Lindsay Lohan Reveals the Real Reason She Left Hollywood

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Originally appeared on E! Online

Lindsay Lohan is giving fans more than just a clue about why she stepped back from the spotlight.

More than a decade after the Mean Girls star quite literally left Hollywood, moving first to London before settling in Dubai, she shared insight into life in the public eye and why her departure was a much needed change.

"I feel like some of [my work] got overshadowed by paparazzi and all that kind of stuff when I was younger, and that's kind of annoying," Lindsay told Bustle in an interview published March 14. "I wish that part didn't happen."

The Freaky Friday star continued, "I feel like that kind of took on a life of its own. So that's why I wanted to disappear. I was like, ‘Unless there's no story here, they're not going to focus on just my work.'"

And indeed, prior to her temporary departure from the industry, Lindsay's life was often the focus of incessant paparazzi coverage and speculation—something she says is different than what younger stars go through today.

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"Social media is so different now than when I was younger, that everyone has control of their own story," she reflected, though it doesn't mean she's picking up a tabloid magazine anytime soon. "I don't really pay attention to that. I don't really read stuff that comes out either. 'Cause I know how it works, so there's no point. And if you immerse yourself in that stuff, you're just going to get lost, and it can just do so much to you."

Lindsay Lohan
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

But while Lindsay was away from viewers' TV screens for so long, the 37-year-old has made her return over the last few years in a big way. Not only did she make a cameo appearance in the 2023 musical remake of her classic film Mean Girls, but she also signed a two-movie deal with Netflix, which began with 2022's Falling for Christmas and the upcoming film Irish Wish.

Though this time around, the Parent Trap star has another factor to consider: her 8-month-old son Luai with husband Bader Shammas. In fact, her newborn has already lent Lindsay a more methodical outlook when it comes to which projects she signs on to.

"I want to do things that my son can see," she told E! News earlier this month. "But I also want to do things that inspire me."

She added, "It's a learning process—I'm having a different go at it. Figuring out what I want to do and how I want to do it."

But even as she navigates the learning curve of parenthood, she is already looking towards the future—and baby number two.

"I was lucky enough to have a sibling," Lindsay—who is sister to Michael Lohan Jr., 36, Aliana Lohan, 30, and Dakota Lohan, 27—said on the March 14 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. "So I want Luai to have that."

She added, with a laugh, "Having a baby, you're like, 'Oh, I want another.'"

But until then, keep reading to relive every sweet moment of Lindsay and Bader's love story.

July 2023: No parent trap here: Lindsay is a Mom

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October 2022: The Limit on Love Does Not Exist

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August 2022: More Than Just Her Luck

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July 2022: Confessions of a Married Queen

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November 2021: We’ve Got a Clue

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