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Nearly 20 years after Lindsay Lohan’s Hollywood partying days were a fixture of culture, she reflected on the “double-edged sword” of the era, and wondered why no one stepped in to protect her.
By Olivia Evans Feb 26, 2026 3:30 PM | Updated 24 minutes ago
Lindsay Lohan Wonders Why No One Protected Her Amid Toxic Hollywood Era
Lindsay Lohan wishes people would’ve had a clue about what she was going through in the aughts.
Nearly 20 years after her life, mistakes and image were a hot topic of conversation, the now 39-year-old confessed that living in Hollywood at the height of her career was “all so overwhelming and consuming.”
“I should have listened to my mom and dad and moved back to New York,” Lindsay, referencing parents Dina Lohan and Michael Lohan, admitted in an interview with Vogue Arabia published Feb. 26. “But I was young and wanted to be in LA. And I didn’t know. So yeah, while a lot of it was fun, it was hard when I was young. It was a double-edged sword.”
Given Lindsay was only a teenager when she—along with her friends Paris Hilton and Britney Spears—was put under a tabloid microscope, she reflected, “Now I look back and wonder, ‘Why didn’t anyone just go and take me out of there, protect me more?’ You don’t know how to do that yourself when you’re a teenager.”
Ultimately, the noise of her Hollywood life was what led her to leave the spotlight altogether.
“I wasn’t having fun in the business anymore,” she explained. “I wasn’t finding roles I loved. It’s not a life I wanted to live, you know? It’s not a real life. It pushed me so far away that I moved to the other side of the world. And I’m so glad I followed my gut.”
And when Lindsay—who shares son Luai, 2, with husband Bader Shammas—decided to dip her toe back into acting in 2022, she came with a newfound confidence—and boundaries.
“When I was younger, I wasn’t so comfortable saying how I felt about a character and being involved with the process of it,” the Parent Trap star recalled. “And I love that part now. I always felt like I had too many people around me and that I was being guided in a different direction. And now it feels good to steer my own ship.”
Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
Lindsay isn’t the only main character of the early 2000s who has reflected on what has been so yesterday. Hilary Duff, who infamously feuded with Lindsay during the height of their Y2K fame, recently shared they have long since buried the hatchet.
“Lindsay came up to me at a club and was like, ‘Are we good?’” Hilary recalled on a Feb. 25 appearance on Call Her Daddy. “And I was like, ‘We’re good.’ She was like, ‘Let’s take a shot.’ I was like, ‘OK.’”
For a look at Lindsay through the years, keep reading…
Steve Granitz Archive/WireImage
1998
Lindsay at The Parent Trap premiere in Los Angeles.
Sonia Moskowitz/Shutterstock
1999
She's everywhere—even at the Anywhere But Here New York premiere in 1999.
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
2000
Coming of age with the help of Tyra Banks. The budding star posed for photos for Life-Size.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
2001
Early aughts icon. Lindsay went classic Y2K for the Dinner With Friends New York screening.
Albert L. Ortega/WireImage
2002
Remember the skinny scarves? Lindsay served at the Treasure Planet premiere.
KMazur/WireImage
2003
That girl was a an all-time teenage drama queen.
Theo Wargo/WireImage
2004
The limit of Lindsay's serves does not exist—especially at the Mean Girls premiere in New York in 2004.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
2004
Red carpet romance. Lindsay stepped out at the 5th Annual Latin Grammy Awards with her boyfriend at the time.
Jeff Vespa/WireImage
2005
Best friends forever. The iconic duo attended Allison Melnick's birthday party.
Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage
2005
Not her first revival. Lindsay attended the Herbie Fully Loaded premiere in Los Angeles.
Jamie McCarthy/WireImage
2006
Radiant in red. Lindsay went bold for New York Fashion Week.
John Shearer/WireImage
2006
Keeping up? Lindsay and Kim Kardashian served their 2006 best at a fashion event.
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
2007
Classic Linds. She opted for another white dress at the Georgia Rule premiere.
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
2008
Leggings, under a dress? Not so groundbreaking in 2008—but Lindsay was undoubtedly a trend setter.
Amanda Schwab/Starpix/Shutterstock
2009
In her blonde era.
WireImage
2010
L.L. in L.A.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Fiore Films
2011
All business for the Gotti press conference in New York.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
2012
Back to her roots for the Liz & Dick premiere party.
Brad Barket/Getty Images for Clear Channel
2013
Always the same old chic, even at Z100's Jingle Ball 2013.
Jonathan Short/Invision/AP
2014
Lindsay in London, just before her major move to Dubai.
Mike Marsland/WireImage
2015
This was the vibe at the time for London Fashion Week 2015.
Fotonoticias/WireImage
2016
Red from head to toe for the Uno de 50 anniversary party in Madrid.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Daily Mail
2017
Lindsay opted for grunge at the DailyMailTV Holiday Party.
Andreas Rentz/MTV 2018/Getty Images for MTV
2018
She's got sparkle. Lindsay glowed on the MTV EMAs red carpet.
James Gourley/Getty Images
2019
Lindsay celebrated the Year of the Tiger in style.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
2022
New red carpet love. Lindsay stepped out with her husband at the Falling For Christmas premiere.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Christian Siriano
2023
Back at New York Fashion Week—all the way from Dubai.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
2024
Lindsay finally made fetch happen with this gorgeous look at the Mean Girls: The Musical movie premiere.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
2024
Always iconic. Lindsay attended the Vanity Fair Oscars party in a dazzling gown.
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