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If you were a ’90s kid, then chances are, you grew up watching movies like The Parent Trap without realizing it was a modern remake of a 1961 classic. That’s probably because it introduced a young Lindsay Lohan, who would go on to star in a plethora of other tween and teen movies before she was finished being a teenager herself. It’s one of those movies that somehow feels like a classic even though it’s only 21 years old and younger than the adults who still want to know how to watch The Parent Trap online so they can relive their own childhoods or share the movie with their kids now.
The Parent Trap premiered in theaters in 1998 and not only introduced Lohan but did so in a unique way that had some young fans wondering if real-life identical twins were playing the lead. In truth, however, Lohan took on the lead roles of both Hallie Parker and Annie James and did so in a way that would make you think she had already been a seasoned actress up until that point.
But the way she played both characters, who are opposite in personalities, is part of the reason why The Parent Trap remains something of a classic today. Luckily, The Parent Trap is available for streaming online, so it’s not hard to rewatch every monumental moment. And even if you have watched it more times than you can count (which is totally OK, by the way), you’ll probably find yourself itching for some vintage Lohan again eventually.
So to help you out, here’s how to stream The Parent Trap right now, as well as all of the movie information you could ever want.
How to Stream ‘The Parent Trap’ – Exclusively on Disney+
The Parent Trap is one of the classic 90s Disney movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream The Parent Trap and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “The Parent Trap”
- 5. Start streaming
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘The Parent Trap’: Overview
Release Date: July 29, 1998
Creators: Erich Kästner, David Swift, Nancy Meyers, and Charles Shyer
Director: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, and Elaine Hendrix
Rating: PG
Synopsis: Identical twin sisters Hallie and Annie, who knew nothing about each other’s existence, meet at summer camp and forge a plan to not only switch places to get to know their other parent but to reunite their parents too.
How Long Is ‘The Parent Trap’?
The original theatrical version of The Parent Trap was two hours and eight minutes long.
‘The Parent Trap’ Plot
Almost 12 years after Nick and Liz get divorced and each decides to retain sole custody of one of their twin daughters, the girls inexplicably meet up at a summer camp. By now, Annie, who was raised by Liz, is a much more prim and proper preteen and immediately looks down her nose at Hallie. She even has a British accent since she was raised by their mother in England. Hallie, on the other hand, is rougher around the edges and before the two girls agree that they are long lost sisters, they play a series of pranks on one another.
It’s not until they are put in confinement as punishment that they realize they share parents and hatch a plan to switch places at the end of camp so Hallie can get to know their mom and Annie can get to know their dad. The plan works for a time, until Nick and Liz find out they had been duped. But the girls’ plan goes into overdrive when they realize Nick is intent on marrying Meredith, a much younger obvious gold digger who plans to get rid of both girls as soon as she and Nick say “I do.”
Much like pre-teens do in most ’90s movies, Annie and Hallie carry out a plan to manipulate the adults in their life further. Eventually, they bring their parents back together and all is right in their world as the four of them live happily ever after.
‘The Parent Trap’ Cast
The most notable thing about The Parent Trap cast is the fact that Lindsay Lohan plays two characters who are both central to the movie. But the addition of Dennis Quaid as the twins’ dad and Natasha Richardson definitely bring the star quality the movie needed at the time in order to pump up its notoriety and make kids flock to theaters to watch The Parent Trap as soon as it premiered. Overall, the main and supporting cast worked well in bringing out each other’s talents, but nothing quite compares to Lohan’s performance.
Lindsay Lohan as Hallie Parker and Annie James
Hallie Parker grew up on a ranch with Nick as her dad and no knowledge of her mom prior to meeting her twin sister at camp. But even so, she has a close relationship with him. Similarly, Annie James and her mom are close and she also has close relationships with her maternal grandfather and the family’s butler. Outside of The Parent Trap, Lohan went on to star in Freaky Friday, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and Mean Girls, which were all solid successes.
Dennis Quaid as Nick Parker
Nick Parker is more down to Earth than you might expect from a millionaire winemaker, but his jovial attitude is also what puts him in the position of potentially marrying a younger woman who doesn’t have the best of intentions with him. Even so, he’s plenty charming and it doesn’t take long for him to woo Liz again and vice versa. Although he took on the role of the unsuspecting ad in The Parent Trap, in real life, Dennis Quaid is known for larger roles in movies like Any Given Sunday, The Day After Tomorrow, and The Rookie.
Natasha Richardson as Liz James
In the years since her divorce from Nick, Liz has become a world-renowned wedding dress designer and, judging by her close relationship with her daughter, she hasn’t let her hard work effect her familial relationships. She even agrees to design Nick’s potential bride’s wedding dress before she realizes she still harbors very real feelings for him herself. Although Natasha Richardson had a full film career outside of The Parent Trap, she tragically died in 2009 as a result of a skiing injury.
