Dennis Quaid holds a special place in his heart for Natasha Richardson, a bond that transcends the screen. The Parent Trap actor's voice trembled as he reminisced about his late costar, who tragically passed away at the age of 45 in 2009 after sustaining a brain bleed from a skiing accident. The memories they shared while starring in the 1998 movie will forever be etched in his heart.
"My heart breaks every time," Dennis said during an episode of the Out of Order podcast on March 10, after watching one of their scenes together. "Natasha was simply incredible – an amazing person and an actor to boot."
In the film, Natasha played Elizabeth James, a wedding dress designer who rekindles her love for her ex-husband Nick Parker (Dennis) after their twin daughters Hallie and Annie (both played by Lindsay Lohan) meet at a summer camp and switch places. The experience of playing Natasha's on-screen love interest was so enjoyable for Dennis that he said, "If there's anyone I'd ever want to work with again, it would be her."
"She was a great person, besides being an amazing actor to work with," the 71-year-old added, his voice choking up. "She really was, and the way she went was [very tragic]… just a little accident on the ski slope."
The Substance actor also praised Natasha for the charisma she brought to the set. "She has a charm to her," Dennis said, adding that Natasha often used "her relationship with her own kids" to influence the way she played her role. "There's just something magical about her… She's present when you're working with her."
As the 17th anniversary of Natasha's death approaches on March 18, Dennis admitted, "I really miss her."
This isn't the first time that Dennis has honored Natasha. During a Parent Trap cast reunion hosted by Katie Couric in 2020, the Rookie alum remembered what it was like working with the Tony Award winner. "Just somebody so giving and so glad to be there, transmitting that joy of being able to do what we do," he said. "It just made everything that much better."
Lindsay, 39, also remembered her on-screen mom at the time, sharing, "Natasha had such an elegance and grace and she was so maternal to me." A year later, Lindsay posted a throwback photo of her and Natasha in the movie on what would have been the actress' 58th birthday, and wrote, "Happy Birthday Angel."
