As Freaky Friday is marking its 50th anniversary in 2026, Charlene Tilton, forever beloved as Lucy Ewing on Dallas, reflects on the early role that launched her career. Chatting with ReMIND, Tilton played Annabel’s (Jodie Foster) friend Bambi in the 1976 Disney movie and shared the scary moments of the famous scene where she and Jodie are waterskiing and how it led to getting a small role on Happy Days.
Tilton’s first professional acting job came while she was still a student at Hollywood High School. An agent discovered her during a school play and sent her to audition for Disney’s Freaky Friday. The casting director asked a simple question: Could she water ski?