By Emily Hewitt
Disney’s Freaky Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan premiered in theaters on August 6, 2003… which means it just celebrated its big 20th anniversary! The Walt Disney Company has released a plethora of films both before and after this hilarious body-swap comedy, in which characters come to understand each other better by walking (at least) a mile in each other’s shoes. D23 is taking a look down body-switch lane, with similarly themed films and TV show episodes:
Films
Freaky Friday (2003)
This is a body-swap film that continues to take pop-culture by storm 20 years later (with the film’s music honored by a just-released, limited-edition D23 Member-exclusive pin). The film focuses on overworked mother Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and angsty daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan). After Tess and Anna each open a magical fortune cookie, an earthquake occurs—shaking up the film.
The next morning, Anna sees that she’s now inside Tess’s “crypt keeper” (her words!) body, and Tess sees that she’s in Anna’s youthful body, topped off with grungy maroon nail polish. Now it is a race against time—with Tess’s wedding in just a few days—to switch back. During the mix-up, Anna learns how much her brother admires her and how happy Tess’s fiancé makes her, while Tess learns how mean Anna’s ex-best friend really is… and how to really rock ‘n’ roll on stage!
Wish Upon a Star (1996)
Staying in the “family body-swap” realm, Wish Upon a Star is a story of opposite sisters who come to understand each other better while simultaneously ruining each other’s reputations. Alexia (Katherine Heigl) is a popular 18-year-old who could care less about school, while her 15-year-old sister Hayley (Danielle Harris) is shy, studious, and happens to be in love with Alexia’s jock boyfriend Kyle.
When both sisters wish upon a shooting star to become each other, their dreams come true! Although clearly different, the sisters use their talents to help each other. Hayley, in Alexia’s body, proves to Alexia’s teachers that she isn’t an “airhead” after all; meanwhile, Alexia, in Hayley’s body, proves that it isn’t that far-fetched for Hayley to land a boy.
The Shaggy Dog (2006)
In The Shaggy Dog, Dave (Tim Allen) is a deputy district attorney who is prosecuting his daughter’s professor for firebombing the pharmaceutical company he claims is experimenting on animals. Indeed, the geneticists at this company have stolen a 300-year-old Bearded Collie and realize that its genetic sequence affects people when injected with it. One day, Dave’s daughter Carly (Zena Grey) finds the dog and names him Shaggy. However, Shaggy bites Dave—which triggers him to start acting like a dog, and eventually completely turn into a Bearded Collie.
TV Series
Wizards of Waverly Place Season 1 Episode 20
Of course, the most magic-filled show on Disney Channel has to have a body-swap episode! After Jerry (David DeLuise) teaches daughter Alex (Selena Gomez) how to magically body-swap people, she practices the spell on him. Before switching back, she tries to go on a shopping spree with his wallet—but he stops her at the register. Upon returning to her family’s sub-sandwich shop, all switched back, Alex’s mom Theresa (Maria Canals Barrera) announces that she’s busy planning Alex’s quinceañera. Not wanting a “girly” pink party in her honor, Alex switches places with Theresa so she can have the quinceañera she never got to experience when she was Alex’s age.
Raven’s Home Season 2, Episode 16
A Halloween and body-swap episode in one? Count us in! In this episode of Raven’s Home, titled “Switch-or-Treat,” both Raven (Raven-Symoñe) and her son Booker (Issac Ryan Brown) have similar visions of themselves screaming. They lock hands after explaining the visions to each other, and suddenly switch bodies! It’s too little, too late when Great Aunt Maureen (Debbie Allen) comes in to warn them about how psychics switch places if they touch on Halloween. Then, Nia’s (Navia Robinson) psychic boyfriend Miles (Faly Rakotohavana) visits the house—and upon shaking Aunt Maureen’s hand, they switch places.
Now, Booker must give a presentation as Raven—and Great Aunt Maureen must go, as Miles, to the Halloween carnival to meet Nia’s friends for the first time.
“Freaky Freakend”
In 2013, Disney Channel had a whole weekend dedicated to body-swap episodes, called “Freaky Freakend,” with eight different shows featuring a body-swap. Freak up your week by watching all of them:
Shake It Up Season 3 Episode 14
In an episode entitled “Switch It Up,” Tinka (Caroline Sunshine) accidentally makes Flynn (Davis Cleveland) and CeCe (Bella Thorne) switch places via one of her grandma’s curses. CeCe must teach Flynn how to dance for her on “Shake It Up Chicago!” and CeCe must learn the tuba for Flynn’s audition.
A.N.T. Farm Season 2 Episode 20
In this episode, called “idANTity crisis,” Principal Skidmore (Mindy Sterling) uses a frozen yogurt machine to extract all the A.N.T.s personalities. Upon catching this, Chyna (China Anne McClain) hooks herself up to the machine and she, Olive (Sierra McCormick), Fletcher (Jake Short), and Violet (Claire Engler) all eat the frozen yogurt… making them switch bodies.
Jessie Season 2 Episode 13
In “To Be Me or Not To Be Me,” Ravi (Karan Brar) is delivered a bell which he claims to be magical. Several people switch bodies while they are holding the bell and arguing—including Jessie (Debby Ryan) and Zuri (Skai Jackson); Emma (Peyton List) and Luke (Cameron Boyce); and Ravi and Bertram (Kevin Chamberlin). Zuri must cooperate during Jessie’s first big performance until they are able to swap back.
Austin & Ally Season 2 Episode 12
In an episode entitled “Freaky Friends & Fan Fiction,” a magical typewriter is stolen from Austin (Ross Lynch), Ally (Laura Marano), Trish (Raini Rodriguez), and Dez (Calum Worthy)—and the thief uses it to swap their bodies. It’s a race against time before Austin’s career is ruined by not being able to dance!
Dog With a Blog Season 1 Episode 12
In “Freaky Fido,” characters don’t actually switch bodies through magic—they do it on screen! Avery (Genevieve Hannelius) makes a film about body-swapping for her school; Stan the talking dog (voiced by Stephen Full) comes in handy as the film focuses on Stan and Tyler (Blake Michael) swapping places… meaning Stan would hypothetically be able to talk through Tyler’s body.
Phineas and Ferb Season 4 Episode 9
Another summer adventure is in the works in this episode, called “Mind Share,” when Phineas (voiced by Vincent Martella) and his friends build a mind sharing device and are tricked into swapping brains with criminals in an alien prison.
Gravity Falls Season 1 Episode 16
In “Carpet Diem,” Dipper (voiced by Jason Ritter) and Mabel (voiced by Kristen Schaal) fight over a room that Dipper finds in the Mystery Shack. When they touch hands while standing on the room’s magical carpet, they swap bodies—and use it as an opportunity to ruin each other’s reputations with Grunkle Stan (voiced by Alex Hirsch).