It still feels weird to watch Freakier Friday in 2025. Because, I truly did not feel like time past so fast. Can you believe that it has been 22 years! Oh my god, 2 decades and I am an uncle now.
The cast were quite well-known 22 years ago, in the 90s and early 2000s. But oddly—and unsurprisingly—they slowly faded away over time, even though they continued acting after that. That’s how I view life now: we don’t need to be in our prime constantly. For a normal person, they might peak once or twice in life—mostly once, I guess. Some don’t even peak and just drift away, unnoticed.
Seeing the actors back in the movie somehow reminded me of my younger self—full of vibrancy and hope.
Nowadays, I’m not as verbal as I used to be and have started to keep quiet about unfair or unpleasant treatment. Worse still, I stay in a workplace that doesn’t inspire me at all, just for the paycheck. The 18-year-old me would never have thought this would be who I am in 2026, as a 37-year-old guy.
Gonna stop my whining. Let’s have a look at their life stories. 👴🏻💭
Jamie Lee Curtis Started As Scream Queen To Oscar Winner
Back in 2003, I didn’t know her history. I didn’t know she was a horror legend, a scream queen, or that she had already conquered Hollywood long ago. Even more surprisingly, her mum, Janet Leigh, was the original scream queen. It must have been stressful growing up with such a famous figure as a mother. While Jamie continued her career in horror and scream-driven movies, it felt like she was somewhat stuck until Freaky Friday (2003). She later transitioned from scream queen roles to mother roles, and it was a great shift for her career.
Fast forward to 2025, and Jamie Lee Curtis is on a completely different level—an Oscar winner thanks to Everything Everywhere All at Once, and another Emmy for her role in The Bear.
She uses zero filters and shows zero fear of aging. She feels… liberated, finally. In Everything Everywhere All at Once, she wasn’t just funny, but also showed how diverse her acting can be. She has finally entered her second prime in life, in her older age.
Mark Harmon The Silver Boy in The Showbiz Family
Back then, I barely noticed him. But reading up on his background, it was truly eye-opening. First of all, he was born into a showbiz family, with Tom Harmon as his father and Elyse Knox as his mother. In that sense, he shares a similar upbringing to Jamie Lee Curtis.
For me, he only existed from 2003 onwards 🤣 Because back then, I had very little exposure to television and movies. So it wasn’t that he wasn’t famous — it was just that I was underexposed. But 2003 was a great year for him! Only now, looking back, did I realise that when he was younger, he was definitely a hot hunk.
In Freaky Friday, he was just the fiancé. Calm. Responsible. Stable. Slightly boring (sorry). But without his supporting role, the story loop wouldn’t have closed properly. Watching the movie now, I realise how important his role actually was. He represented emotional safety — the adult who didn’t overreact, the guy who trusted Tess even when everything was weird.
Then his fame exploded when he starred in NCIS as the lead. He really killed it with that silver hair on screen. Not just starring in it — basically being it for nearly two decades. He became television’s definition of authority, integrity, and quiet leadership.
Some actors chase reinvention.
Mark Harmon just became exactly who he was meant to be.
The Chinese Duo Mom-Daughter - They Refuse To Age
And then there are Lucille Soong and Rosalind Chao — the quiet pillars of Freaky Friday that people don’t talk about enough.
As a Chinese from Malaysia myself, it’s always fascinating to see how other Chinese assimilate into local systems. After digging deeper into Lucille Soong’s life story, I was beyond impressed. She was born in China, transitioned into UK showbiz, and eventually landed in Hollywood. At 95 years old, she still feels radiant and powerful.
Funny how I noticed her. At first, I only thought of her as the funny grandma who worked at the Chinese restaurant, barely saying any lines. But after watching Desperate Housewives and Fresh Off the Boat, my impression of her grew much stronger.
Then there’s Rosalind Chao, who played Pei-Pei, the mother. She was great at portraying the busy restaurateur. Her accent and actions were spot on. Back then, she felt like a secondary adult character—polite, composed, warm. The kind of mum you trust immediately. But watching it again now, I realise she represented something deeper — cultural grounding.
She was the bridge between generations. Between tradition and modern life. Between chaos and calm. The way she handled conflicts wasn’t loud or confrontational. It was gentle, firm, and understanding.
And honestly? That’s a kind of strength we only learn to appreciate as we grow older.
Rosalind Chao’s career path feels similar to Lucille Soong’s — consistent, respectable, never desperate for attention. She didn’t “peak” loudly, but she never disappeared either. She just kept going.
So that’s the cast — the faces who made Freaky Friday feel real.
Now I want to ask you guys…
Which character did you like the most, and why? 👴🏻💭
Comments
Post a Comment
Feel Free to comment (^^)