Lindsay Lohan: forget those Hilary and Colin rumors—one of the movies' biggest rising stars goes on the record

Interview, June, 2004 by Lynda Obst

LL: Maybe in some ways. In general, girls in school feel pressured to dress a certain way and look a certain way--to be thin and popular and wear Juicy Couture sweat suits and that kind of thing. And if you're not, then you're not going to be cool. LO: Do you feel that pressure to be thin?

LL: Sometimes. But people I admire, like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn and Ann-Margret, had beautiful figures. I don't like the fact that people my age are dealing with today's images, because they're not realistic, and people think that's how they should be presenting themselves. It's scary because these little kids are looking at you like you're perfect, and nobody's perfect. If you're willing to grow up in public, then you have to be yourself.

LO: Do you find the competition you were speaking of among high school kids present among girl actresses as well?

LL: Yes, though I think people make it seem worse than it is. The paparazzi and newspapers feed on girl actresses and any fight they can find or make up.

LO: Like this so-called feud that you were supposedly having with Hilary Duff. Is that a complete newspaper-tabloid creation?

LL: Yeah, it's retarded.

LO: Don't you think that the tabloids want to invent things like this because it's counter-feminist in some way--that it's cool for the players to be haters? I mean, it's like saying girls don't like each other.

LL: It seems like that. I don't want this to sound obnoxious or anything, but I feel like I'm one of the best friends anyone could have. I'm really loyal because that's all I look for in a friend. All I want is somebody I can trust and who will be there for me.

LO: Do you have a few incredibly good friends or, like, a gang of friends?

LL: I have a few good friends. I have four, no, three good friends.

LO: So why do you think the tabloids want to create this other impression? Is it because of a scarcity of parts for your generation?

LL: I don't know. I do think there are enough parts and that ultimately the talent will shine through. Like with Evan Rachel Wood--she's so talented that she's separated herself from everyone else. LO: Why do you think your generation is getting so much attention now? Is it because the older actresses are overexposed?

LL: I think everyone in general is overexposed. Personally, I think it would be nice if the studios went back to how they used to be when they protected their actresses--and girls actually wore more clothing. That may sound hypocritical because I like to wear sexy things sometimes, but that's just because the only things that people consider sexy right now is what's out there. If sexy was brought back in the way that Marilyn Monroe or Brigitte Bardot used to do it, then it might be different.

LO: Do you feel pressured to dress sexier?

LL: Yeah, totally. It's like when people dress more covered up, it's like, "Oh, she's trying to be too old--she's not dressing youthful enough."

LO: That's why I think this part is so good for you, because you explore so many facets of what it is to be your age right now. You get to be so many aspects of the high school girl--the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. You even lose your grades for a moment to get a guy.