Fact Check

The Rumor About 'The Parent Trap' and October 11 Is True

In the 1998 film "The Parent Trap," Lindsay Lohan portrayed two identical twin girls who were born on October 11. But that's not all.

Published July 21, 2021

 (Walt Disney Pictures)
Image Via Walt Disney Pictures
Claim:
Lisa Ann Walter, the actress who played Chessy the nanny in the 1998 film "The Parent Trap," had identical twins on October 11, the same birthday as the film's fictional identical twins Annie and Hallie, played by Lindsay Lohan.

On July 20, 2021, a new TikTok video revealed an interesting detail about a beloved 1990s movie. The video from Madison Murphy (@badbroad) said that October 11 has a special significance in the history of the 1998 Lindsay Lohan movie, "The Parent Trap."

"I don't know who else to tell this to, so I just need you guys to listen up," Murphy said. "All right, so we all know our Lord and Savior Chessy from 'The Parent Trap.' She's played by a lady named Lisa Ann Walter. So, three years after 'The Parent Trap' came out, in 2001, she gave birth to twins. Not only that, but she gave birth to twins on October 11."

This led commenters to ask about the significance of the date. One person asked: "Am I the only one wondering what's significant about October 11?" Another commenter answered: "The twin girls from the movie she's referencing were born on October 11."

This was all true. According to the film's script, Annie James and Hallie Parker, portrayed by actress Lindsay Lohan, were indeed born on October 11.

Annie
(her mouth full)
I'll be twelve on October 11th.

Hallie
(chokes)
So will I.

Annie
Your birthday's October 11th?
(Hallie nods)
How weird is that?

The only thing unclear was if Walter's twins were born in 2000 or 2001. Wikipedia, which can be edited by just about anyone, said 2001. However, the real year may have been 2000. We were able to confirm the October 11 date with a tweet from Walter's verified Twitter account, where she said that the twins were born two years after the film's 1998 release.

In the past, Walter posted on Instagram in celebration of her twins' birthdays. Their names are Simon and Spencer.

Commenters responded to the October 11 revelation with "OMFG" and "Jesus, who knows that much about the f---ing 'Parent Trap' remake." Someone responded to the latter comment, saying: "People who grew up with the movie, obviously."

"The Parent Trap" starred Dennis Quaid, the late Natasha Richardson, and Lindsay Lohan. The film's plot was described as follows:

What if you spent your whole life wishing for something you didn't know you already had? Hallie Parker and Annie James are about to find out.

From Walt Disney Pictures and the creators of "Father of the Bride" comes the hilariously fresh and contemporary retelling of the classic hit, "The Parent Trap."

Hallie is a cool girl from California. Annie is a fair rose from London. When the two accidentally meet at summer camp, they think they have nothing in common except ... they're identical twins (both played by Lindsay Lohan)! Now they're up to their freckles in schemes and dreams to switch places, get their parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) back together, and have the family they've always wished for!

This charming, heartwarming, and delightfully clever comedy-adventure will enchant your entire family.

In sum, it was true that October 11 had a special significance for both the fictional twins' birthdays in "The Parent Trap" and Walter, who gave birth to twins in real life on the same month and day.

Jordan Liles is a Senior Reporter who has been with Snopes since 2016.

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