It’s been 24 years since Lindsay Lohan first stole our hearts as twins Annie and Hallie in The Parent Trap. Now it’s her turn to be swept off her skis — literally — as she finds romance in a new holiday rom-com, Falling for Christmas. 

Lohan plays hotel heiress Sierra Belmont, whose spoiled lifestyle conceals some deep emotional scars. Having lost her mother at a young age, she craves the acceptance of her father, who expresses it the only way he knows how: money. But when a skiing accident leaves Sierra with a bout of amnesia, she’s taken in by a handsome widower (Chord Overstreet) and his daughter (Olivia Perez) over the holiday season. With no clues as to her real identity, Sierra adopts a new one as Sara, and she’s finally able to explore the kind of person she wants to be, free from the expectations and baggage of her past. 

Sierra (Lindsay Lohan) and Jake (Chord Overstreet) share a sweet moment in Falling for Christmas. 

It’s a role that seems tailor-made for Lohan, who’s herself experiencing a rebirth of sorts. Falling for Christmas marks the star’s long-awaited return to the genre that made her famous, but this time, on her terms. As a producer on the film, Lohan worked with director Janeen Damian to shape the character she plays — you can thank her for those fabulously flamboyant costumes. The two are also collaborating on Lohan’s next project, Irish Wish, a supernatural romantic comedy set in Ireland coming to Netflix in 2024. 

But while Lohan is embracing this new chapter in her career, she’s also mindful of how she got there. It’s no coincidence that Falling for Christmas features a wink to an iconic scene from 2004’s Mean Girls. Lohan knows exactly what her fans want to see, and she’s more than happy to oblige. In an interview with Tudum, Lohan reflects on what she loves about romantic comedies and shares some of her own family holiday traditions. 

What was your first impression of the script when you received it?
I loved that it was a rom-com. I think that was the first thing. And I loved that it was a Christmas seasonal script. That was really exciting to me ’cause I’ve never done a holiday movie before. And there was a lot of physical comedy in it, which really excited me because physical comedy is one of my favorite things to do, especially in romantic comedies.

Were you actively looking for a rom-com or did this opportunity just kind of come to you?
I was more interested in a rom-com. That was really where my head was at. I wanted to come back first after such a long time of being away with a rom-com. And I missed seeing them on TV.

Sierra in full morning glam mode. 

What was your favorite thing about your character, Sierra?
I like Sierra’s aloofness. It’s very funny to play her because she’s not a mean person. She’s just in this little bubble of the only world she knows. But Sierra is also sensitive, she misses her mom. So she actually has a lot going on in her life, which we get into more as the movie progresses, when she becomes Sara.

Do you have a process for how you approach your roles? Do you prepare for each one in the same way, or do you tailor it to whatever movie you’re doing?
I definitely have a process and yet it’s different for her role. I go through the script a bunch of times, and then I rewrite a bunch of stuff. I reword it, and I put a lot of notes behind it and thoughts and backstory into the character. And then I think a lot of the process is wardrobe. When you’re in a film, that really changes how you personify and bring the character to life from the page.

You’re a producer on this film — were you able to shape the character? 
I did, which was really exciting. I had a very clear idea of who I wanted Sierra to be and how I wanted Sara to be. So I was really allowed to play with that and explore that in the process of making the movie.

Fun fact: Lohan kept Sierra’s amazing pink hat. 

Is there anything you wear in the movie that really came from you?
The pink ski suit.

The best one!
I added the glasses and the hat, and it just kept going from there. I was like, “How much more fabulous can we make this?” Let’s go there, let’s commit!

When you say you add backstory to the character, what would that look like for Sierra?
I think [mapping out] where her sensitivity comes from — that’s what I was really interested in. Her relationship with her father, how it was before and how it became [what] we see on-screen. I didn’t want the audience to not relate to her at all, just because she’s living this high life. I still wanted her to be likable.

What did you enjoy most about revisiting the rom-com genre?
I think we need uplifting movies to watch, and I really wanted to bring that back to people and into their homes. 

