What The Cast Of The Parent Trap Looks Like Today
Few movies have gone on to become quite as iconic for Millennials as the 1998 version of "The Parent Trap," based on the 1961 Hayley Mills film of the same name. The Disney film, directed by Nancy Myers, starred Lindsay Lohan as Annie and Hallie, two twins separated at birth after their parents, Nick (Dennis Quaid) and Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson), divorced and moved to opposite sides of the world. When Annie and Hallie accidentally meet at a summer camp, they soon realize they are twins. In order to meet their respective other parents, they decided to switch places and get their parents back together again. The movie has become a pop culture staple, with fans returning to "The Parent Trap" even as adults. Numerous TV shows and films have paid homage to its premise, including "The Princess Switch," "New Girl," "Will and Grace," and "Ted Lasso."
As of 2023, the movie is 25 years old — and its cast has certainly been through a lot since its release. Sadly, two of the stars of the movie have since passed away. Natasha Richardson, who played Elizabeth, the girls' mother, died tragically after a skiing injury on a beginner's slope in Canada in 2009. She left behind her husband, fellow actor Liam Neeson, and their two teenage sons. Ronnie Stevens, who played the charming, pipe-smoking, tweed-wearing grandfather of Annie and Hallie died eight years after the film was released at the age of 81. Here's what the rest of the cast looks like today.
Lindsay Lohan (Annie and Hallie) is back in Hollywood after a long hiatus
"The Parent Trap" was one of Lindsay Lohan's first big projects — it's where the 12-year-old found fame. She went on to become one of the most beloved stars of her generation, starring in "Get a Clue," "Freaky Friday," and, of course, cult classic teen movie "Mean Girls." She also had a fairly successful pop music career, releasing her debut album "Speak" in 2004 and another album, "A Little More Personal" the following year.
However, after this success so early in life, the child star began to struggle as a young adult. In 2007, the actor was convicted of drunk driving twice. This was followed by an arrest for cocaine use. She then did three stints in rehab. By 2015, Lohan had stepped out of the spotlight. "I started [acting] when I was three years old, then I was doing soap opera when I was seven or eight... Now the price that you pay is that your life is so much more viral," she told Hunger. "You can't get away from it. You have no privacy unless you choose to live your life a certain way. I went away and had treatment and tried to be private" (via Racked). Now, Lohan is back in Hollywood and seems to be doing better than ever with a deal for three movies with Netflix, a husband, a baby on the way, and a new life in Dubai.
Dennis Quaid (Nick Parker) has never really slowed down
In "The Parent Trap," Dennis Quaid played Nick Parker, Annie and Hallie's dad and owner of a renowned Napa Valley winery. Of course, Quaid was already a well-known actor at the time, having gotten his start in TV in the '70s and starred in hits like "Breaking Away," "The Big Easy," and "Postcards From the Edge." When he made "The Parent Trap," Quaid was also one half of a Hollywood super couple alongside his now ex-wife Meg Ryan.
Since his turn as the dashing dad in "The Parent Trap," Quaid has continued acting — and he hasn't really taken any breaks! In 2002, he starred in the Oscar-nominated "Far From Heaven," and in 2004, he led disaster movie "The Day After Tomorrow." He has also starred in "Legion," "Footloose," "A Dog's Journey," and "The Long Game" in the past few decades.
In 2019, the then 65-year-old actor spoke to The Guardian about his engagement to Laura Savoie, a 26-year-old student. "I didn't go out looking for an age gap or someone really younger than me," he said. "I met her at a business event and then the relationship developed. You have no control over who you fall in love with." The pair tied the knot in 2020 and went on to create a production company together.
Elaine Hendrix (Meredith Blake) went on to star in Dynasty
Who can forget the delightfully evil stepmother-to-be, Meredith Blake? Played by Elaine Hendrix, Meredith is the unfortunate woman engaged to Nick, who soon gives up on the marriage after one too many pranks from his twin daughters. At the time, Hendrix was still fairly new to the industry, having appeared mostly in guest roles in TV shows. Her biggest role to date was playing Lisa in "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion."
