"I regret the choices that I've made." So said Lindsay Lohan in a "no holds barred" interview Thursday morning with Matt Lauer on the Today show — her first appearance on the program since her career and personal life began unraveling six years ago. (Watch a clip below.) Lohan, who has been in and out of court and jail over DUI and theft charges, now says, "I'm grateful for where I am today… I don't need to see any more negative stuff. I don't need to put myself in those places anymore." Not everyone is buying her sincerity — given that Lohan giggled girlishly throughout the interview, says MSN, "we're not sure if we believe anything she said." Here are five talking points from Today's sit-down with the star, who's trying to mount a career comeback by hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend:
1. She insists she's "clean and sober"
Lauer quickly addressed the elephant in the studio: Lohan's sobriety. The star confirmed that she is "clean and sober," and has been for "a long time." Lohan says she has now surrounds herself with people who support her sobriety. At the height of her downward spiral, Lohan says, she was "ignorant towards the fact that maybe I should not go out all the time," and has since realized she needs to "grow up and take care of myself."
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2. And over her hard-partying ways
"Our favorite hot mess says she's not a hot mess anymore," says Rachel Wheeler at the U.K.'s Mirror. After Lauer asked if Lohan is able to hit the club scene without drinking, the actress responded, "That's not my thing anymore. I went out, actually, a few months ago with a friend. And I was so uncomfortable." The problem wasn't that she "felt tempted" to drink, but rather that, after re-evaluating her life and priorities, she's "become more of a homebody."
3. She's ready for her "comeback"
Lohan fans and detractors rampantly speculate whether she can pull off a career "comeback" — which Lohan admitted is rather "crazy," given that she's only 25. She concedes she's lucky to have the chance. "I'd rather it be now and not have to... go through it later." The starlet also holds no delusions that her career will instantly be resurrected after SNL. "I still need to go through the process of proving myself — with SNL, being on time, keeping my — I can't say the word but — 'stuff' together." Lohan also confirmed that she will be playing Elizabeth Taylor in an upcoming Lifetime biopic.
4. She owes a debt to Lorne Michaels
"Lohan has one person in particular to thank" for her shot at a comeback, says Sandie Angulo Chen at iVillage: Saturday Night Live head honcho Lorne Michaels. "I actually went and emailed him and kind of was harassing him to meet with me to let me do the show," Lohan said. While other late-night shows took brutal shots at her over the years, she says Michaels and SNL were relatively kind. With this stint hosting SNL, her fourth, Lohan says, "I want to poke fun of myself."
5. And she's nearly unrecognizable
Lohan unveiled a dramatic new look in this interview, says Andrea Lavinthal at Us Weekly. In addition to new platinum-blonde hair with sharply chopped bangs, the actress has "extremely plumped-up cheeks and lips." Considering that the star doesn't appear to have gained any weight, "it's likely that her fuller features are the result of facial fillers like Restylane or Juvederm."
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