Hilary Duff's Transformation From Lizzie McGuire To Today
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The early 2000s might be so yesterday, but Hilary Duff — one of the biggest stars of the era — certainly isn't.
In 2001, after making her debut in the 1998 flick "Casper Meets Wendy," Duff became a household name thanks to her portrayal of the titular character on Disney Channel's "Lizzie McGuire." Over the course of 65 episodes, the masses tuned in to witness the teen's junior high school trials, from her bestie David "Gordo" Gordon (Adam Lamberg) having a crush on her to butting heads with popular girl Kate Sanders (Ashlie Brillault), all commented upon by her sassy, animated alter ego.
Following her Disney success, Duff remained a consistent figure in entertainment. While she at first held fast to her teen idol persona, appearing in films like "A Cinderella Story" and "Material Girls," Duff eventually entered new, darker territory with projects like "War, Inc." and "Bloodworth." In addition to her work on screen, she also maintained a music career and penned a young adult trilogy of novels. Read on for Duff's full transformation from "Lizzie McGuire" to today.
A Cinderella Story was her first post-Lizzie project
In 2004, the same year that "Lizzie McGuire" wrapped up, Hilary Duff didn't stray too far from her established wholesome, youth-friendly image when taking on her first post-series project: "A Cinderella Story." This family-friendly rom-com follows the story of Sam (Duff), a teen who in the midst of serving as a dishwasher at her stepmother Fiona's (Jennifer Coolidge) diner strikes up a romance with an Internet pen pal who just happens to be her school's football star Austin Ames (Chad Michael Murray).
The pen pals agree to meet at a masquerade ball and Austin has no idea who his mystery girl is ... despite Sam sporting a tiny mask that barely covers her face. These days, Duff looks back on this moment with a sense of humor. "That is so funny. Maybe he got hit in the head too many times during football?" she mused in a talk with Cosmopolitan. "It was pretty recognizably me, right? I don't even know if that was even a question [that came up] on set! That is so good. I don't know what to say about that. There was definitely a problem with the script there."
She expanded her music career
Also in 2004, Hilary Duff continued working to establish herself as a double threat with acting and singing with her self-titled sophomore album. Though "Hilary Duff" didn't include as many iconic hits as the 2003 release "Metamorphosis" ("So Yesterday" and "Come Clean"), both albums debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard chart.
In an interview with People, Duff revealed that she initially got into music to distance herself from "Lizzie McGuire." "It was my idea. I wanted to sing. I really didn't want to be Lizzie McGuire anymore," she said. She added, "I just desperately needed to be my own person, and I think that I thought music was going to be a good way to reintroduce myself, and it was."
Duff enjoyed her first No. 1 Billboard release in 2005: "Most Wanted," an LP comprised of past hits and several new ones, including "Wake Up." "Dignity," which dropped in 2007 and boasts edgier content matter than its predecessors, debuted at No. 3, while 2015's "Breathe In. Breathe Out." debuted at No. 5.
She took on an emotional role in Raise Your Voice
While Hilary Duff's early on-screen personas of Lizzie McGuire and Sam Montgomery have to endure some of life's trials, they're depicted in a lighthearted way and seem rather minor compared to those of Terri Fletcher in the 2004 teen musical drama "Raise Your Voice." Mourning the loss of her brother Paul Fletcher (Jason Ritter), Terri goes to Los Angeles against her father Simon's (David Keith) wishes to attend a performing arts program. From intensive classes with Mr. Torvald (John Corbett) to recurring flashbacks of the car accident that killed Paul, Terri is under a lot of emotional stress.
Duff said in an interview, "For this one, I really wanted to make sure I hadn't done anything like it, and it's a lot more dramatic than anything that I've ever worked on before, so that's really what drew me to it most of all."
She also became a pro at releasing the waterworks on cue, something she didn't have to do much of for past roles. Duff told E! News, "I got pretty good at crying in front of 200 crewmembers. It wasn't that tough, I just kind of took a deep breath and carried myself off to a place that wasn't so happy."
The Perfect Man wasn't perfect
On the heels of "Raise Your Voice," Hilary Duff aimed to tug at audience heartstrings yet again as Holly Hamilton in 2005's "The Perfect Man." All Holly wants is for her mother Jean Hamilton (Heather Locklear) to finally be with a guy who treats her well. Therefore, via email, Holly invents a fictional suitor.
"It's really a sweet, kind of like tearjerker movie because you see that Holly has really taken care of her mother," Duff said in an interview. "And the mom tries and tries and tries, but she keeps falling in the same trap of going through boyfriends and going for the complete wrong type of guy."
Though it may sound like a sweet and intriguing plotline, "The Perfect Man" did not receive great reviews, and boasts a 6% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 58% audience score. Many found it to be a generic and predictable tween-geared flick without much substance. Marrit Ingman of the Austin Chronicle said, "It's like watching your lawn grow."
