Lindsay Lohan Opens Up About the Crushing Pressures of Early Fame
After embracing roles as a wife and mother and staging a remarkable Hollywood comeback in recent years, Lindsay Lohan is now sharing candid insights into the intense challenges she endured while growing up under the relentless glare of the spotlight during the 1990s and early 2000s. In a new cover story for Vogue Arabia published on Thursday, the 39-year-old actor reflected deeply on why she felt inadequately shielded from what she describes as the "overwhelming and consuming" scrutiny of the entertainment industry.
Regrets and Reflections on Youthful Decisions
"I should have listened to my mom and dad and moved back to New York. But I was young and wanted to be in LA. And I didn't know. So yeah, while a lot of it was fun, it was hard when I was young. It was a double-edged sword," Lohan revealed. She added, "Now I look back and wonder, 'Why didn't anyone just go and take me out of there, protect me more?' You don't know how to do that yourself when you're a teenager."
Lohan first catapulted to stardom with her breakout performance in 1998's The Parent Trap at just 11 years old. Her fame soared even higher in 2003 after starring alongside Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday. Her career continued its upward trajectory with hits like 2004's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and the iconic Mean Girls, released later that same year.
The Tumultuous Turn in Public Perception
As a teenager, Lohan relocated to Los Angeles to further her acting ambitions, even briefly sharing a home with fellow Disney star Raven-Symoné. However, after achieving significant success on the big screen, her public image began to deteriorate. She became a constant target for aggressive tabloid coverage and encountered legal issues, including two arrests in 2007 for driving under the influence, which occurred just months after she entered rehab in January of that year.
Finding Solace and a New Life in Dubai
Lohan, who married husband Bader Shammas in 2022 after moving to Dubai in 2014, explained that she decided to uproot her life and settle in the United Arab Emirates after realizing she "wasn't having fun in the business anymore." She elaborated, "I wasn't finding roles I loved. It's not a life I wanted to live, you know? It's not a real life. It pushed me so far away that I moved to the other side of the world. And I'm so glad I followed my gut." The couple welcomed their son, Luai, in July 2023.
Since re-emerging into the public eye, Lohan has starred in a series of Netflix romantic comedies, including 2022's Falling for Christmas, 2024's Irish Wish, and 2024's Our Little Secret. She also achieved massive commercial success by reuniting with Jamie Lee Curtis for the sequel Freakier Friday, released last year, which grossed over $153 million worldwide.
Embracing Privacy and a Renewed Sense of Confidence
Lohan told Vogue Arabia that living in Dubai has been "very grounding" for her, stating, "I get to just spend time with my family. The city gives me a sense of being with what's most important." She contrasted the privacy she enjoys there with her experiences in the United States, calling it "a big breath of fresh air." Later in the interview, she became candid about how aging in her career has bestowed upon her a "different kind of confidence."
"When I was younger, I wasn't so comfortable saying how I felt about a character and being involved with the process of it," she explained. "And I love that part now. I always felt like I had too many people around me and that I was being guided in a different direction. And now it feels good to steer my own ship."
