A Marvel Star Was Almost Cast As The Parent Trap Twins

For many ’90s babies, Disney’s The Parent Trap remains a nostalgic childhood favorite. Directed by Nancy Meyers and starring the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, and Lisa Ann Walter, the 1998 release is celebrated by fans to this day with viral TikTok recreations, Parent Trap Easter Eggs, and calls for a sequel regularly doing the rounds online. However, many fans might not be aware that the film’s cast almost looked very different, and a major Marvel star was very nearly cast as the identical Parker twins.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2017, Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson was quizzed about some of the movie roles she missed out on throughout her career, including Jumanji, Les Misérables, and The Parent Trap. “I saw Jumanji. I liked it. I wasn’t bitter enough then, now I’m bitter,” Johansson joked, adding that when it came to The Parent Trap, she “started to get bitter.”

However, Johansson wasn’t the only actor considered for the Parker twins. As per Insider, Harriet the Spy’s Michelle Trachtenberg and Matilda’s Mara Wilson reportedly auditioned for the part, while Contact star Jena Malone was offered the role on three separate occasions, but turned it down each time.

As mentioned, Lohan was ultimately cast as twins Hallie and Annie Parker, who unexpectedly reunite at summer camp after being separated at birth. Speaking previously to Bustle, The Parent Trap Casting Director, Ilene Starger, revealed that finding a young actor to play Hallie and Annie was “challenging.” However, after screen testing with co-stars Quaid and Richardson, Lohan quickly became “the front-runner.”

Back in 2022, Lohan fueled hopes for a Parent Trap sequel after she recreated one of the most memorable moments from the film on TikTok. Speaking to Vogue that same year, the actor also disclosed her favorite Parent Trap twin, revealing that she always “wanted to be more like Annie.”

“She was more preppy and reserved, and she just had a classier twist to her that I really loved. Hallie was too American for me because I was too used to that, but Annie was my favourite,” Lohan said at the time.