Elaine Hendrix as Meredith Blake
Meredith Blake is at least 10 years younger than Nick and it shows. She makes it clear from the start that she wants to marry him for reasons other than being in love with him and she has no intention of getting to know either twins as their new step-mom. She’s the classic would-be evil step-mother and it’s easy for young viewers to hate her on sight. In real life, Elaine Hendrix played a similarly devious character in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and had a recurring role on the short-lived drama Joan of Arcadia.
‘The Parent Trap’ Songs and Soundtrack
The soundtrack to the movie, The Parent Trap (Original Soundtrack), features most of the music heard throughout the film. This includes “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole, “Here Comes the Sun” sung by Bob Khaleel, “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood and The Destroyers, and “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole. Although The Parent Trap is a classic ’90s movie, it features more classic love songs from previous decades rather than a mix of modern love songs, but for the movie, it works. While the soundtrack didn’t rank high on any lists at the time of its release, because of its connection to The Parent Trap, it remains in high regard among fans.
‘The Parent Trap’ at the Box Office
The Parent Trap earned $66,308,518 domestically and $92,108,518 worldwide. When you compare those numbers to the inflated box office earnings of the original Parent Trap movie, however, it’s easy to see that the original film had a bit more pull with audiences at the time. Although the total domestic earnings for the original Parent Trap movie were $29,650,385, when you factor in inflation and convert it to its worth today, The Parent Trap in 1961 made $254,615,491.71 worldwide.
‘The Parent Trap’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
At the time of its release in 1998, Variety praised The Parent Trap for its casting and style, but did point out how new fans might not totally believe or identify with the outlandish storyline as a whole. The New York Times called the remake “super-cute” and noted how the updated scenes and all around aesthetically pleasing tone made for an enjoyable movie at the time. Overall, fans and critics alike seemed to approve of The Parent Trap, which is a hard feat for any remake.
Where ‘The Parent Trap’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
The Parent Trap will forever be one of those ’90s movies millennials from today talk about ad nauseam. It had a classic story of juvenile mischief with just the right amount of sentimental tones that make it an easy watch even now, more than 20 years later. The overall consensus among fans and critics is the same and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It also ranks 78 on IMDb’s list of Best Kids Movies From the ’90s. PopSugar also included The Parent Trap on The Complete List of the Best ’90s Movies. The movie’s story was a brand new one for most young fans and introduced an entire generation to a young actress who would go on to be in more monumental films, including Mean Girls, which became a cultural phenomenon on its own.
‘The Parent Trap’ Trailer
‘The Parent Trap’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
Because The Parent Trap is more than two decades old now, part of the fun of re-watching the movie is getting to see it through grown-up eyes. You can be a little more critical of more unbelievable scenes and you can appreciate the little trivial facts that are more widespread now than when the movie was originally released. These certainly aren; all of the little unknown facts about The Parent Trap, but they will give you something extra to consider when you stream The Parent Trap next.
1. Lindsay Lohan Wasn’t The Only Actress Considered For The Lead Roles
Although it’s hard to imagine The Parent Trap without Lohan;s young freckled face, she wasn’t the only actress who auditioned for the dual lead roles. In fact, auditions were held across the U.S. in search of the right girl and Scarlett Johansson and Michelle Trachtenberg were both reportedly considered for the part.
2. The Ear Piercing Scene Is Considered Too Graphic In Some Versions
There is a summer camp scene where Hallie pierces Annie’s ears to match her own. In the movie, you can see the girls accomplish this with a simple sewing needle. However, in some international and televised versions, the scene is cut to help deter copycats.
3. You Can Visit The Real Camp Walden — Sort Of
If you didn’t watch The Parent Trap as a kid and wished to be Annie or Hallie yourself, then you definitely wished you could go on an eight-week retreat to Camp Walden yourself. And as it turns out, the fictional camp is based on a real life all girls summer camp in Maine.
4. Lindsay Lohan Isn’t The Only Actress To Debut Her Talents In This Movie
Even though Lohan was on TV prior to starring in The Parent Trap, it was arguably her big break. The Vampire Diaries’ Kat Graham also had her big screen debut in The Parent Trap, but her lines were cut from the final version that made it to theaters.
5. A Real Life Wedding Gown Designer Loaned Her Gowns To The Movie
In The Parent Trap, Liz is a successful wedding dress designer. In order to make her appear as legitimate as possible, producers were able to convince real life designer Vera Wang to allow her dresses to hang in Liz’s store in the movie.