Some of the films on this list might surprise you.
Lindsay Lohan began working when she was a child. She started as a child model who landed a role on the soap opera Another World. From there, she starred in The Parent Trap and her world changed forever. Lohan went on to star in films like Freaky Friday, Mean Girls, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. Lohan’s films spoke to a generation of adolescents who identified with her characters.
Lohan then moved on to more adult roles, but her personal troubles caused her film career to suffer. It now seems that Lohan is making a comeback, with her new film Falling For Christmas on Netflix. Lohan recently signed a deal to do more films with the streaming service.
But which of Lohan’s current films grossed the most at the box office worldwide? The results might surprise you.
8Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen – $33.1 Million
Believe it or not, this role was originally supposed to go to Hilary Duff. Given that Lohan’s teen queen rival couldn’t do the movie, she was happy to step in. After watching the film, it’s clear that Lohan was the right choice for the role. Lohan plays a girl named Mary, but she calls herself Lola. She’s a teen who moves with her family from New York City to a New Jersey suburb. Lola is a creative person who uses her individuality to her benefit. It’s not one of Lohan’s most remembered Disney films, given that it came out the same year as Mean Girls.
7Just My Luck – $38.1 Million
After filming Herbie: Fully Loaded, Lohan was eager to step away from Disney. She was then 18 years old and ready to move away from her teen idol image. Lohan wanted to take on more adult roles. This romantic comedy, Lohan’s first, was a good transitional point. Lohan plays a woman named Ashley. Ashley lives and works in New York City. She is known to have good luck, but exchanges a kiss with a man who has bad luck. The kiss causes Ashley to now have bad luck and vice versa. The film also stars Chris Pine and although not well-received by critics, it remains an underrated part of Lohan’s filmography.
6Machete – $46.3 Million
It might be hard to imagine this move having anything to do with Spy Kids, but this is actually a spin-off of sorts. Danny Trejo stars as Machete, reprising his role from the Spy Kids franchise. The film is directed by Robert Rodriguez, the same man who directed the Spy Kids movies, and Ethan Maniquis. The film expands on a fake trailer that was used during the promotion of the 2007 Grindhouse double feature, which Rodriguez did with Quentin Tarantino. Lohan plays the role of April, a socialite who appears to have a fondness for guns. The film didn’t do well with the critics.
5Scary Movie 5 – $78.6 Million
Lohan’s personal life has made headlines over the years. For a period of time, her legal battles and addiction issues took precedent over her career. Lohan decided to poke fun at herself in this film. The fifth installment of the Scary Movie series, this film is based on the original incarnation created by the Wayans brothers. Lohan plays herself in the movie, poking fun at her various troubles that have played out in public. This wasn’t well-received by critics, who were not impressed with the film or its humor.
4The Parent Trap – $92.1 Million
Lohan acted in the soap opera Another World and her performance was very well-received. It also helped her step into the acting arena. Having auditioned for the dual roles in The Parent Trap, Lohan was thrilled when she got the job. Lohan plays twin sisters who were separated when they were babies. The two girls meet at a summer camp and develop a close bond. They set out on a mission to get their parents back together. The film was Lohan’s first film with Disney and her first starring role. Given that she played two parts (one of which has a British accent), Lohan’s acting talent was lauded by the public. This is the film that set Lohan on the path to stardom.
3Mean Girls – $130.7 Million
For this film, Lohan originally wanted to play the role of Regina George. However, those involved wanted her for the lead character of Cady, to which Lohan accepted. Cady is a teenage girl who moves to an American suburb after only previously living in Africa with her parents. The inner workings of high school and its various social groups is new to Cady. She finds herself making friends with the popular girls and discovers how catty it can all be. The film was a huge success and still holds popularity today. It was the film that gave Lohan the opportunity to transition away from teen idol status.
2Herbie: Fully Loaded – $144 million
After Mean Girls, Lohan went back to Disney for another movie. She starred in Herbie: Fully Loaded, a modern update of the popular Herbie The Love Bug character. In the film, Lohan plays Maggie, a girl who desperately wants to race cars. Her father, however, is very protective following the death of her mother. He tries to dissuade Maggie from racing, but she needs to follow her dream. The film was a success and gave Lohan yet another hit movie to add to her filmography. While filming, Lohan recorded her debut album, “Speak.” One of the songs, “First,” is featured on the film’s soundtrack.
1Freaky Friday – $160.8 Million
After The Parent Trap, Lohan did two television movies, Life Size and Get a Clue. She intended to live a normal life following the intense workload of her first big film. However, she soon got back to work when Disney once again called her in to do another remake. This time, the classic Freaky Friday was being reimagined. It once again called on Lohan to perform dual roles as both the daughter and mother. Lohan starred alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. Both actresses have recently said they’re open to doing a sequel. We’ll have to wait and see how that turns out.