Lindsay Lohan, the legally troubled 24-year-old starlet, opened up to television cameras for the first time since finishing her stint in a rehabilitation clinic.
Lohan spoke to Jerry Penacoli in an Extra interview that aired Tuesday. During the course of the interview, Lohan touched on aspects of her personal life and also showed optimism about her future.
“I feel great. I feel happy,” she said. “There’s always bumps we have in the road and as long as I’m focusing on the one thing I know I need to put first in my life, which is my recovery and stuff, then I’m doing good and that’s most important to me.”
Lohan also appeared to understand the gravity of her situation when it comes to working in the industry again, accepting the fact that it will be an uphill battle.
“I miss being on set. I really do miss it, and I know there’s going to be a lot of steps that I have to go through to prove myself again and get the trust from the people I respect to work with. But I’m willing to do what I have to do to get there, because that’s my passion.”
When Penacoli asked her for to give her own personal “wish list” of people she would like to work with, Lohan responded with: “I think that’s that something that I will be able to say when I’ve taken the steps I need to take to prove that I can be insurable again. I think that will come in time, where I’ll be in the position to even say that because I don’t think I am right now.
“I don’t think it would be fair to say, ‘Oh, this is who I want to work with,’ and expect that to happen. I have to build my way back up and I get that,” said Lohan.
Penacoli proceeded to ask Lohan what it is she ultimately wants to do when she returns to Hollywood, to which she answered: “Great movies, great films. To tell great stories. That’s what I’ve aspired to do my whole life, and personal instances in my life have gotten in the way…but I don’t want that to be what I’m known for anymore.”
“The tabloid stuff … that’s not important to me,” said Lohan.
Meanwhile, Lohan appeared only to have positive things to say about her 73-day stay at the Betty Ford Center, acknowledging the fact that it was a time of self -improvement.
“I enjoyed writing, reading, talking to other people and hearing different people’s stories … and relating to them … it’s a nice thing,” said Lohan.
Lohan is currently in trouble with the law for allegedly stealing a $2,500-dollar necklace from a boutique in Venice, Calif. During her last appearance in court Lohan received a firm warning from Judge Keith Schwartz that he would send her to jail she accepts any kind of plea deal offered by prosecutors.
