Lindsay Lohan Does Live Interview, Discovers Dark Secret About Her Family's Past

As a young Hollywood star, Lindsay Lohan was used to her life being the focus of media attention. But when a family secret was revealed to her live on air, she was confronted with a whole new reality...

The 'GMA' Bombshell

Sitting down for a live interview with Amy Robach in 2012, Lindsay Lohan believed she was prepared for any question thrown her way. As her first interview in a while, the pressure was on to impress.

Answering questions about her new movie Liz and Dick, everything was going to plan. Then three minutes in, Lindsay was blind-sighted by a startling revelation. Robach had assumed she was aware of her dark family secret, but Lindsay's shocked reaction proved otherwise...

Keeping Her Cool

The host paused, and the producers gasped. No one knew what to do next. They waited anxiously for her response to the revelation. They feared how she would react to this news. They feared she would throw a fit or walk off stage. But to everyone's surprise, Lindsay kept her cool.

As a born performer, she gave away no sign of anger, acknowledging she had not been aware of the facts and casually moving the topic away. Many wondered how it was possible she had not been made aware of this shocking Lohan family secret. To understand it all, we must start from the very beginning.

The Early Days

Lindsay Dee Lohan was born to Michael and Dina Lohan on July 2, 1986. The firstborn was soon joined by Michael Jr., Aliana (Ali), and Dakota (Cody). The family of six lived together in Long Island, New York. Although they moved around over the years, this remained their home base.

Michael Lohan was a successful Wall Street Trader from age 20, while his wife Dina transitioned from dancing to Wall Street to join him. The two lived a relatively comfortable yet simple life for the early years of their marriage. Of course, that was all soon to change in a big way.

Entering Hollywood

In 1989, the three-year-old freckled redhead landed her first commercial. Over the next seven years, she appeared in numerous print and television ads, proving her star quality in front of the camera. In 1998, the twelve-year-old took on the two leading roles in The Parent Trap and was thrust into the spotlight.

In a recent interview with Vogue, Lindsay looked back on the early days of her career. "Growing up, my siblings definitely had it harder than most kids their age because I was such a public figure that they couldn't really escape any of the results of the things I did, by mistake, in front of the public eye," she said.

A Famous Family

Lindsay may have been the most famous member of her family, but she was not the only Lohan to have her name out there. In addition to the attention that comes with being the siblings and parents of actress Lindsay Lohan, some of them were also famous in their own right.

Sister Aliana was an aspiring actor and singer. After releasing a Christmas album with Lindsay, in 2006, she then released her own single in 2008. Brother Michael Jr. also tried his hand at acting, starring in The Parent Trap alongside his sister. Mom Dina quit her job on Wall Street to become her manager.

Supportive Unit

From the very beginning until today, Lindsay's famous family has stood by each other's side through all of the ups and downs. With every red carpet appearance, she's been joined by one or more of her siblings. When a scandal breaks, they are the first to publicly come to their sister's defense.

"My family's so important to me," she told Vogue. "So any time that I have the opportunity to involve my sister and my brother in anything that I do, and my mom, I always jump at that chance. Because you have someone important to share it with, and those are the memories that count."

Her Big Break

Lindsay Lohan became a household name in 2004 when she took on the lead role in the Tina Fey-written chick-flick movie Mean Girls. The cult classic, which is still quoted today, threw her into the spotlight in unprecedented ways and would come to be marked as the peak of her acting career.

Immediately after the movie's release, Lohan capitalized on her moment of fame and released her debut single Rumors and her album Speak. From then, she was unstoppable, hosting Saturday Night Live, starring in movies such as Herbie: Fully Loaded and Prarie Home Companion, and releasing a second album.

Michael's Misdemeanors

Sadly, as her professional career flourished, Lindsay saw her personal life crumble. Her father was arrested and charged in 2004 for assaulting his brother-in-law, landing himself in jail. This brought great shame to the family and drew a wedge between him and Lindsay.

As reported by the Daily Beast in 2017, "Lindsay has always been plagued by the absence of her father in her life, and has struggled with feelings of wanting to keep a safe distance and wanting desperately to bring him closer to be a true parental figure."

The Divorce

Michael was released from jail in 2007 and finalized the long dragged-out divorce from Dina almost immediately. Over the years, Michael and Dina had always had a tumultuous relationship, but they had always chosen to separate and reunite rather than divorce. This move made things official and gave Michael the space to move on officially.

And that he did. Soon after the divorce, he married Kate Major (a former friend of Lindsay), and together, they had two more children, Landon and Logan. Since their birth, Lindsay has made it clear she has no interest in connecting with them. "They're not a part of my life, and they never will be," she said on the OWN show in 2014.

A Turn for the Worse

In 2007, Lindsay's 'good girl' persona came crumbling down when her behavior seemed to spiral out of control. After crashing her car, she was arrested for driving intoxicated and possession of illegal substances. Over the next few years, Lindsay found herself back in jail on numerous occasions.

It was reported that Lindsay had been forced to file for bankruptcy. She was believed to be using drugs and acting erratically. Multiple publications confirmed she was kicked out of hotels and clubs and was fired from various acting projects. Michael publicly expressed his concern for his daughter's well-being.

