In the late nineties, if you were a kid with a VCR, you probably spent a good chunk of your time actively rooting for a 26-year-old publicist to fall off an air mattress. Her name was Meredith Blake. She was the "ice queen" standing between Lindsay Lohan’s twin characters and their dream of a reunited family. Played with delicious, razor-sharp precision by Elaine Hendrix, Meredith was the ultimate Disney villain for a generation.
But something weird happened on the way to 2026.
The kids who grew up hating her—the millennials who now have their own mortgages and PR crises—realized something. Meredith Blake wasn't the monster. Honestly? She was kinda the hero. She was a 26-year-old woman running her own firm, dating a handsome vineyard owner, and wearing a wardrobe that literally looks like it belongs on a 2025 Pinterest mood board.
The 433rd Time's the Charm
Believe it or not, Elaine Hendrix almost didn't get the part. Casting for The Parent Trap was a massive undertaking. Director Nancy Meyers and producer Charles Shyer were looking for a very specific type of energy. They didn't just want a "gold digger." They needed someone who could hold their own against the heavyweights of the industry.
Hendrix has recently shared in interviews that she was actually the 433rd actress to audition for the role of Meredith.
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Think about that for a second. 432 women walked into that room and didn't quite capture the "evian-bottle-clinking" essence of Meredith. Hendrix walked in, did her thing, and Charles Shyer later told her they knew instantly she was "the one." She brought a certain humanity to a character that was written as a foil.
Justice for Meredith Blake: Why the Narrative Shifted
For decades, Hendrix "defended Meredith tooth and nail," even when fans would stop her on the street to tell her how much they hated her. But lately, the internet has done a full 180. The hashtag #JusticeForMeredithBlake started trending as adults re-watched the film and noticed some pretty questionable behavior from the "good guys."
Let's look at the facts:
- Meredith was 26. (Same age as Hendrix during filming).
- She was a successful professional.
- Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid) was a grown man who kept a massive secret about a second child.
- The twins literally drugged her (with sleeping pills) and pushed her into the middle of a lake.
Hendrix herself has been vocal about this shift. She’s noted that millennials eventually "caught up" to what she knew all along—that Meredith was just an ambitious woman who got dealt a really bad hand by some "brats" and a guy who probably should've mentioned he had a whole other life.
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The Icon Status of the "Villain"
What makes the performance so enduring isn't just the snappy dialogue. It’s the aesthetic. The wide-brimmed hats, the crisp white hiking gear, and that iconic black-and-white swimsuit. Hendrix didn't just play a role; she created a style icon.
In recent years, Hendrix has fully embraced this legacy. In 2025, she even began producing an off-Broadway parody called Ginger Twinsies, which serves as a sort of redemption story for the character. It’s a brilliant move. It shows that she isn't just an actress who happened to be in a hit movie; she's a creator who understands her audience's evolution.
Life Beyond the Vineyard
While we’re all obsessed with her 1998 performance, Hendrix has been busy. She’s a massive advocate for animal rights—a passion she says the visibility from The Parent Trap has helped fuel.
She also recently made waves on Dancing with the Stars in late 2025. Her dedication night performance was a tribute to her longtime friend and former co-star, Lisa Ann Walter (who played Chessy). Seeing the "rivals" from the movie remain best friends in real life for nearly thirty years is the kind of wholesome content the world needs.
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And if you’re a fan of the Freaky Friday universe, you might have spotted her in the 2025 sequel, Freakier Friday. Reunited with Lindsay Lohan on screen for the first time in 27 years, she played a magazine employee named Blake Kale. It was a subtle, wink-at-the-camera nod that fans absolutely lost their minds over.
Why We Still Care
Ultimately, the longevity of Elaine Hendrix in the role of Meredith Blake comes down to authenticity. She played the character with a sense of "I know what I want and I'm not apologizing for it" that resonates way more in the 2020s than it did in the 90s.
We live in an era where we value boundaries and ambition. Seeing a woman in 1998 demand a certain level of respect (even if she was a bit prickly about it) is oddly inspiring now.
Next Steps for the Meredith Blake Fan
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Elaine Hendrix beyond the lake, start by checking out her animal advocacy work with The Pet Matchmaker. It's her real-life passion project. You can also track down tickets for Ginger Twinsies if you're in New York—it's the closure we all needed after that camping trip disaster. Finally, go back and watch the 1998 classic one more time, but this time, try to see it through Meredith's eyes. You might find yourself wanting to push the twins into the lake instead.