Girls success. In 2005, she released her debut album, Speak, followed by A Little More Personal the next year. In the same year Lohan became the first living person to have a My Scene Goes Hollywood doll released by Mattel. She also voiced her doll in their straight to DVD movie.
Lohan was back on the Disney set in the 2005 Herbie: Fully Loaded film. Fully Loaded earned $144 million worldwide. She followed Herbie with Just My Luck. The movie received poor reviews and only $38 million worldwide. Lohan was in three limited release films leading up to 2007, the films made very little leaving critics unimpressed.
Lohan began a troubled 2007, admitting herself into rehab in February. On the 11th of May Georgia Rule was released. Lohan was seen alongside Felicity Huffman and Jane Fonda. The film received mostly negative reviews and grossed $22 million worldwide. Things got worse from there. Lohan was arrested and her latest movie, I know who killed me, opened to a shocking $3.5 million dollars. Lohan was cast in Dare to Love Me after leaving rehab in 2007; the movie is due in 2009
In February 2008 Lohan re-created Marilyn Monroe’s final photo shoot, known as the Last Sitting, including nudity. Lohan continues to search for a more adult identity but is searching in all the wrong places. She turned down a few roles in 2008 but is due to star in Labor Pains. At the time of writing the film is in post-production. Lohan will play a young woman who pretends to be pregnant to avoid being fired.
Lohan, who already guest starred in the season 2 finale of ABC’s Ugly Betty, will be back in the next season for a rumoured five episodes. She also has a new album due soon.
Very few performers have had as much success transitioning from the music scene to the film realm as Will Smith has. Being in the entertainment scene since the late 80s, today, Smith is one of the most recognized and esteemed performers and producers in the industry.
