How’s this for a juicy casting rumor: An anonymous someone told the New York Observer that Lindsay Lohan’s next big project could be a three-episode guest role on ABC’s Ugly Betty. For some celebwatchers, this is just another opportunity to throw shots at one of their favorite punching bags. ("Tipsy Terror Mulls Part," cracks the Observer story’s subheadline — yuk, yuk, yuk.) All kidding aside, though, I think this sounds like a pretty smart move for ol’ LL Cool LL (pictured).
For one thing, the part sounds like it’d be right up her alley. The Observer’s source has her playing "a fallen beauty queen who takes a gig as the assistant manager of the fast food chain where Betty’s dad toils… Betty befriends Ms. Lohan’s character, who has fallen on tough times since high school." And how! It’s tough to resist linking that description to Lohan’s own career path post-Mean Girls. But the comparison is a useful one for less flippant reasons, too: This part would let Lohan return to the light social comedy that she excels at for the first time in years. Give audiences a chance to laugh with her, not at her, and they just might start respecting her again.
And this seems like the right level of work for her right now. Amulti-episode TV arc would let her remind the world of her remainingacting skills without having to commit to a film’s long-term shootingschedule — low-impact, big splash. (PopWatch’s Gary Susman makes theconverse point that a stint on Betty would still require enoughwork to make a real point: "Just for her to have a gig that requiresher to display her professionalism by showing up at regular hours forlong workdays for three straight weeks is probably an importantmilestone for her at this stage.")
Of course, what this all really comes down to is how forgiving we’refeeling. Is it too late for Lohan to turn her career around? Do youcare anymore? And even if you’re still rooting for her, do you eventhink she’s still up to the challenges of a memorably funny guest run?
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LL would be great in that show. Too bad there won’t be any new scripts anytime soon.
Yeah, is the script already written? Because otherwise, I think the whole thing’s moot. Though, for the record, this would be perfect for her, and she really is a good comedy actress.
Oooooh Multiple Answers! Probably. Not really (not that I ever did) No.
I think she’s made a lot of really poor choices and has squandered some great opportunities and blown trust with far too many people. But, I largely blame her parents for pimping her out and turning their oldest child into a cash cow, rather than working on having a decent relationship with each other and being the grown-ups to their children. Lindsay is an adult and needs to start taking responsibility for her own actions, but she also got a very poor start and has had lousy examples of how to behave. I’d like to see her get serious about being sober and getting back to work. If she truly wants to continue in the business, I’m sure she has the talent, and Hollywood is a very forgiving place.
I think she is a quite talented actress from what I saw from Mean Girls but she threw it all away with the clubbing and drugs. But now, so far, she’s kept herself out of the tabloids (less than usual). I think this would be a great gig for her if she’s serious about her career.
Of course I can’t forgive her!
Georgia Rule was awful.
UGLY BETTY is one of the few great shows on TV whose guest stars are always diverse & always ADD some much needed spice to prime time tv! If Lohan did accept the role, I think she would work rather well. Betty has already hosted a number of stars such as producer, Selma Hayek, James Van Der Beek, Jerry O’Connell & next week even Victoria Beckham appears as Willie’s Maid of Honor (convenient how its also sweeps week AND the Spice Girls’ “Greatest Hits” goes on sale at Victoria’s Secrets everywhere next Tues). UGLY BETTY is also a ‘feel good’ kinda show, which would work in Lindsay’s favor without even directly conveying it. The show in general rarely gets any bad press, since it does well ratings wise, and also throws in some good really good off-the-cuff zingers for good measure! It would be a role well invested for LL (Simon, please never EVER refer to her as LL Cool LL again, tacky & SO NOT catchy!) in which everyon would win, esp. since BETTY is on ABC, Lohan’s old Disney sandbox!
this would be FUN! I have always felt that she, of all the fallen female celebrities, has the talent to come back should she ever want to do so. I can only hope–Ugly Betty would be the perfect medicine. I think that cast is infectious in a very positive way.
if it’s true, it’s a great move… very reminiscent of when Robert Downey Jr. got out of rehab and and joined the cast of Ally McBeal
I hate LL. Seriously. How many people get the kind of chances she got, and how many times has she blown it? Yeah, her parents totally took advantage, but come one. She’s not 12 anymore. I love Ugly Betty, but I will NOT watch ANY eoisode with LL…unless Willie rips her to shreds. That I would DVR and repeatedly watch.