Behind Closed Doors

Although Michael gives off a natural outward charm, a father who only wants the best for all members of his family, he has been described by numerous outsiders as the "perfect con man." This is in reference to how he allegedly manipulated and exploited his famous daughter, all while maintaining his innocent persona.

The father and daughter duo found themselves in numerous public disagreements. In 2010, Lohan told UsMagazine.com that her father had stolen her passport. In 2016, Michael recorded and sold a phone call he had with his daughter, where she could be heard crying uncontrollably and asking for his help.

Father-Daughter Drama

Over the years, Lindsay has made no secret of her complex relationship with her father. She often used her music to express these feelings and let out her frustrations towards him. It's believed her song Confessions of a Broken Heart was written by Lindsay to describe the ways her father had taken advantage of her and her fame.

In 2010, Lindsay sat down for an interview with Vanity Fair, explaining her efforts to block out her father's negative influence on her life. "I think my biggest focus for myself is learning how to continue to get through the trauma that my father has caused in my life," she recalled.

Under the Microscope

From her love life to her time in a mental health rehab facility, no part of Lindsay's life was allowed to be private or kept out of the public eye. Everything she did was subject to the internet community's scrutiny, and it seemed she could not make mistakes like other people her age.

Understandably, this was difficult for the rising star, who was forced to grow up under the media's gaze. One particular scandal pertaining to her family was being discussed online, and Lindsay was apparently blissfully unaware of it. Soon, however, she would be told all about it -by a stranger live on morning television...

Moment of Truth

"Your family troubles are constantly put out there for the public," Robach told Lohan. "I know just today there was news that you allegedly have a half-sister," she continued before asking the actress how she and her family handle all the scrutiny and the daily headlines.

"I didn't even hear that, so thanks for the news; I don't pay attention," she replied, somewhat calmly, before trying to change the subject. Whether it was true she really didn't know about her new sibling is not known. Regardless, what was this all about? And was there any truth behind the claims?

Startling Claim

In 2008, a woman from Montana named Kristi Kauffman Horn came forward with the claim that she had been romantically involved with Michael Lohan in the early '90s when he was separated from his wife, Dina. The bombshell component of the story was that she had birthed his child, Ashley.

The then fifteen-year-old, Ashley Horn, was now putting her name and story out there, making it clear to the world that she was the half-sister of the famous actress Lindsay Lohan. What she wanted out of this revelation was yet to be known and soon to be seen.

Secret Visits

Kristi soon called out the alleged father of her daughter, demanding he steps up to the fatherly role he had neglected all these years. Kristi talked to various magazines about her ex-fling, revealing he owed a whopping $300,000 in back child support. In response, Michael's lawyers announced they were contesting the ruling.

According to Krisi, Michael had been in contact with Ashley from jail, supporting the fact he had known about her existence. Until this point, Michael himself had not yet directly addressed these claims. No one could be sure how he would react to the news...

The Results Are In

To Kirsti and Ashley's likely disappointment, Michael dismissed these allegations entirely. He made it clear he would be unwilling to cooperate in a paternity test, labeling the mother and daughter's actions as a desperate plea for fame. He made it clear to them and the media he'd never force his other kids to interact with her.

"In December 2008, we had a court hearing that Michael was ordered to appear at for the DNA testing," Kristi told the Daily News. When the judge learned that Michael had not appeared, she declared him as Ashley's legal father. Upon learning this, Michael clapped back: "I'd be glad to take a DNA test!" he told Life & Style.

Trisha Reveals All

The story hit its peak when Ashley, her mother, and her alleged father sat down for a paternity test on The Trisha Goddard Show. 'Is Lindsay Lohan my sister?' the episode title read. With the tension palpable, 17-year-old Ashley sat alongside her mother and Michael on Trisha's couch, holding the envelope which contained all the truths.

While her mother wept, Ashley read the card and said yes. "Michael is Ashley's father," Trisha announced to the audience before Ashley handed the envelope to Michael for him to see. "I believe what you say," he said. "You have another daughter," Kristi told Michael matter-of-factly.

A Rejected Plea

Seconds later, Michael stood up from the sofa and walked towards his newly confirmed daughter for a hug. "No, no, no," Ashley responded when she realized his intention. "Come here; I just wanna hug you," he told her. But Ashley was not looking to let him in so easily.

After briefly laying her head on his shoulder, she explained her hesitation to jump right into a father-daughter relationship. "This is the first time I've met you... I'm sorry, but I'm not sure…" she told her father. "It's okay, everything in time," he comforted her.

"I Do Not Trust Him"

As the news sunk in, Ashley made it clear she was merely seeking the truth and was not interested in being a part of Michael or the Lohans' life in general. "No, No, No! I don't want to be part of the Lohan trainwreck," she announced on the Trisha show.

Two years after the infamous episode aired, Ashley publicly blasted her father's lack of support. "I do not trust him, and I don't want to be around him or part of his life," she told the NY Daily News. "I could never call Michael Lohan 'Dad.' A dad is a person who is there for you and takes care of you."