Do you think that your approach to performance has changed at all?
Maybe — I don’t know actually. I’m big on reading the script a bunch of times, the whole script through and then running everything the night before just so that, the next day, it’s just cake. It’s not about you when you’re making a movie, it’s about everybody on the set — your castmates, your crew members. Everyone gets there early and leaves after you. So I always wanted it to be a smooth, light, fun day for everyone.

Lohan filming a ski stunt on the set of Falling for Christmas.

You talked a little bit about the stunts before — what was the most challenging one to pull off in this movie? Because you do fall down a mountain…
The most challenging wasn’t necessarily the stunts — although flying forward down the mountain was tough, that was difficult — it was [actually] adding the ADR [automatic dialogue replacement] scream afterwards. That was really rough because I had no voice the next day. There was a lot of yelling and a lot of screaming. That was harder than the actual stunts.

You just released a “Jingle Bell Rock” cover, but you also sing it in the movie. How did that happen? Was it in the script? 
I don’t even remember if we actually had it written there. I think we played it and I was originally going to hum to it, and then I was like, “Let’s just sing it.”

What was it like going back to that song after Mean Girls?
It was very nostalgic for me in the moment. I kept remembering the scene at the talent show. 

Nothing says Christmas like a holiday market.

What do you think makes Falling for Christmas such a quintessential Christmas movie?
Well, all of the set design! Also, I think mostly bringing people together and having family involved and finding love throughout the holiday season. I think that’s a beautiful thing.

Do you feel like you’ve done Christmas this year already?
Almost. I mean, after the premiere I’ll be like, “OK, Christmas has officially happened.” 

What’s a fun holiday tradition in your house?
We’re always about cooking together, so that’s a big deal during the holidays — especially Thanksgiving — and decorating the tree. My mom is big on putting our stockings up. She loves that. And my favorite thing is stocking stuffers.

Do you have a go-to dish that you make?
For Thanksgiving, it’s stuffing and sweet potatoes with marshmallows.

Is it true that you actually made that on set?
I did do that! Me and Janeen, the director, and her husband, Michael Damian, and my now-husband and my brother — we all did Thanksgiving together. That was really fun.

Janeen Damian directs Lohan and Overstreet on the set of Falling for Christmas.

What did you enjoy about working with Janeen? 
It was great. It’s always fun to work with female directors, and especially first-time female directors. You find things together to do and it’s just a fun experience. Janeen has a dancing background, so she’s always about moving and choreographing certain scenes in different ways, which helped a lot with the physical comedy.

You two are working on another rom-com for Netflix. How would you describe your character in Irish Wish? 
She’s a bit of a bookworm. She’s a nerd, which I loved playing. But she’s a sweetheart. She’s kind of naive, and she keeps it that way because her head is always focused on writing and stuff. She’s more of a shy girl, very different from Sierra. 

What was it like filming in Ireland?
It was great! My little brother came with me. He’s also in Irish Wish. It was just special to go back to a place where you have history from, and I’ve never been there before. It’s just so beautiful to film [there]. I’m really excited for people to see it. It’s a different movie, but it’s really good.

Did you get to explore your roots while you were there?
I had a little time to do that. I went to Newgrange, which is [a Stone Age monument], which was gorgeous. I didn’t have so much downtime, but even when you’re filming there, it’s like you’re sightseeing. 

All I want for Christmas is Sierra’s red silk kimono. 

There’s already talk of a Lohan-aissance. How would you like to define this next chapter in your career?
I don’t know yet. I think it comes script by script. If something comes along that’s totally different but it really excites me, then I want to try that. There’s films I’ve never done before. I’ve never done dramatic thrillers, I’ve never done action. So there’s other things now at this point in my life that I definitely want to dip my feet in.

And we want to see you do it. In the meantime, though, what are you watching on Netflix right now?
I just watched [all of] Buying Beverly Hills. It’s so good. 

Falling for Christmas premieres on Netflix on Nov. 10. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.