Hilary Duff has reflected on her intense feelings of exhaustion regarding her role as Lizzie McGuire after the franchise concluded with the 2003 movie. In a recent interview with Paper magazine, Duff admitted that she was completely done with the character following the production of the film, which capped off the two-season show that launched her to stardom.
Duff explained that the grueling schedule of filming 30 episodes in one year and 35 in the next contributed to her burnout. She noted that becoming a huge star meant everyone called her Lizzie, leading to a desire for people to see her as an individual rather than just the character. During the filming of the movie in Italy, she felt a strong urge to move on, stating she was no longer having fun with the role.
The film featured the now-iconic song "What Dreams Are Made Of," which Duff said she never wanted to sing again at the time because she did not feel it belonged to her. She emphasized that she was trying to create a separate identity for Hilary Duff distinct from Lizzie McGuire, viewing the song as something she did not own. However, her perspective has shifted significantly in recent years.
Duff re-recorded the track for her 2026 EP titled "(Mine)," which includes seven newly re-recorded versions of her greatest hits originally featured as bonus tracks on vinyl variants of her "Luck… or Something" album. She performed the song live for the first time this year on her "Small Rooms, Big Nerves" Tour. Duff expressed that singing it now feels much better, allowing her to join in the celebration of what the character meant to fans and what it means to her personally.
Looking back at that era, Duff described the experience as crazy and admitted she would love a redo. While she is glad the music resonated with people years later, she noted that when performing now, she feels fully present in her body, whereas back then she felt disconnected from herself. The original series debuted in January 2001 alongside co-stars Lalaine, Adam Lamberg, Jake Thomas, Hallie Todd, and Robert Carradine, ending in 2004 with a total of 65 episodes plus the film.
Sources: Variety.