The Real Reason The Lizzie McGuire Reboot Got Pulled, According To Hilary Duff
If you were a kid or tween in the early 2000s, then chances are you've heard of Hilary Duff and her iconic filmography. From "A Cinderella Story" to the Disney Channel original movie "Cadet Kelly," the starlet was a beacon for relatable teen content that millennials still talk about today. However, before starring in the aforementioned projects, Duff made her big break with her hit Disney TV series "Lizzie McGuire." The coming-of-age show followed Duff in the titular role as she navigated the ups and downs of middle school, alongside her dedicated best friends Miranda and Gordo. The series also featured a hilarious animated version of Lizzie that was meant to represent the character's conscience.
Upon its debut, the series became an instant success with viewers, which resulted in two 30+ episode seasons and a hit theatrical movie — who could forget the legendary "What Dreams Are Made Of" song? Nearly 15 years after the show's series finale, Disney and Duff announced plans for a revival series at the 2019 D23 expo. "It's so great to be home," the "Younger" star told the crowd (via Entertainment Weekly). At the time, Duff teased that her character would be living in Brooklyn and turning 30 years old at the start of the series. However, fans were left devastated in 2020 after Disney canceled the project.
Nearly two years after the project was shelved, Duff has opened up about why Disney may have passed on the highly anticipated revival.
Hilary Duff thinks Disney was 'spooked' over a mature Lizzie
Over the last year and a half, "Lizzie McGuire" fans have been reeling over Disney's cancellation of the revival. In a recent interview with Women's Health, the "Raise Your Voice" star gave insight into why the studio might have canceled the highly anticipated project. "She had to be 30 years old doing 30-year-old things," Hilary Duff explained. "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."
Duff's Women's Health interview isn't the first time she's opened up about Disney's pushback of a more mature Lizzie. Back in February 2020, the series' showrunner Terri Minsky was reportedly fired after filming two episodes. "Fans have a sentimental attachment to 'Lizzie McGuire' and high expectations for a new series," a Disney spokesperson explained to Variety. "After filming two episodes, we concluded that we need to move in a different creative direction and putting a new lens on the show."
Shortly after the surprising news, Duff took to Instagram and asked Disney officials to place the revival on Hulu rather than Disney+. "I'd be doing a disservice to everyone by limiting the realities of a 30-year-old's journey to live under the ceiling of a PG rating," the "Sparks Fly" singer wrote at the time. Because Lizzie's character in the original show was so "authentic," Duff insisted that "her next chapters are equally as real and relatable."