The 2003 film features a scene where Jamie Lee Curtis (who plays Tess) and Lindsay Lohan (who plays Anna) argue in a Chinese restaurant, when owner Pei-Pei (Rosalind Chao) tells her mother (Lucille Soong) to stay out of it.

This is when Soong’s character interrupts Tess and Anna with a platter of fortune cookies, to which Anna says, “This isn’t really a good time,” prompting Soong to speak in hurried Chinese.

“There were some stereotypes that were hurtful,” director Nisha Ganatra told Entertainment Weekly.

“I remember watching it and feeling torn, mostly about the Asian representation, and also the soundtrack that was being used. It was something I brought up right away when I had my first meetings with the producers.

“I had a moment of the presentation that was like, ‘Problematic Asian representation!'”

Ganatra added that she and her team believed that they “owed audiences to make it right on this one.”

She worked with screenwriter Jordan Weiss to make sure Freakier Friday was filled with “little moments that don’t betray this movie, but were satisfying for people who found hurtful moments in the last one.”

“It was a different time and wasn’t done intentionally [in the 2003 film], but it’s a real thing,” Ganatra said.

“It’s something I, being Asian, was super conscious of.”

Manny Jacinto, who plays Anna’s fiancé, had “concerns” about joining the cast, but was happy with how Asian representation was handled in the new film.

“When I considered hopping on board, I remember watching the first Freaky Friday and being like, ‘This did not age very well, regarding the diverse characters,” he said.

“Knowing Nisha and speaking to other people within our circles, I knew we had a captain who was very much aware of those archetypes, or those issues presented in the first one.

“I felt very well taken care of,” he said. “I don’t know if it would have been the same or had the same heart and charm if it was a different director. “She keeps it very grounded and real, but also charming and fun. That’s a fine line to play, and she walks it really well.”