Worrying Accusations

In September 2013, Ashley sat down with InTouch magazine and revealed she had laid out over $250,000 for extensive plastic surgery in recent months. "I've gotten rhinoplasty, a bit of refinement underneath my cheeks and jawline, some fat injected into my chin, and some fat injected into my upper cheeks," she explained.

"My goal was to look like Lindsay in her good days when she was around 18, 19 years old," she told the publication. With most of the healing complete, she revealed in the interview that she is incredibly pleased with the results. "I'm hotter than Lindsay! I have no problem saying that!" she exclaimed.

Michael Claps Back

Michael Lohan has always been vocal with his opinions about his daughter, Lindsay. Treating all his children equally, he also publicized his thoughts on Ashley's new look. "It's disgusting and totally crazy!' he told Popdust at the time. "It's totally shocking. Why on earth would she do something like this? It's just sick and twisted."

"She's only 18 years old, and she's undergoing plastic surgery? She was a really pretty girl in her own right; why would she do something like this? If [Kristi] thinks for some twisted reason it might help bring Ashley closer to Lindsay; I can say for definite that it won't — it will just push her further away."

Throwing Shade

Despite making an effort to look like her half-sister, she used her InTouch interview to make it clear she did not admire her half-sister's behavior over the years. "I'm not Lindsay. I wasn't raised in that family. I don't drink, do [illegal substances], or party. I like being a responsible person."

There was one thing, however, she did have in common with her sister - Ashley wanted to be a famous entertainer. Prior to the Trisha appearance, the budding pop star reportedly recorded multiple songs in a studio. Despite all the attention she received, she maintained her desire to make it big without her famous family's help.

The Lie Detector Test

Wanting to clear up all the rumors surrounding her plastic surgery and her relationship with Lohan, Ashley headed back to Trisha Goddard's sofa in 2013. Considering this had been the place where it all started, it seemed like the perfect place to close this chapter of her life.

Although she had initially claimed to have done the surgeries to look like Lohan in her good days, she had now changed her tune and wanted the world to understand she had not undergone the operations for that reason. Ashley agreed to conduct a polygraph test on the show, which conveniently confirmed she was now telling the truth.

Expressing Regret

While Horn has plenty of bad words to say about her father, she took the opportunity on air to make amends with her half-sister Lindsay, expressing her regret for bringing her into the drama and apologizing for badmouthing her in various press interviews after.

"Whether she saw it or not, whether she sees this or not, I want to say that I am so sorry for letting the media use me to drag you into this," Ashley said on the Trisha show. "It was not my intention. I never thought that it was going to end up this way, and I am so sorry."

Going Silent

After years of making explosive headlines, Ashley then disappeared from the public eye almost overnight. The half-sister of Lohan published a series of tweets in which she attacked her followers and rejected social media. Since then, she has been silent, with no more tweets. No one knows what became of her.

In his Popdust interview, Michael explained that he and Kristi Horn had fallen out in the months following the DNA test and had consequently lost touch with Ashley. He also mentioned that none of his other children had reached out to their new half-sister. But what about Lindsay?

Stay Away

In the weeks following the GMA interview, many publications speculated about how Lindsay had taken the news and whether she would reach out to her. Soon, however, TMZ referenced an insider source who claimed that Lindsay had no interest in meeting her alleged half-sister.

"Lindsay is telling friends, she's 100% done with the "circus" that is her father Michael Lohan - and does NOT want to meet her half-sister Ashley," they reported. In response, Michael told TMZ, "who knows, maybe someday things will change. Regardless, I want the best for all my kids."

Painful Timing

That being said, the source made it clear that Lindsay was highly disturbed by the news and the fact that her dad had fathered another child while still technically married to her mother, Dina. While she knew her parents had separated at certain points, she never imagined he would have been unfaithful.

"Lindsay has been aware of the paternity dispute for a while - since it's been going back and forth for years - but did not know her father had taken a DNA test," TMZ reported. "Lindsay... finds the entire situation 'disgusting'... especially because Michael had the affair while he was still married to (and having kids with) Dina."

Moving Forward

While she disapproved of her father's actions and the apparent appearance of her long-lost sister, Lindsay's immediate reaction to Amy Robach showed she was putting all of the drama behind her. Instead, she was using her energy to focus on her career and the positive things in her life.

"I don't pay attention to any of it. I don't really want to get into that," she said in response to the revelation. "I want to stay on the positive side of things. I'm in a great place. I just want to move forward. Keep working. I'm in the process of kind of moving and spending time with my family and just being happy."

Ultimate Comeback

Skip to today, and 2022 was the year of Lindsay Lohan's ultimate comeback. Last month, she debuted her Netflix movie Falling For Christmas with her three Lohan siblings by her side for the red carpet. The film marked not only her return to mainstream acting but also music, as she recorded a song for the soundtrack.

Long-standing fans of Lindsay were ecstatic to see the star back doing what she loves best. Healthy, happy, and surrounded by the ones she loves most, we pray this positive trajectory will continue for Lohan. Thankfully, she seems to have put all of her family drama to the side and focused on herself...