Has Lindsay Lohan found her niche in heartwarming holiday movies over the last few years? From a roaring debut in The Parent Trap at age 11 to her iconic status in 2004’s Mean Girls, the actor was a major up-and-comer until a sustained tumultuous period in Lohan’s personal life overshadowed any acting work. However, things started looking up when she secured the lead role in Falling for Christmas, a romantic comedy produced for Netflix in 2022.

Falling for Christmas marked the start of a beautiful friendship between Lohan and Netflix. Next came Irish Wish, released just before St. Patrick’s Day this year, and on 27 November, her third festive Netflix movie arrived, Our Little Secret. In a sound strategic move, Lohan is regaining relevance from the Mean Girl generation and attracting a whole new audience through the modern vessel of Netflix movies.

Lindsay Lohan’s Rise to Fame

With her signature red hair, Lohan broke through in Disney’s The Parent Trap in 1998. She played both roles of Annie and Halle, twins separated at birth and reunited at summer camp. This led to another Disney great, 2003’s Freaky Friday. Lohan played Anna Coleman, working with Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother, Tess, to retell the story of Mary Rodger’s book, where the pair swap bodies to see life from each other’s perspective; this remains Lohan’s highest-grossing film.

Following the popularity of Mean Girls, where Lohan perfectly portrayed Cody Harrison navigating her way through a new high school, things spiraled out of control. Her rise to fame brought with it an ‘L.A.’ lifestyle, causing the press to follow her every move. There were spells in rehab and stressful court appearances, with more attention paid to her private life than her work. Lohan did secure some film roles in this period, such as Tara in the interesting auteur project The Canyons in 2013, from Paul Schrader and Bret Easton Ellis. However, signing a creative partnership deal with Netflix in 2022 was a pivotal moment in her career.

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The Netflix Christmas Movie Trend

Some say Hallmark is the queen of cheesy Christmas movies, but never one to miss a trend, Netflix got on board and produced the lighthearted romantic comedy A Christmas Prince in 2017. Set in the fictional European town of Aldovis, young journalist Amber Moore investigates the reclusive Prince Richard, and it’s easy to guess the rest. Pittsburgh City Paper reported, “If you’re into decadent, empty-calorie streaming, Netflix has whipped up quite the seasonal soufflé.”

A big holiday draw for Netflix came when they produced 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles. It follows Kate and Teddy Pierce as they plot to capture an unconventional yet charming Santa, played by Kurt Russell, on Christmas Eve. It aimed to blend classical traditions with contemporary themes, but often, people seek that old-fashioned charm in their Christmas viewing.

Film fans often long to feel fuzzy, cozy, and peaceful at Christmas. Holiday movies unlock childhood memories and evoke contentment due to the movies’ nature and the surroundings where people watch them. These few hours of cheer offer many viewers a glimpse of a better place and time. So, it makes sense for Netflix to continue this trend with Lohan.

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Lohan’s Comeback Collaboration with Netflix

Falling for Christmas was released as a Netflix Original in 2022. It’s nearly Christmas and Lohan plays heiress Sierra Belmont, who gets engaged at the top of a mountain. Taking a tumble, she suffers from amnesia and is then taken in by the lodge owner and ridiculously-named Chord Overstreet and his daughter, with Belmont and Russell falling in love. Incredibly predictable but good for traditionalists. Even with mixed reviews, it was enough for Netflix to want more.

In 2022, Lohan signed a two-film deal. Irish Wish was released in March 2024. It’s not so much a Christmas movie but a holiday romp for St. Patrick’s Day, where Maddie Kelly (Lohan) secretly loves her best friend Paul Kennedy. She agrees to be a bridesmaid at his wedding in Ireland and makes a wish for true love. In a Freaky Friday style twist, she wakes up as Kennedy’s bride-to-be but realizes her soulmate is someone else. Again, it’s not going for any Oscars, but like another Netflix Original, Emily in Paris, it exists for escapism and a break from reality.

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Christmas 2024: Our Little Secret

Lohan’s third movie, Our Little Secret, began streaming on Netflix on November 27. Lohan portrays Avery, who ends up spending Christmas with her ex, Logan, as, unknown to them, their current partners are siblings. The head of the family, amid all the yuletide chaos, is Erica, played by Kristin Chenoweth. Lohan told Tudum, “It’s so beautiful to be able to do films that are associated with holidays because it’s family time. When you can make a movie that families can remember and come together to see, it makes it all the more special.”

Our Little Secret is being praised by critics as the best Lohan movie in some time, and the best of her Netflix films. Can it be classed as a comeback? With three recent Netflix Originals under Lindsay Lohan’s belt and the Freaky Friday sequel due for release in 2025, yes it can.

Watch Our Little Secret

Our Little Secret Release Date November 27, 2024 Cast Lindsay Lohan , Kristin Chenoweth , Ian Harding , Jon Rudnitsky , Chris Parnell , Tim Meadows , Dan Bucatinsky , Henry Czerny , Katie Baker , Ash Santos , Jake Brennan , Brian Unger Runtime 99 Minutes Writers Hailey DeDominicis Distributor(s) Netflix Expand