I don’t mind LL, but I just don’t get how a couple of movie roles years ago means she is a superstar. The article talks about ‘respecting her again’, but what am I supposed to respect her for in the first place? She was fun in Parent Trap, at like what, 10? Then she did mean girls and it was fine, but I am supposed to respect her talent because of one decent movie role? Its sort of like Nicole Kidman all over again to me. Why am I supposed to love her so much when I can’t watch any of her last 5 years worth of movies…
Please don’t let her come on and ruin Ugly Betty. The show deserves better.
Not to take a dig at you, Simon, okay I am going to take a dig at you: Weren’t you the one who said that Jennifer Lopez’s career was on the upswing not too long ago? And now look at her. Maybe Lindsay shouldn’t take your advice, lol.
Lindsay has engaged in some bad behavior, but, unlike a lot of tabloid princesses, she has talent. She can definitely act. I think she deserves another chance. Give her the job!
And Lindsay, for your own sake, please stay clean and don’t fall back into your partying ways. You can only squander your potential so many times before your non-insane fans write you off permanently.
I love Ugly Betty, so I’ll watch the show regardless if she’s on or not. I don’t know if this will be what saves her career…. I mean, it’s TV, not a big budget blockbuster. The chances of anyone making a huge deal about this compared to her turn in Mean Girls is like, slim to none.
Not to mention, why is it that when movie stars eff up they always end up on TV? How come TV has become the fall back medium for fallen movie stars? Just curious…..
If Robert Downey Jr could revive his career with Ally McBeal, I think LL could do the same. However, an Ally McBeal comparison might not be the best idea, as after rave reviews dude did fall off the wagon again.
Okay, Drew Barrymore. After ET and Firestarter, she became almost as well known for her tabloid antics. A few decent roles later, and she’s back to being a sweetheart.
Which leads me to believe LL’s career is not beyond redemption. She just needs to avoid her dad, drugs and movies about strippers who have secret twins who get tortured. If she sticks to light comedy (and gets her red hair back), she could come back stronger than ever.
Well, it certainly can’t hurt at this point. And it would be good publicity for both her and the show. They’ve had many a guest star on who can’t act, so why not one who can? LL does have quite a bit of talent when she’s not squandering it. She was very good in “Prairie Home Companion.” Hollywood is very forgiving–maybe too forgiving sometimes.
She said, “I’m famous, I can do what I want.”
I’ve always been willing to give Lohan another chance. All she has to do is stop being a brat and entertain us with her talent and not her rap sheet. Pretty simple equation, really. I mean, how long can you derive entertainment out of watching someone self-destruct?
don’t count on it. The respect thing, not the guest starring thing.
Britney is going for the record. So far she’s at 3 years 6 months 3 weeks.
I’m absolutely sick of Lindsey Lohan. The years of seeing her in the tabloids every day, the lying, the just plain stupid behavior, and the awful friends/family that go along with her… I can’t take her anymore. I wouldn’t ever pay money to see her. Plus, am I the only one that thinks that her hard partying has pretty much destroyed her looks? I can’t see pictures anymore and not be distracted by the terrible tan, fake hair and pounds of makeup.
I love Ugly Betty. I have no problem with Lindsay Lohan appearing on Ugly Betty…someday. It seems to me she should put her life back together first for say a year or more of sobriety before she goes back to work. She needs to be healthy and stable and then she is more than welcome to be on Ugly Betty.
The best thing she could do right now is do this show and act again. Everytime I think I am sick of her, I watch Mean Girls and remember that she does have some chops, they are just out of practice.
If she guest stars on this show she will ruin it for me, I can’t stand her. She needs to stop acting for awhile and concentrate on the mess that is her life
I think it would be a savvy move.
It’s like how Samantha Jones said: http://moviemartin.blogspot.com
I missed out Lohan mania because of our teeny tiny age difference (OK, I’m old) but I will say that she seems very sincere about trying to build a better life for herself post-rehab. I also respect the fact that she kept seeking treatment even after setbacks and it broke my heart that the person she trusted most to monitor her SCRAM braclet after her stint at Promises was her lawyer. How sad is that – the girl can’t trust her family to support her?
Anyhooo – I saw go for it Lahon. And best of luck on your path.
LL needs to go away for a LONG, LONG time before I’d be interested in anything she does. And the girl’s been in like what, 4 or 5 movies, most of them bombs, yet some praise her acting?! Puhleeze, there are plenty of other good, young actresses like Ellen Page who are much better. This girl looks 10 years older that she really is from her hard living, blech, no interest in her at all, hard to get past her bad public image now no matter what she does.
I love Ugly Betty, but I’d stop watching if Lohan was on the show.