Freaky Friday 2 director says sequel changes "problematic" Asian representation from original

2 May 2025, 16:58

By Sam Prance

Manny Jacinto also revealed that he had "concerns" about joining the cast of Freakier Friday based on Asian representation in the first film.

Loading audio...

Freakier Friday director Nisha Ganatra says the sequel will "make right" the original's offensive Asian representation.

As well as being one of the 00s most loved teen movies, 2003's Freaky Friday has also faced criticism over the way in which it plays into Asian stereotypes. In the film, teenager Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and her mother Tess have an intense argument at a Chinese restaurant.

We then see owner Pei-Pei (Rosalind Chao) tell her mother (Lucille Soong) to stay out of it. However, Pei Pei's mother then insists that Tess and Anna have fortune cookies without telling them that they're magic. The next day, Tess and Anna switch bodies.

Now, Nisha Ganatra and actor Manny Jancinto have spoken about what they found "problematic" in Freaky Friday.

Read more: All about Freaky Friday 2: The 2025 film's release date, trailer, plot, cast and more

Watch the trailer for Freakier Friday

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Nisha said: "There were some stereotypes that were hurtful. I remember watching it and feeling torn, mostly about the Asian representation and the soundtrack that was being used. It was something I brought up right away. I had a moment of the presentation that was like, ‘Problematic Asian representation!'”

Nisha added that she felt like she "owed audiences to make it right on this one". Working with the film's screenwriter Jordan Weiss, they tried to give Freakier Friday “little moments that don’t betray this movie, but were satisfying for people who found hurtful moments in the last one.”

For example, Rosalind Chao and Lucille Soong both return for "some really fun moments" but they're not in any way involved in the body-swapping.

Nisha added: "It was a different time and wasn’t done intentionally [in the 2003 film], but it’s a real thing."

She ended by saying: "It’s something I, being Asian, was super conscious of.”

Manny Jacinto will play Lindsay Lohan's love interest in Freakier Friday. Picture: JULIE SEBADELHA/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), who plays Anna's fiancé Eric in the film revealed that he had “concerns” about the film. Manny explained: “When I considered hopping on board, I remember watching the first Freaky Friday and being like, ‘This did not age very well, regarding the diverse characters.’"

Manny continued: "Knowing Nisha and speaking to other people within our circles, I knew we had a captain who was very much aware of those archetypes, or those issues presented in the first one. I felt very well taken care of."

He also said: “I don’t know if it would have been the same or had the same heart and charm if it was a different director. She keeps it very grounded and real, but also charming and fun."

Freakier Friday debuts in cinemas on August 8th this year.