TV & Movies

Abbott Elementary Fans Probably Missed This Parent Trap Easter Egg

Lisa Ann Walter paid tribute to the '90s classic.

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Decades after playing Chessy on 'The Parent Trap,' 'Abbott Elementary' kids still know Lisa Ann Walt...
ABC/Scott Everett White & Walt Disney Pictures

As fans of Nancy Meyers’ The Parent Trap will recall, the beloved character of Chessy (played by Lisa Ann Walter) remains a firm favourite among fans of the 1998 remake. Nowadays, Walter is better known as Melissa Schemmenti in the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary, and during one Season 2 episode of the Golden Globe-winning sitcom, fans may have noticed a Parent Trap Easter egg orchestrated by Walter herself.

A subtle reference to the ‘90s classic was featured in the Abbott Elementary episode “Principal's Office,” during which Walter is shown wearing a familiar denim over-shirt that bares a striking resemblance to her Parent Trap wardrobe. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor revealed the character’s choice of clothing was an intentional nod to “Chessy fans.”

“I wanted to dress a little bit differently at home,” Walter recalled of her time on set. “They said, ‘Well, what do you want?’ And I went, ‘I'm in my kitchen. We're standing over food. Let me throw a little Easter egg for the Chessy fans because they're so vocal and I love them and they all dress like the character. So, let me do this.’”

However, Abbott Elementary’s costume designer, Susan Michalek, was unfamiliar with the Parent Trap over-shirt. “I showed her the iconic picture of that scene — that everybody dresses as when they send me pictures of themselves dressed like the character.” Walter continued: “I didn't think necessarily people were going to get it. I thought it was going to be just for me. Or a couple of people get it because they're really into it, but everybody got it and went nuts with it. It was really fun.”

ABC / 'Abbott Elementary'

This isn’t the first time Walter has made reference to her much-adored Parent Trap character. In 2021, the actor recreated one of the film’s most iconic scenes with her co-star Elaine Hendrix (aka Meredith Blake), becoming an instant hit on TikTok.

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