Chad Michael Murray Recalls Being Lindsay Lohan’s First Onscreen Kiss in Freaky Friday: ‘Nerve-Racking’ (Exclusive)

Chad Michael Murray says his smooch with Lindsay Lohan in 2003’s Freaky Friday was important not just for their characters, but for the actress herself — since it was her first-ever onscreen kiss.

“I remember Lindsay and I were kids. I mean Lindsay was probably 16, I think. That was her first onscreen kiss,” Murray, 43, tells PEOPLE. “That was a whole thing. That was super nerve-racking.”

Thankfully, the young stars had a vetted actor on set to guide them through the awkwardness — Jamie Lee Curtis.

“Jamie helped us through all that. I remember just trying to hang on and hope that no one figured out I wasn’t very good at this,” Murray admits. “I just remember just hoping I didn’t screw it up. I remember her being so supportive and loving, Jamie, and I remember her being playful and bright.”

Two decades later, Murray feels a lot more confident with the film’s new sequel Freakier Friday, in which they all star.

“And then here you are today and now you can see everybody so much more comfortable in their craft and just letting loose. Lindsay’s so good in this movie. She’s so good in this movie. Jamie is so good in this movie. The physical comedy that they both bring to this picture is insane,” Murray says.

In the original film, Curtis, 60, and Lohan, 32, starred as a mother and daughter duo at odds when one meddling Chinese restaurant owner gives them a fortune cookie that makes them switch bodies. Murray played Lohan’s high school crush, who mistakenly falls for Curtis while Lohan is trapped inside of her body.

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In 2019, Murray revealed during an interview on Busy Tonight with host Busy Philipps that before he even kissed Lohan, Curtis attempted to ease everyone’s nerves.

“Jamie Lee Curtis was there and she was trying to settle the situation because Lindsay’s nerves were all over the place. And she’s talking to Lindsay…like, ‘Just kiss him. Come on, just give him a pop kiss, it’s no big deal. Let’s break the ice now.’ “

He continued, “She goes ‘Oh, come on!’ And she grabs me by the back of the head and makes out with me. And at this point I went, ‘Dude, I just made out with Jamie Lee Curtis. This is great.’ “

Disney will release Freakier Friday in theaters on Aug. 8.