Lindsay Lohan in Our Little Secret. Photograph: Entertainment Pictures/Alamy
Kristin Chenoweth embraced her inner "mean girl" to portray the over-the-top, judgmental mother-in-law to Lindsay Lohan’s character in Netflix’s holiday rom-com Our Little Secret. To bring this Southern mom to life, Chenoweth drew inspiration from classic comedians like Teri Garr and Carol Burnett (whom she calls her “second mom”), as well as observing people in malls and restaurants. She even took some notes from her own family members—though she's staying tight-lipped about which ones. “I’d like to stay in the family, so I’m not saying,” she jokes.
Lindsay Lohan in Our Little Secret. Photograph: Entertainment Pictures/Alamy
The film stars Lohan and Ian Harding from Pretty Little Liars as exes who end up spending Christmas together after discovering their current partners are siblings. Harding believes the movie stands out from other holiday films due to its unpredictable plot. "In a lot of Christmas movies, you can tell right away that the characters will end up together," he explains. "In this one, there’s a bit more uncertainty—sometimes it feels like they’re healing old wounds and becoming friends by the end."
Luckily, by the film's conclusion, the couple is back together. "It felt right for the characters," says Lohan. "They had to go on their own journeys to realize what was meant to be. They both had to grow and mature in different ways."
The movie opens with a flashback to ten years ago, showing the couple before their breakup. To get into the mood for these younger versions of themselves, Lohan and Harding revisited music from the early 2010s. Harding admits that he needed a moment to remember exactly what era they were revisiting. “Maybe this is what happens when you get to my age,” he laughs. “I thought ten years ago was the late 2000s, and then I realized it was more like 20 years ago. I feel younger than I am!”
For Lohan, the film also marks a reunion with familiar faces from her past films. Alongside her Mean Girls co-star Lacey Chabert and Freaky Friday love interest Chad Michael Murray, she’s part of Netflix’s holiday lineup this year (Chabert stars in Hot Frosty, while Murray leads The Merry Gentlemen). Lohan is especially excited for fans to see Murray again in the upcoming Freakier Friday, set to hit theaters next summer. “It’s so much fun,” she says. “Chad’s full force in the movie, riding in on his motorcycle. It’s a really fun film that’s packed with laughs and heart. I think people will love it.”
Lohan also shares that her time on set with Jamie Lee Curtis has been a blast—though it’s not always productive. “We’re trouble when we work together,” she laughs. “We just talk non-stop. We’re always yapping, and then there’s music in the car. It’s like, ‘We’re trying to shoot here!’”
