Elaine Hendrix was 27 years old when she filmed The Parent Trap in 1997-1998.

Born on December 28, 1970, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, she turned 27 just before principal photography wrapped, perfectly suiting her role as the glamorous yet scheming Meredith Blake—a 26-year-old publicist in the script. This age gap with co-star Dennis Quaid (then 43) sparked plenty of behind-the-scenes chatter, as Hendrix later shared in interviews.

Quick Facts

  • Birthdate : December 28, 1970
  • Filming Period : 1997-1998 (released July 1998)
  • Character Age : Written as 26
  • Her Age During Release : 27 (turned 28 in December 1998)

Fun Career Context

Hendrix's Meredith became an iconic '90s villain, complete with those unforgettable snake pranks from the twins. She revisited the role's buzz in 2022 TikToks, questioning if Meredith was truly the bad guy—just a foil for the family reunion plot. Fast-forward to 2025: At 54, she's eyeing a Parent Trap sequel amid DWTS fame and Freakier Friday reunions with Lindsay Lohan.

Fans on Reddit still obsess over her campy gold-digger vibe, with threads comparing her then-and-now looks (often blaming filters).

"Hollywood 'When a woman becomes 35, she starts to become too old'" – Reddit user on aging in the industry

TL;DR : Elaine was 27—prime for stealing scenes as Meredith.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.