Lindsay Lohan turns 21 today, and though I know you’d prefer to be reading whatever haiku Slezak would pen in her honor, he’s off today, like 95 percent of the EW staff. So, PopWatchers, let’s celebrate in an even more constructive way: by playing armchair agent and suggesting what kind of project she should do next to win back her fans. Before you get your snark on, know that I’m writing this from a Craig Ferguson don’t-make-fun-of-those-who-need-help-and- are-getting-it place, and would encourage you all to join me there. (Remember how much you loved The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls — or at least didn’t hate them? Channel it.)
Personally, I’d love to see Lohan return to a project that she announced in 2004, and then abandoned— the film adaptation of Lynn Messina’s debut novel Fashionistas (think Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada only smarter, funnier, and quirkier— and I’m not just saying that because I’ve known Messina for 10 years). Lohan needs a sharp, clever, underdog character that reminds us that she’s bright, talented, and, most importantly, someone we can still root for. She’d find it in those pages.What project would you pitch Lohan?
Comments (1-30) of 61 Add your comment
Let’s just hope that the days she spent at rehab or the days she will stay in rehab will restore her back to her “Mean Girls” acting talent. Plus, perhaps she will rethink her toe up blonde dye job and go back to her normal red hair.
What project would I pitch her? Retirement!
I would actually love to see her in a father-daughter sports movie, something simple and gentle and about relationships. She and her father (Billy Bob Thornton) set out to win the local soap box derby and mend their strained relationship. Set it in the 70s for throwback charm (and a little bit of rightly-placed feminism) and you have a fun, family hit.
you have to see this FUNNNNNNYYYYY
http://youtube.com/watch?v=y0FuMRHRCVY
she needs to do an action movie
EW reccomended this, but I agree that she’d make a great Beth Cooper in a film version of “I Love You Beth Cooper”-preferrably opposite someone like Shia LaBeouf.
Oh my god, L.L needs to take some time off – like a year! On this year off she needs to do some charity work in which she gets some positive exposure. Put away your singing career and get rid of your mom.
When you come back, start a clothing line for gay guys by opening your own boutique in West Hollywood. Then release your own purfume line which also caters to the gays.
The gays will always forgive you, make them your target audience.
I’m just waiting for day she finds a script with a nice tasteful nude scene.
My daughter has often been mistaken for Lindsay in the past(same age, same hair, height, etc), and just the little flurry of attention she gets then is upsetting. Think of living this way since you were a child, in addition to being Mommy’s meal ticket. Let’s all give her a break.
I think she needs to go back to something like “mean girls.” She is a great comedian and think she could really bring back the female lead romantic comedy. Mostly something set in college or just out of high school. Something written by Tina Fay or someone else from SNL. It would be good to see someone not part of the party scene as her female friend like Maeby from Arrested Development. As for the male lead, I don’t know maybe Shia LaBeouf and Justin Long.
self parody…best way to go
Lindsay needs to go away for a year, get her life together (stop doing coke!!!) and come back and actually do what she was doing…
Pick smart comedies (like “Mean Girls” NOT “Just my luck”) with a healthy helping of ensemble indie fare “A Prairie Home Companion”
I suggest she scour archived scripts for roles made for Ann Margret, but the studio felt was too risky at the time. Update them and score.
Wouldn’t it be great if she kicked her problem and went back to being the talented and smart performer she used to be? Every time I see her on the cover of some tabloid, I feel as sad as I used to when Robert Downey Jr. went through his troubles. Sad for her and for the people like myself who can’t wait to see her act again.
Amen to the red hair, Stephanie! I was going to suggest doing a prestige piece with some true-blue Hollywood veterans, but we all know how well Georgia Rule went over……
I agree with a lot of the posts that she should do a heart-warming family comedy. Sharp and witty comedies never fail! (Well, almost.) Also, she could try a prestige piece where she needs an accent. A really convincing and authentic-sounding accent is Hollywood gold.
I hope she doesn’t do anything morbid or depressing like I Know Who Killed Me. Yuck! Go back to your Mean Girls roots, LiLo!
I’m trying so hard to be nice… I’m trying, I’m trying…
Oh, i just can’t do it.
When I saw the trailer for I KNOW WHO KILLED ME, I was initially intrigued by the concept until i realized that the main actress was none other than Miss Lohan…
I don’t think I’ve ever had that kind of a reaction to an actor…
I can still watch Tom Cruise and put aside his crazy Oprah antics, Hugh Grant still makes me laugh even after his romp with questionable women of the night, and I can’t wait to see Winona Ryder make a triumphant return to the screen after her juvenile run-in with the law.
but Lohan… I just can’t take her anymore… An obnoxious spoiled brat… and I can’t see anything else…
Sorry Lohan, you’re really going to have to prove yourself off the screen (or maybe quit trying to prove yourself and just disappear for a while) before I can watch you without bringing your truck load of baggage with me to the theatre.
