The Unexpected Parent Trap Co-Star Lisa Ann Walter Is BFFs With In Real Life

Lisa Ann Walter's character Chessy in "The Parent Trap" was the caring, intuitive, and free-spirited role model every fan of the 1998 film wished they could have in their life. This is true especially since she was juxtaposed next to the movie's villain — Meredith Blake, played by Elaine Hendrix – whose drop-dead-gorgeous-but-evil stepmother-to-be character was someone we could all rally against. So naturally, their onscreen roles were at odds throughout the film (how could we forget, "You rang?"). But in real life, nothing could be further from the truth.

That's right, our beloved Lisa Ann Walter is BFFs with Elaine Hendrix! The duo met pre-"The Parent Trap," reportedly at an event hosted by the Television Critics Association. Both women were guests as they had roles in Fox television series at the time. Hendrix recounted to Vanity Fair how Walter's comical antics instantly caught her eye. But their platonic pal affair wouldn't truly kick off until they were both cast in "The Parent Trap." Vanity Fair reports that, in total, the women filmed together for just a handful of hours. Still, thanks to the need to often redo Lohan's scenes due to the young actor playing two characters, Walter and Hendrix were practically on call together all the time.

Soon, they connected over their low-key crush on the film's leading man, Dennis Quaid, while discovering that their easy conversation and penchant for shenanigans could lead to a lifelong friendship. Fortunately, they were right.

Since "The Parent Trap" jumpstarted Lisa Ann Walter and Elaine Hendrix's friendship, the two regularly hang out, chat, and call out one another on social media. When they both ended up living in Los Angeles and working as actors, Walter said she knew it was meant to be. "To me, it's just the idea of our individual destiny. My soul and her soul were meant to be connected. We're more than best friends. I mean, people say, 'Oh, that's my bestie.' I mean, we're like soulmates," Walter told Entertainment Tonight. 

We've been lucky enough to witness the women's evolving friendship over the years, from their social media hijinks to more formal public appearances. In 2008, Hendrix and Walter performed alongside one another at a benefit concert at The Orpheum Theatre. Fast-forward to 2015, and Hendrix confirmed to HuffPost that she and Walter were still incredibly close, calling the actor "one of my best girlfriends in the whole wide world."

Though they've never been shy about their friendship, fans were still happily surprised to see the women waltzing down the red carpet side by side at the 2023 SAG Awards. Wearing a tuxedo, Hendrix acted as Walter's date for the night. As any BFFs would do, the women sported matching glittery hair clips.

Elaine Hendrix and Lisa Ann Walter continue to cement their bond as time passes. In September 2023, Walter agreed to be a part of "unFamiliar," the family history segment by Ancestry hosted on YouTube. While visiting the location where her relatives were from, Manhattan's Lower East Side, she was surprised by another guest on the show — none other than her longtime friend, Hendrix.

No, the pair aren't secretly related, but they did find out that their families may have had a close connection. Hendrix broke the news to her that each of their great-grandparents lived in the same New York neighborhood. While an NYC neighborhood can be pretty expansive, Hendrix reveals that their relatives' homes were separated by only a few doorsteps. Furthermore, the women's great-grandfathers had similar occupations in clothing manufacturing. It's possible, then, that their kin were getting on with each other just as fabulously as Walter and Hendrix are today.

"It's almost not a surprise," Walter gushed on "unFamiliar." "Why would we have met and become besties in like six hours?" Hendrix replied, "It was fate." Hand over the box of tissues; we hope a friendship this pure never ends.