Hilary Duff wasn’t just another Disney Channel star, she was a defining part of growing up.
Now, more than two decades after “Lizzie McGuire” premiered, Hilary is reflecting on the lasting impact she’s had on an entire generation, calling it one of the greatest honors of her career.
Speaking with People, Hilary said hearing from fans who grew up watching her never gets old.
“I hear that a lot from people, [that I was an important part of their childhood], and I wear a badge of honor,” she said.
Hilary Became a Household Name
Although Hilary’s acting career began with 1998’s “Casper Meets Wendy,” it was her starring role as Lizzie McGuire in the Disney Channel series that turned her into one of the biggest teen stars of the early 2000s.
She went on to headline several fan-favorite movies, including “Cadet Kelly,” “Agent Cody Banks,” “A Cinderella Story,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Cheaper by the Dozen 2,” and “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” cementing her place as one of the era’s most recognizable young actresses.
At the same time, Hilary was building a successful music career. She released albums including “Santa Claus Lane,” “Metamorphosis,” “Hilary Duff,” and “Dignity,” while hits like “Come Clean,” “So Yesterday,” “Wake Up,” “With Love,” and “Why Not” became staples of the 2000s.
Hilary Loves Embracing the Nostalgia
In recent years, Hilary has fully embraced the nostalgia surrounding her career.
Earlier this year, she returned to the stage for her first tour in more than a decade with the “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” tour before launching “The Lucky Me” tour. Along the way, she’s been performing many of the songs that helped define a generation, including, for the first time, “What Dreams Are Made Of” from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
“What’s been so fun about the live shows is realizing how much the old songs mean to people,” Hilary said. “A lot of those songs just live rent-free in my head.”
She’s Growing Up With Her Fans
Today, Hilary says reconnecting with longtime fans feels different than it did during the height of her Disney Channel days.
Now a mother of four, she says she’s found a new connection with audiences who have grown up alongside her. According to the outlet, Hilary said, “It’s this very cool way to connect in our lives now—everyone’s grown up, and we feel like we have a lot of the same life experiences.”
More than 25 years after launching her career, Hilary’s influence continues to resonate with fans who still know every word to her songs and every scene from “Lizzie McGuire.” And judging by the crowds singing along on her latest tour, that childhood connection isn’t fading anytime soon.
Hilary Found Love With Matthew Koma
Hilary found love with musician, songwriter, and producer Matthew Koma after the two met in 2015 while collaborating on her album “Breathe In. Breathe Out.” Their working relationship eventually turned romantic, and after dating on and off for several years, the couple became engaged in 2019. They tied the knot in an intimate backyard ceremony at their Los Angeles home that December. Today, they share three daughters, Banks, Mae, and Townes, while Hilary is also mom to son Luca, whom she shares with former NHL player Mike Comrie.