After "The Parent Trap," Hendrix continued acting, taking on one-off roles in "Friends," "CSI," and "Charmed," amongst others. One of her biggest roles came in 2003, when she starred in "Joan of Arcadia" as Ms. Lischak. She also had a recurring role in "90210" as Renee from 2010 to 2011. In 2015 and 2016, she starred in Denis Leary's "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll." In 2018, she played Caroline in the "Pride & Prejudice"-inspired Hallmark movie, "Christmas at Pemberley Manor." In 2019, she landed one of her biggest roles to date as diva Alexis in CW's "Dynasty." "I'm an OG Dynasty girl. Alexis Carrington, please let me add that to the roster of iconic things I've gotten to do," the actor told CBS in 2020. "She to me is just the ultimate. ... I'm this living Barbie doll while they sit and dress me. ... It's so over the top in this delicious fun way." In addition to her acting work, Hendrix is a dedicated animal rights activist.
Lisa Ann Walter (Chessy) has appeared in numerous comedies
Everyone loved Chessy, Nick's chaotic, down-to-earth housekeeper. Who can forget her famous chili? The role was played by Lisa Ann Walter, who had initially found fame as a standup comedian and, at the time of filming "The Parent Trap," had just finished starring in her own ABC show, "Life's Work." Walter continued landing comedic roles after playing Chessy. She appeared in "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Jim Carrey's "Bruce Almighty," and "The Odd Couple." More recently, Walter has landed another career-defining role in the popular comedy "Abbott Elementary" as second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti.
Walter has four children — including twin sons born the same day as twins Annie and Hallie in "The Parent Trap." In addition to her acting career, she is also the producer of reality weight loss show "Dance Your Ass Off." Walter continues to hold a soft spot in her heart for "The Parent Trap." In 2022, she told Elle that fans still approach her in the street gushing about Chessy. "I just think I'm very lucky to be a part of it," she said. "I always go, 'You think you're bothering me by saying you love me? No, it doesn't bother me. Let's take a picture, and I'll repost it.'" We love to see that Walter is just as a big a "Parent Trap" fan as we are.
Simon Kunz (Martin) is a prolific British comedic actor
While Nick had Chessy as his housekeeper, Elizabeth had the loving, very British Martin as her butler. Naturally, he fell for Chessy as soon as he laid eyes on her — who could forget that hilarious Speedo scene! Martin was played by British actor Simon Kunz. As Kunz revealed in a 2022 interview with The Screen Chronicles, he got the part by chance after auditioning for the tiny one-line part of the photographer in Elizabeth James' studio. "It's charming, it's funny and it is, you know, actually really quite funny," the actor mused about the film, adding, "And it still works... it's not too of its time." We have to say — we agree!
Kunz got his start in theater, with numerous stage roles in the U.K., appearing in productions such as "Richard II," "As You Like It," and "King Lear" at London's National Theater. He landed his first film role in the 1994 "Four Weddings and a Funeral." After "The Parent Trap," his screen career continued with dozens of TV roles in shows like "Doctors," "The Bill," "Coronation Street," "The Thick of It," and "Endeavor." He has also acted alongside Steve Coogan in the "Alan Partridge" films and TV series. From 2014 to 2017, he played Sir Edwin in BBC's "Sherlock." One of his biggest roles came in 2015, when he starred as Odda in Netflix's history drama "The Last Kingdom."
Polly Holliday (Marva) is best-known for her work before The Parent Trap
One of the most iconic characters in "The Parent Trap" might just be Marva, the enthusiastic owner of Camp Walden where the film begins. You'll probably remember her as the very loud, magaphone-weilding woman who sends the girls to the isolation cabin. The role was played by well-known actor Polly Holliday. Holliday had already had a long career, having appeared in films like "All the President's Men," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "Gremlins." She was perhaps best known for playing Flo in the '70s sitcom "Alice." She had also had a long stage career, appearing in plays in Atlanta, Georgia and on Broadway.
After her hilarious turn in "The Parent Trap," Holliday continued acting, appearing in, amongst other projects, "The Heartbreak Kid" in 2007 and "Fair Game" in 2010. She is also an Episcopalian who, in 2010, appeared in an advertising campaign for the church. As of 2023, it seems that the 85-year-old actor has retired.
Maggie Wheeler (Marva Jr.) is a voice actor who is still famous for playing Janice in Friends
Marva's daughter, the aptly named Marva Jr., was, like her mother, a devoted, overworked camp counselor. She was played by Maggie Wheeler, who may have looked familiar to some fans thanks to her career-defining role as the nasal-voiced Janice in "Friends." The actor had also appeared in numerous other TV shows, such as "Seinfeld," "The X Files," and "Ellen." Following her comedic turn in "The Parent Trap," Wheeler continued taking on cameos in TV shows like "Will & Grace," "CSI," and "Everybody Loves Raymond."