She teamed up with her sister in Material Girls
Hilary Duff has a familiar face starring alongside her in the 2006 comedy "Material Girls" — her big sister Haylie Duff. The two play Tanzie and Ava Marchetta — two wealthy heiresses who lose everything and are forced to adapt to normal living, which includes navigating public transportation and washing their own dishes.
In an interview with Hollywood.com, the sisters gushed about how fun it was to work together, especially after being apart for several months due to busy schedules. Hilary explained how they had a seamless professional relationship, and instantly agreed on who should play which character. "We read the script and we knew," said Hilary. "She's Ava, I'm Tanzie. It worked out perfectly."
In an interview with Today, Hilary shared that Haylie was the first Duff sister to express acting aspirations. "She came up with this whole idea and I kind of just wanted to be exactly like her, so we both were trying and begging my parents to let us go to California and audition," said Hilary. In fact, "Material Girls" isn't the first time the sisters have shared the screen. Back home in Texas, their parents agreed to let production for a film take place on their ranch on one condition: the girls be allowed to participate. The crew obliged, with Hilary and Haylie portraying two extras.
She played a provocative pop star in War, Inc.
For the first time, in 2008, Hilary Duff completely stepped away from the world of teen rom-coms and dramas with "War, Inc." In this comedy-action film, Duff takes on the role of Yonica Babyyeah, a Middle Eastern pop star whose wedding is planned by Hauser (John Cusack), an undercover assassin on a quest to kill a politician.
In contrast to Duff's past musical personas of Terri Fletcher in "Raise Your Voice" and Isabella Parigi in "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" Yonica is very unwholesome, even if we set aside the very questionable choice to cast Duff as a Middle Eastern woman. At one point, Yonica climbs on top of Hauser's desk in an effort to seduce him. In another scene, she puts a scorpion down her pants. For Duff, it was nerve-racking to step outside her comfort zone, but also thrilling.
"I feel so lucky to get to have worked on this movie and to play a character like Yonica, who is so far away from who I am in my real life, and I think maybe how people perceive me a little bit because of the parts that I played before in the past," she said in an interview. Duff said in a separate interview, "The best part was getting to be totally different and be a little wild and be a little crazy. My character was totally crazy and I could do anything I wanted."
Her tenure on Gossip Girl didn't go over well
Hilary Duff returned to television in 2009, appearing on six episodes of "Gossip Girl" as Olivia Burke, an actress in the movie series "The Endless Knights" who attends NYU with Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) and Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr). During her short-lived stint, Olivia strikes up a fling with Dan, gets cozy with him and Vanessa, and performs a rendition of Lady Gaga's "LoveGame" in a "Snow White" play.
Unfortunately, Duff's "Gossip Girl" appearance wasn't well-received by fans of the show. On Reddit, many expressed the opinion that Olivia's storyline isn't necessary and doesn't drive the overarching plot forward. U/Ashamed_Sympathy_428 said, "It felt like they brought in a big star, Hilary Duff, for a weird filler, mid-season storyline. It was a missed opportunity." U/dupuisa2 added, "...her story is cringey and makes no sense. And that Lady Gaga scene where she sang dead eyed; I can't watch it lol."
She played a pregnant girl in Bloodworth
Hilary Duff continued to shed her Disney Channel wings in the 2010 drama "Bloodworth." She took on the role of Raven Lee Halfacre, the pregnant daughter of an alcoholic mother who is trying to break the chain of her family's toxicity. She's romantically involved with Fleming Bloodworth (Reece Thompson), who tries to do the same when his estranged grandfather E.F. Bloodworth (Kris Kristofferson) comes home after 40 years.
"Obviously, I hope people see it and think I did a good job in it, and see me in a different way than how they've watched me grow up, which is in more lighthearted films. It is different," Duff told Collider. "I think every actor is looking for a challenge, and to play something different, and to be a part of a project with other great actors. It was a great experience. I've been trying to choose roles like that on purpose."
She started a family with Mike Comrie, but the relationship failed
In 2010, after a few years of dating, Hilary Duff tied the knot with Mike Comrie, a former professional ice hockey player from Canada. Two years later, the pair welcomed their first child, Luca Cruz. However, by 2016, Duff and Comrie were divorced.
According to Duff, several factors led to the split, mainly age and simply growing apart with time. The actress, who was 22 on her wedding day, told Cosmopolitan, "I'd been working since the age of 11 or 12, so making that choice at a young age seemed right for me. Maybe it wasn't, but we spent the majority of our time together really happy. It wasn't working well enough to stay together, but there was still a lot of love involved. It was just a slow set-in of us not being the match that we used to be."
She makes sure that Luca is able to freely speak with her about his dad. In fact, Duff shared with Grazia that she regularly tells Luca about the good times she and Comrie had. "It is a very sweet thing," she said. "As adults, we forget how nice it was to hear our parents' stories when we were children."
