Freaky Friday was a big part of my childhood. Long before a Disney+ subscription existed, I’d watch the movie on TV over and over; however, I hadn’t seen the 2003 classic in a very long time. So, with Freakier Friday set to premiere soon on the 2025 movie schedule, I decided to revisit the OG Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis film for the first time as an adult, and I need to talk about the unsung hero and unexpected MVP of it.
It’s Mark Harmon’s Character!
So, as I stated, I watched Freaky Friday a lot as a kid, and it came out when I was 4 years old. I’ve always loved Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis’ shenanigans as Anna and Tess, I wanted to be as cool as Anna, and obviously, I had a crush on Chad Michael Murray’s Jake. I also can’t deny how empowering and loving Anna and Tess’s story is as they switch places and literally walk a mile in each other’s shoes.
Freakier Friday’s release, I realized I never really truly appreciated Mark Harmon’s character Ryan. Tess’s fiancé-turned-husband is such a sweet, caring and considerate character, and as we’re about to discuss, he’s the MVP of this film.
body-swapping comedy. Think about it, while Tess and Anna’s situation is hilarious, if you were actually there and experiencing it, it would be incredibly weird and hard to handle. If I were him, I would have freaked out.
However, Ryan rode the chaotic waves immaculately, and his love for Tess never ever wavered. He really handled it all with grace and love and more than proved himself as a worthy addition to the family. So, to quote Anna’s friend, “Mr. Dude, you rock!”
Now, I can’t wait to see Mark Harmon’s Ryan back in Freakier Friday and reunited with Jamie Lee Curtis’ Tess. I want to see how marriage has been for them, and I desperately hope we get to see him handle another wild body-swap among his family with the same poise and supportive attitude again, because he really is an MVP.