Jake Thomas From Lizzie McGuire Is All Grown Up And Looks Exactly The Same
Jake Thomas is best known for his role on "Lizzie McGuire," an early 2000s Disney Channel series that captivated millennials. Hilary Duff starred as Lizzie, a middle schooler dealing with the highs and lows of adolescence. Thomas played Matt McGuire, Lizzie's mischievous little brother who perpetually ticks off his sister. Now he's all grown up but continues to ride the "Lizzie McGuire" train.
Fans were thrilled when a "Lizzie McGuire" reboot was announced at Disney's D23 Expo in 2019, per Harper's Bazaar. Besides Duff, several original cast members were set to reprise their roles from the series. To fans' excitement, Thomas was part of the squad. Unfortunately, the sequel was later called off, with Duff telling Women's Health, "[Lizzie] had to be 30 years old doing 30-year-old things. She didn't need to be doing bong rips and having one-night stands all the time, but it had to be authentic. I think they got spooked."
We may not get an update on Matt McGuire's life, but Thomas is keeping us posted on his own projects. Let's just say he has very fond memories of playing Matt. And though he's no longer sporting a spiky hairdo like his character, Thomas looks practically the same.
Jake Thomas hasn't changed much
While Jake Thomas' face looks pretty much the same, there are a couple of notable changes in his appearance. Now, the former child star rocks a mustache, which he frequently displays on social media. He hasn't lost his sense of humor either, writing, "The mustache has been growing on me" alongside one Instagram photo. Thomas has also shot up since his "Lizzie McGuire" days. In October 2019, the original McGuire family gathered for a read-through of the Disney+ reboot, according to Deadline. At the time, Hilary Duff took to Instagram to share a behind-the-scenes photo of the TV family. All smiles, Thomas stood taller than his fictional mother and sister.
While plenty of child stars carve out completely new career paths, Thomas is still in the entertainment industry. In the acting section of his website, he writes, "Yes, I still do that." In April 2022, he announced that he was reprising his role as Stickler in a "Cory in the House" spinoff series — although there haven't been any updates since. According to Us Weekly, Thomas is also a director and photographer.
Jake Thomas is still talking about 'Lizzie McGuire'
Jake Thomas is still living in a "Lizzie McGuire" world, as the actor now co-hosts a podcast about the series with former co-star Davida Williams. If you don't recall, Williams played Claire Miller, Lizzie's nemesis. In a March 2023 Instagram post, he wrote, "Join @livinglizziepod with @sirjakethomas and @davidabwilliams as we relive each episode of the original series, share the behind the scenes, talk about how it relates to us today., and answer questions from fans." Besides breaking down episodes, the pair also digs into the show's nuances. In one clip, they talk about the confusion surrounding the last name of Kate, a popular cheerleader at Lizzie's school.
Thomas' decision to start a "Lizzie McGuire" podcast makes perfect sense, as the series is near and dear to his heart. In an interview with Today, he revealed that he's still touched by fans' connections to the show. He called it special and magical to have been part of a series that positively affected so many people's childhoods. He added, "I've been told many, many times by other people who grew up watching the show that their little brother was exactly like me, and therefore they could feel Lizzie's pain. So I feel like maybe I executed the role in a wholesome, correct way if I got that kind of feedback."