She wrote a trilogy of young adult novels
In 2010, Hilary Duff became a triple threat — actress, musician, and author — with the release of her young adult novel "Elixir." It tells the story of Clea Raymond, a photojournalist on a mission to find her father who disappeared during a humanitarian trip. Along the way, she's faced with another mystery: a young man who she has shared a bond with for countless lifetimes.
She said in an interview with publisher Simon & Schuster, "This story's really asking the question, are there soulmates? And do you believe? And what would you do for yours if you found it? And was it real?" Plus, it features details from Duff's own life, including the setting of Tokyo, one her favorite places in the world.
"Elixir," which expanded into a trilogy with the sequels "Devoted" and "True," received rave reviews. Many, including fans of Duff's films and music, admitted that they were skeptical about her writing abilities. However, they were pleasantly surprised. Amazon reviewer Tarynn Kerr said, "Only a few books have literally made me jump in my seat and this is one of them." Kayla, another Amazon reviewer, said, "It's an enticing and captivating love story that will not leave you disappointed."
She enjoyed a seven-season stint on Younger
After "Lizzie McGuire," Hilary Duff landed roles on other TV shows such as "Two and a Half Men," but they were cameos. Yet in 2015, Duff secured her longest-running series at that point: "Younger." The TV Land show stars Duff as Kelsey Peters, a book editor at Empirical Press, who helps keep colleague Liza Miller's (Sutton Foster) secret — that she's 40 years old, not 26 — from their boss Diana Trout (Miriam Shor).
Duff was drawn to "Younger" because of its edginess (she was still trying to shed her "Lizzie" persona) and relatability to many women. She told TIME of Kelsey, "I do feel like she's just totally normal and relatable, but she's driven, she's smart and she's got it together. And then she can also be a total disaster. That's pretty much how women roll right now in their 20s and 30s. They want the best of both worlds, and they're willing to deal with the hangovers or the pain of going out and partying the night before."
"Younger" ran for seven seasons and, though it was hard to part ways with Kelsey, Duff is happy with where her character ends up. In an interview with Variety, she praised Kelsey for not putting a toxic man ahead of her own happiness. Duff said, "I love that Kelsey chooses herself, ditches the guys who aren't good for her and continues on a journey that forces her to take risks."
She started a life with Matthew Koma
Following her split from Mike Comrie, it didn't take Hilary Duff long to find happiness again, this time with producer and songwriter Matthew Koma, who she initially met in 2015 when he worked on her "Breathe In. Breathe Out." album. The relationship was made official by 2017 and, except for a brief split, seems to have thrived.
In 2018, the couple was overjoyed to welcome their daughter Banks Violet Bair into the world. The next year, they said "I do" during a small ceremony held at their house in Los Angeles. Then, in 2021, the family expanded once more with the birth of daughter Mae James Bair.
Duff makes sure she's never too busy for her family, especially when it comes to instilling vital lessons in her kids. She told Grazia, "I am very involved in my children's lives. I am present. I like to play with them and listen to them. Don't get me wrong; I'm also the one who imposes discipline in the house. It's all fun and games until they cross certain limits."
She stars in the two-season How I Met Your Father
On the heels of "Younger," Hilary Duff transitioned right into another sitcom: "How I Met Your Father," a spinoff of the hit series "How I Met Your Mother." She played Sophie, who recounts to her son the tale of how she met his dad.
Though she couldn't relate to Sophie on all levels (like the character's tendency to be hungover at 11 a.m.), Duff did feel empathy toward Sophie's struggles in dating. "...just her quest to find her person and to find love, and something that is real and good that she can exist in," Duff told Parade. "I definitely related to that a little bit before I got remarried."
"How I Met Your Father" was canceled by Hulu after two seasons, leaving many storylines unresolved. Still, this wasn't before Duff got to reunite with her old "Raise Your Voice" co-star John Corbett. This time, instead of playing her music teacher, he's her love interest. She told TV Insider, "...that took a little second to just wrap my brain around. But it was fun working with John, and he's a larger-than-life kind of guy, and he really brought that to the role."
She overcame an eating disorder
Growing up as a teen idol in the early 2000s, there was a lot of stress on Hilary Duff to look a certain way. In fact, the pressure to be skinny was so strong that the star battled an eating disorder at the age of 17. She told Women's Health Australia of that time, "It was horrifying."
As an adult, being thin is no longer an aspiration. Instead, her focus is on strengthening both her physical and mental health through exercise, good sleep, a balanced diet, and surrounding herself with positive people. "[I'm] appreciating my health, doing activities that make me feel strong instead of just bettering the outside of my body," she said.
With her personal trainer Dominic Leeder, she works to keep up this momentum and set new goals, all while bearing in mind her top priorities: her family and career. Leeder said, "It was down to me to work out how best to maintain what we have [achieved], while she's also enjoying her life and doing what she needs to do as a human being that has three children, a job and so many other things."
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).