Wheeler landed her first long-term TV role in 2009 as the voice of Trinette in the animated FX sitcom "Archer." As Wheeler told Closely Observed Frames, "I really, really love doing voice-over. I love doing cartoon work." In fact, Wheeler's biggest career ambitions these days lie in voice work.
In her spare time, Wheeler is also a song leader. "For many years, once a month I would gather people in the gallery and I would sing with them," she said. "I stopped for a while when I had my kids and then, when 9/11 happened people really reached out and said, 'We need to sing.' So I started that work again." She went on to study choir leadership, before starting her own choir in LA, along with a global online choir called Together in Song. "It has turned into quite a beautiful thing," she said. We never pictured Marva Jr. or Janice from "Friends" as a choir leader — but we absolutely love this!
Joanna Barnes (Vicky) appeared in both versions of The Parent Trap and died in 2022
Vicky, played by Joanna Barnes, was Meredith's mother in "The Parent Trap." She had the famous line, "You can call me Aunt Vicky." She may have had a tiny role in the 1998 version of "The Parent Trap," but Joanna Barnes had a much larger role in the original 1961 film. In the original film, she also played a character called Vicky, but this character was the equivalent of Meredith. And that wasn't her only claim to fame. Barnes had previously found fame as Gloria in the 1958 "Auntie Mame" and as Claudia in the 1960 "Spartacus." She had also appeared in dozens of TV shows over the years. In 1980, she married architect Jack Lionel Warner.
In addition to acting, Barnes was also an author and journalist. She wrote four novels and also had a newspaper column in The Chicago Tribune. After "The Parent Trap," Barnes took on one more role in a 2000 episode of "Then Came You." Barnes died in 2022 at the age of 89 after an illness.
Hallie Meyers-Shyer (Lindsay) appeared in a few more films and is now a writer-director
You may not have realized it, but director Nancy Myers gave her daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, a small cameo in "The Parent Trap." Meyers-Shyer played Lindsay, a loyal friend of Annie at Camp Walden. You may remember her iconic line, "Want me to deck her for you?" during Annie and Hallie's first meeting. As a child, Meyers-Shyer had a short-lived acting career, appearing in "Father of the Bride," "What Women Want," and "The Affair of the Necklace."
Despite her long hiatus from the industry, in 2017, she directed and wrote her first feature, "Home Again," a rom-com starring Reese Witherspoon and Michael Sheen. As of 2023, she is working on her second film, "Goodrich," which will feature Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis. The project began filming in March 2023. It seems that Meyers-Shyer might just be following in her mother's footsteps. As she told Hello Giggles, "The best thing [Nancy Myers] taught me...I think she taught me to really persevere, and make sure I get what I want."
Michael Lohan Jr. (lost boy at camp) is now working in finance
Hallie Meyers-Shyer wasn't the only family member to make a cameo in "The Parent Trap." Lindsay Lohan's younger brother, Michael Lohan Jr., also appeared in the movie as the lost boy at camp — you know, the one who arrives at the all-girls camp and can't get a hold of his mother to come and pick him up? "The Parent Trap" was his first role. He also appeared in a short film in 2011, but other than that, he hasn't followed in his sister's acting footsteps.
Instead, Lohan is the founder of Nineteen Blocks, a real estate finance company. He married Nina Ginsberg in 2017. Sadly, his sister couldn't make it to the wedding. He and his wife had their first child, Isabel Scarlet, in 2021.
Kat Graham (Jackie) went on to have a successful acting career
You may not have recognized her, but Kat Graham, star of "How It Ends" and "The Vampire Diaries," actually had a tiny role in "The Parent Trap." Graham played Jackie, Annie's friend who appears next to Hallie Meyers-Shyer during the fencing scene. It was the young actor's first role. "I didn't have a big part and I got cut out," the actor revealed later during an interview with People. Even though her lines may have been cut, Graham still has her Camp Walden shirt.
After her small role in "The Parent Trap," Graham appeared in "Lizzie McGuire," "Malcolm in the Middle," and "The O.C." She later played Jamie in "17 Again" and Allison in three episodes of "Hannah Montana." Her big break came in 2009 when she landed the role of Bonnie Bennett in "The Vampire Diaries." She went on to star in the show for eight years. In 2018, she played Samantha in "How It Ends." As of 2023, her latest role was playing Julie in the Netflix rom-com "Love in the Villa." It's amazing to see just how far this actor has come!