‘The Parent Trap’: These 2 Unexpected Co-Stars Are Real-Life Best Friends — And They Once Gushed About Late Co-Star Natasha Richardson
It’s been more than 20 years since “The Parent Trap” hit theaters back in 1998. The film starred Lindsay Lohan as twins Hallie and Annie who had been separated at birth and reconnected at a summer camp.
Despite that the show had its heroes and villains, the character development certainly didn’t stop two co-stars from becoming real-life best friends — and they once had kind words for their other co-star, Natasha Richardson.
‘The Parent Trap’ saw Meredith Blake as the movie’s villain
The classic family movie is one that appeals to all ages. And today, it’s still regarded as one of the best Disney movies ever made. The movie sees twins Hallie and Annie reconnect after being separated at birth. The girls decide to switch lives, and Annie returns to California as Hallie, while Hallie returns to London as Annie.
Annie quickly learns that her father, Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid), is planning to marry 26-year-old publicist Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), who is clearly only after Nick for his money. The family’s housekeeper, Chessy (Lisa Ann Walter), sees right through Meredith’s friendly façade, as does Annie. Annie and her sister, Hallie, then work to reunite their parents in an effort to become a family once again and prevent Nick from marrying Meredith.
Elaine Hendrix and Lisa Ann Walter became best friends in real life
Meredith is clearly the villain in the story. And the entire film centers around reuniting Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson) and Nick to ensure that the Parker family can live happily ever after and that Meredith is nowhere in the picture.
In reality, though, Hendrix wasn’t nearly the villain that her character was. In fact, Hendrix got along well with everyone on the set, and she and Walter even built up a close friendship. The two women told Today that, since the technology to film Lohan as twins was still so new, Hendrix and Walter had plenty of time to bond off camera.
“We did everything twice,” Walter said. “So Elaine and I, part of the reason we became best friends on that set is we spent a lot of time creating fun for ourselves back in the trailers while we waited for setups to happen.” Walter said that she and Hendrix bonded, since there was so much time between takes and they needed to find ways to entertain themselves.
The two women only had good things to say about their late co-star, Natasha Richardson
It’s surprising to think that Hendrix and Walter became so close off camera, since their characters didn’t get along well on screen. Chessy often rolled her eyes at anything Meredith said and wanted just as badly as Annie and Hallie did for Nick to not go through with the wedding.
Today, the two women still remain close, and they have also doted on their other co-stars — including the late Natasha Richardson. Richardson died in a skiing accident back in 2009.
“If you walked by her trailer, she would swing the door open, and if it was in the evening, she’d have a glass of wine and say, you know, ‘Come in for a gossip,’” Walter said. “She was the sweetest, kindest person.”
