Lindsey Lohan in rehab sequel

By Andy Goldberg May 29, 2007, 20:35 GMT

05/07/2007 - Lindsay Lohan - © Janet Mayer / Photorazzi

Los Angeles - Days after crashing her car while drunk, getting caught in possession of cocaine and passing out for the paparazzi after a night of partying, Lindsey Lohan is headed back to the ultimate refuge for fallen stars, the exclusive Promises rehab centre in Malibu, California.

According to In Touch magazine, the troubled 20-year-old starlet was checking in to Promises Residential Treatment Center Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to get her dangerous drinking and drug-taking into check.

Promises is the destination of choice for entertainment figures trying to forge a path on the straight and narrow. Cynics might also view it as a perfect last resort for stars who need to find an excuse for their narcissistic behaviour in the face of public criticism and/or legal problems.

Lohan, the star of movies like Mean Girls, Herbie Rides Again and Georgia Rules, is due in court in August to face drunk driving charges in connection with the crash of her Mercedes on Sunset Boulevard at 5 am Saturday morning.

But her problems with substance abuse go back much further.

Earlier this year she checked herself into the Wonderland Rehab Centre for a stint of detox. But the regime there appeared too lax for the capricious young star, allowing her frequent day passes that allowed her to socialize with friends at clubs, bars and restaurants.

In recent months Lohan has been a regular to the morning hours at trendy Los Angeles night spots where her hard partying ways were apparently fueled by more than her natural exuberance. The British paper The News of the World recently ran pictures that it said showed Lohan snorting coke in the bathroom of the Roosevelt Hotel.

Just last week she was allegedly thrown out of New York's Soho Grand hotel after throwing a public tantrum because a former boyfriend of hers was there with another woman. In addition to screaming, her hissy fit included writhing around and collapsing in the hotel lobby.

Rumours of Lohan's troubles began circulating long before they were publicly exposed in a letter last year from the veteran producer of the film Georgia Rules. The missive from respected industry veteran James G Robinson was leaked on the Internet, blaming the actress's frequent absences on the set to 'all night heavy partying,' and accusing her of costing the production 'hundreds of thousands of dollars.'

Her father, himself no stranger to substance abuse problems, also recognized her troubles. 'The writing was on the wall,' Michael Lohan told the New York Post on Sunday. 'She needs to go to rehab.'

It's unclear now whether Lohan is following the advice of her estranged father, or perhaps that of Britney Spears who also checked into Promises following the infamous head-shaving incident and other public humiliations that came after her divorce.

Whatever the reason, Lohan's fans will be hoping that her rehab stint will help keep her demons in check and allow her to take her place as one of the most gifted actresses in Hollywood.

'She can access emotion like nothing and when she was on the set she was really good,' Jane Fonda said recently.

Chris Siverston, who directed Lohan in the upcoming movie I Know Who Killed Me, said 'It's fantastic to work with somebody that gifted. Her dual roles in the film were extremely demanding - both physically and emotionally, and she pulled it off with true style.'

The challenge now is for Lohan to pull off a real life test with the same success.