Lindsay Lohan recently opened up about her decision to move away from the US, as she returns to American media interviews after a significant hiatus from the spotlight.

Having started her acting career at a young age, the actress has appeared in numerous films over the past thirty years.

From The Parent Trap to Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Lindsay Lohan has played a significant role in shaping the childhoods of many.

It was a somber moment when she stepped away from acting, with her last prominent role in Life Size 2, in 2018, before reappearing in our Netflix queues in 2022 and 2024 with her holiday-themed romances.

Despite her enormous fame in the 2000s, it appears she now prefers a more relaxed lifestyle.

Adding to this, she relocated from the US to Dubai in 2014, making her absence more noticeable.

Lindsay Lohan moved from the US in 2014 (Instagram/@lindsaylohan)

With her reappearance on our screens to promote the upcoming Freaky Friday sequel, Freakier Friday, we are gaining insight into her reasons for choosing a quieter life abroad.

The actress has disclosed that her decision was largely influenced by her desire for privacy.

During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, Lohan explained to Kelly Ripa the stark differences between Dubai and the US, particularly in terms of privacy laws.

Given the intense tabloid scrutiny she faced in the 2000s, it's understandable why she opted to leave the country.

She remarked on the show: “It’s just far away from Hollywood, and I live a very normal life.”

Ripa was curious about the presence of photographers in Dubai, to which Lohan surprised her by stating that such activities are not permitted there.

“No, it’s not legal,” Lohan explained. “You can’t even take a picture of someone else if you’re at a restaurant. You have to ask the person, which is a big difference from here.”

“What? That’s incredible!” Ripa exclaimed.

Lohan added: “Yeah, privacy is key.”

The 39-year-old actress resides in Dubai with her husband, financier Bader Shammas, whom she married in 2022, before welcoming their son, Luai, in 2023.

She welcomed a son in 2023 (Aeon/GC Images)

Reflecting on her time in the US, past interviews reveal her feelings about the immense pressure to maintain a perfect image.

“I could do 99 things right and one thing wrong, but it’s that one thing that will be focused on,” she shared with Paper magazine in 2018.

“Behind the scenes, I do what I can to be the best version of me, which never gets mentioned,” she said. “I am also human. I make mistakes. That’s all that seems to get reported.”

Currently, she is engaged in a press tour for Disney’s Freaky Friday sequel.

The beloved movie, featuring Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, is set to return on August 8, 2025, in American theaters, marking over two decades since the original Freaky Friday debuted in 2003.

The initial film followed Anna (Lohan), a rebellious teenager, who swapped bodies with her mother Tess (Curtis).

In the reboot, Chad Michael Murray is expected to reprise his role as Anna’s love interest, Jake.

Mark Harmon, Christina Vidal Michell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Rosalind Chao will also return.