Chad Michael Murray's Role In The "Freaky Friday" Cast Almost Went To Jared Padalecki
As divided as Gen Z can get, one thing unites us all: the early 2000s had some great celebrity crushes. Thanks to rom-coms and teen dramas, we got cuties like Dylan Sprouse and Taylor Lautner (not to mention all of The Sex and the City boyfriends). However, no crush conversation gets as heated as talking about Rory Gilmore's boyfriends. Thankfully, the drama between the characters didn't translate in real life, and as it turns out, two of them were up for the same iconic role.
Image via Disney/Buena Vista Pictures
In Disney's 2003 Freaky Friday, which was led by Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan and based on Mary Rodgers' 1972 novel,Chad Michael Murray (who starred as Tristan before he joined One Tree Hill) plays music lover Jake. However, the role was almost played by Jared Padalecki instead.
“I went through the typical casting process," he tells Vulture. "I was reading with a bunch of guys. I know one of them was Jared Padalecki. We were buddies and goofed off before the audition."
Since Jared went on to be a lead on Supernatural, this casting choice worked out for everyone!
(Left to Right) Jared Padalecki and Alexis Bledel in Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life
Image via Neil Jacobs/Netflix
Chad later recalled that director Mark Waters knew he'd be a fit for the role right from the beginning: "He told me, ‘It’s funny. I knew right away from the moment that you started acting in the scene with Lindsay. I could tell just from her reaction to you being in the room.'"
Considering Freaky Friday 2 is officially in the works, we hope we get to see Chad Michael Murray reprise his role! Maybe Jared can make a cameo?
"It would be awesome to come back and have Jake come in and reenter the world of mayhem," Chad continues in the interview. "It would only be that much more interesting having Jamie potentially play a grandma or Lindsay playing a mother and Jake entering that world in some weird, bizarre way...I'd be all in."
We're all in too, Chad. We're all in, too.
Who's your favorite member of the Freaky Friday cast? Let us know in the comments!
Lead image via Disney/Buena Vista Pictures
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