I think Lindsay was great in A Prairie Home Companion, so I think another small ensemble film would be great for her. Her latest movies where she is the main star haven’t been quite well-received, so I would like to see her step back and disappear into a character. She was also great in Bobby.
One more thing……voice-overs for animated films! That would be a good way for her to “disappear” but still keep some dough rolling in (since she’s probably blown a whole lot of it supporting her drug habit). They should be big blockbuster, Disney-Pixar-esque or Dreamworks-esque films, like Shrek or Finding Nemo.
And for the love of God, please, please, PLEASE stop going to clubs, and make sure the parties you attend don’t require behaviour-altering substances to have a good time. Dress tastefully and conservatively. Like I said before, return to your redheadness. Dump your “momager”. She’s your mom, and that’s it. Get a real manager, a serious professional who cares about your well-being and your career. Tabloid gossip buzz doesn’t (always) translate into box-office success.
Okay, so I’m going to bring up another magastar with the last initials of “LO” who made the world sick to death of her. J LO. After the Bennifer thing, I didn’t think she would ever get “it” back, or him for that matter. But they did the best thing….laid low, found a good solid piece of work to come back with, and dated and worked with respectable people. Let’s hope Lohan can get a good grip on life and learn three times in rehab is NOT a charm!
Oops, meant megastar…..bad spelling.
a break from the trying-too-hard haikus, thank goodness!
I suggest that she does a period piece where her voice won’t sound so horse and raspy. It would be great if another Jane Austin book was adapted and she played the love-lorn heroine. Think Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility. What am I saying? One can only dream that she would ever be that amazing.
First, I think the comparison to J.Lo is kinda ridiculous, cause does J.Lo even really qualify as “being back?” Her Spanish album kinda flopped, & until her two movies she’s got in the can comes out, or she drops this pop hit from her forth-coming “dance leaning” album…nah, j.lo is not back. If ANYTHING the BACKlash is there & has hit her hard.
How quickly everyone forgets when sweet rom-com queen Drew barrymoore was Hollywood’s wild child. Sure that was quite some time, and many rehab stints ago, but if there is any actress to compare where Lindsay’s path needs to lead to, it would be Miss Barrymoore!
And Brainiac, personally i thought the I KNOW WHO KILLED ME trailer was great and actually made me look forward to seeing it. now, the movie just needs to NOT suck. It looks intriguing and honestly, Lindsay needs it to be the start of her turn around if she really wants this Hollywood career to continue. Also, i hope she nixes the idea to record another BORING album this year.
Sources over at Untitled Entertainment and CAA have told me that Lindsay Lohan is still getting offers for high-profile roles but Lindsay has been turning them down to focus more on her emotional well being. I know Robert Rodriguez is very fond of Lohan’s acting ability and thinks she is perfect for the title role in “Barberella” as does it’s original Jane Fonda. She wants the role and she probably will do it before the end of the year. She also has “Poor Things” and “Hippy” set to be filmed before year end plus she is planning on recording her third album which is going for a urban pop sound. Producers are expected to include Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. So Lindsay might be in trouble with the law but she is still being loved by Hollywood.
As a fellow redhead, I hope she goes back to her natural colour. I also hope she unloads that mom of hers and hires a professional manager and agent. I’d also like to see her give up the singing career. Her voice is good, but not exceptional, but she is a good actress. Focusing on smart roles in good movies is the way for Lindsay to go. But above all, stick to rehab and a 12 Step program, Lindsay. You won’t regret it.
Yeah, peggym, I’m sure your daughter looks just like Lindsay Lohan. And who do you think you look like, Morgan Fairchild? Whatever.
I think Lindsay should do a light romantic comedy with someone like Hugh Grant–he may be a little old fo LiLo, but he does romantic comedy well and brings in his own audience so that it isn’t all on Linds.
I agree with everyone who said to ditch the mom. Dina appears to be an enabler who is doing her no favors at all… as a mom or as a manager.
Mandi, I agree with you–”Fashionistas” is a much better book than “The Devil Wears Prada.” I used to be skeptical of Lohan starring in an adaptation of it because she was too young. Fortunately, now that she’s the age of many college graduates, I think she could pull it off.
As for other ways to revitalize her career, she should stop partying so much. When your movie’s producer makes a public statement about your bad behavior, it’s time to tone it down.
She should also take more roles in ensembles like “Prairie Home Companion” and “Bobby” and fewer starring vehicles unless they’re actually good scripts. She’s a good actress and she needs to stop distracting people from that fact.
I don’t know if she’s fallen this far yet, but the proven method of getting back on your feet is to guest star as a killer on a version of L&O.
A movie called “Ugly”- the premise would be the fall of a vain, spoiled drug addict child star/ actress.
Seriously, that would be great to see a raw film showing how unpretty these girls’ behaviors really are…and that there can still be redemption.