Jodie Foster Reveals Reason for Skipping ‘Freaky Friday’ Sequel Cameo

Fans of the original ‘Freaky Friday’ may be asking why Jodie Foster, who starred in the 1976 Disney adaptation, doesn't appear in the upcoming sequel as ‘Freakier Friday’ prepares for its August theatrical premiere.  Jodie Foster finally explains why she decided not to return, despite the efforts of the film's creative team.

Almost twenty years after their 2003 body-swap blockbuster, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise their roles as the adored mother-daughter pair, Tess and Anna Coleman, in the next movie.  ‘Freakier Friday’, which was directed by Nisha Ganatra, carries on the magical mayhem with a new generational twist: Anna is now a mother and must deal with the challenges of a blended family.

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The team wanted to include Jodie Foster and even tried very hard to persuade her, but she refused, according to director Ganatra.  The two-time Oscar winner stated that timing was the only factor in her decision while presenting her new French-language drama ‘Vie Privée’ at the Cannes Film Festival.  She couldn't fit the cameo into her schedule because she had already committed to filming ‘Vie Privée’.  She also stated that she supported Curtis, whom she views as a close friend, and that she followed the ‘Freakier Friday’ production.

Looking back on her early career, Jodie Foster revealed that she never consciously opted to pursue a profession in acting.  She talked about how she was thrown into the spotlight when she was three years old and how, by the time she was eighteen, she felt the need to reconsider her course.  She admitted that if given the chance, she might have chosen to pursue a career in writing, painting, or sculpture, but acting is still her forte.

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Jodie Foster also discussed why she doesn't perform roles that are funny too often.  She clarified that a lot of American comedies lack the subtlety and intellect that she believes are crucial to good storytelling.  She frequently becomes uninspired after a brief period of time on set due to this lack of nuance, which makes it challenging for her to remain interested in the genre.  Even while she recognised the artistic difficulties of humour, she confessed that she is more drawn to drama.

Jamie Lee Curtis, who reprises her role in the follow-up, has long praised Foster's commitment to her career.  Curtis hailed her buddy as a strong, creative force who has continuously produced outstanding performances since infancy during Jodie Foster's hand-and-footprint ceremony at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival.

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–Farheen Ali