Honestly, if you grew up watching the Disney Channel, you probably remember the exact moment you saw the trailer for Blended. It was 2014. Bella Thorne was at the height of her Shake It Up fame. But when she showed up on screen as Hilary "Larry" Friedman, fans did a double-take.
She wasn't the glitz-and-glam CeCe Jones we knew. Instead, she was a girl struggling with an identity crisis fueled by a well-meaning but clueless father.
The blended movie Bella Thorne role is a weirdly specific cultural touchstone for Gen Z. It’s one of those performances that shouldn’t have worked—a 16-year-old girl playing a tomboy forced into a "bowl cut"—but it became the emotional anchor of an Adam Sandler comedy.
Who Was Hilary "Larry" Friedman?
In the movie, Jim Friedman (Adam Sandler) is a widower raising three daughters. He treats them like the boys he never had. Hilary is the eldest. Because Jim doesn't know how to handle a teenage girl’s burgeoning womanhood, he calls her "Larry."
He dresses her in baggy tracksuits. He takes her to a barber who only knows how to do crew cuts.
It’s kind of heartbreaking if you think about it too long. Hilary is clearly uncomfortable in her own skin, but she’s fiercely loyal to her dad. She defends him when Drew Barrymore’s character, Lauren, first meets them.
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Bella Thorne actually talked about this in interviews at the time. She mentioned that while she was wearing pink on the red carpet, she felt like a total tomboy in real life—eating chicken wings and slurping ramen with stains on her shirt. That relatability is probably why the performance felt more authentic than your average Sandler-flick caricature.
The Transformation Scene Everyone Remembers
You know the one.
The families are at a resort in South Africa. Hilary has a crush on a boy named Jake. She’s tired of being seen as "one of the guys." Lauren (Drew Barrymore) steps in as the surrogate mother figure and takes her to the salon.
When Hilary walks out with her hair down, wearing that coral-colored dress, the music swells. It’s a classic "Princess Diaries" moment, but it’s played for more than just looks. It’s the first time Hilary feels seen as herself.
Interestingly, the movie received some flak for this. Some critics argued it pushed a "pretty makes you better" narrative. But for a lot of viewers, it was just about a girl finding a way to express a side of herself that her dad had accidentally suppressed.
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Why This Role Was Risky for Bella Thorne
At the time, Thorne was trying to break out of the "Disney Kid" mold. It’s a notoriously difficult transition.
Most actors try to go "gritty" immediately. They pick a R-rated indie or a dark thriller. Bella did the opposite. She leaned into a broad, PG-13 family comedy.
- The Look: She had to look "ugly" (by Hollywood standards) for 70% of the film.
- The Cast: She was acting alongside legends like Sandler and Barrymore. You can’t just coast; you have to keep up with their comedic timing.
- The Tone: The movie balances slapstick humor with genuine grief over a dead mother.
She pulled it off. Even the reviews that absolutely trashed the movie—and there were many—usually had a soft spot for the kids' performances. The "Young Ensemble Cast" actually won a Young Artist Award for their work in the film.
Real Behind-the-Scenes Facts
Did you know they actually filmed on location?
The crew traveled to the Sun City resort in South Africa. Bella mentioned in a Kidzworld interview that they didn't have much free time, but the safari scenes were real experiences they got to have while the cameras were rolling.
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Also, the chemistry with Drew Barrymore wasn't just for the cameras. Bella described Drew as being somewhere between a "big sister and a mom." Drew even had a nickname for her: "Pickles." No one remembers why, but it stuck.
The Legacy of "Larry" in 2026
Looking back now, Blended is a staple on streaming services. It’s one of those movies that’s always "Top 10" on Netflix or Max because it’s easy watching.
For Bella Thorne, it was the bridge. It proved she could do more than just dance and pout. She went on to do The DUFF, where she played the "mean girl" antagonist, showing she had range. Then came the horror movies and the directing.
But for many, she’ll always be Larry. The girl who just wanted her dad to notice she was growing up.
If you're looking to revisit this era of 2010s comedy, there are a few things you should actually pay attention to during your next rewatch:
- The Physical Comedy: Watch Bella’s posture in the first half of the movie versus the second. She physically changes how she occupies space.
- The "Over the Rainbow" Scene: This is the emotional peak. It’s where the "blending" actually happens, as the daughters realize they can love Lauren without betraying their mother’s memory.
- The Cammeos: Keep an eye out for Shaquille O'Neal and Terry Crews. Their energy is chaotic, but it balances the teen angst.
If you haven't seen it in a while, it's worth a nostalgic Saturday night stream. It's not high art, but it's got heart.
Check out the special features on the DVD or digital version if you can find them. There is a specific featurette called "Bella Thorne’s Makeover" that shows the hair and makeup process of turning a Disney star into a "tomboy" and back again. It’s a fascinating look at how much work goes into making someone look like they aren't wearing makeup.