Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Hilary Duff just spoke out about the Lizzie McGuire reboot and her comments are, well…what dreams are made of.
We learned earlier this year that Disney + was halting production on the TV show, whose subsequent movie, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, inspired my first failed dream of becoming an international pop star.
My initial reaction to the halted production news was sadness. Because like why did I take all that time to log into my family’s Disney + account if all I was getting was that High School Musical show. I wanted Lizzie and I wanted her now.
But then, I realized if they’re halting production, it must be for a good reason and I want the show to be of good quality, so I could wait a few months for them to work out whatever behind-the-scenes drama was keeping them making all my childhood dreams come true.
AND BOY, IS THERE DRAMA. But it’s not so behind-the-scenes anymore because Hilary Duff just made a statement on her Instagram that shook me to my core.
“Was incredibly excited to launch ‘Lizzie’ on D+ and my passion remains! However, I feel a huge responsibility to honor the fans’ relationship with LIZZIE who, like me, grew up seeing themselves in her,” Duff wrote in an Instagram post.
Her statement continued: “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. It’s important to me that just as her experiences as a preteen / teenager navigating life were authentic, her next chapters are equally as real and relatable. It would be a dream if Disney would let us move the show to Hulu, if they were interested, and I could bring this beloved character to life again.”
Exsqueeze me?! The boldness she has exuded here makes me so happy. And I love that’s she’s telling us exactly why the project is halted. As an executive producer, she felt as though the reboot was not serving Lizzie’s story justice and she’s letting the fans know exactly what she needs to continue Lizzie’s story. So, it’s not her fault. She ends the statement basically putting the ball in Disney’s court.
This raises two questions for fans:
- Are we okay with Lizzie’s story changing networks for a more authentic take on her journey?
- Are we willing to help Hilary advocate for this change?
YES and YES.
Seeing as it’s been over 10 years since we’ve seen Lizzie, it’s only fair to say she’s experienced the same issues we’ve faced in her absence. With time comes, heartbreak, crappy relationships, pitfalls, family drama, and dare I say sexual encounters that I’m sure Disney is not willing to cover in a way that is true to the journey of a 30-year-old-woman.
We kind of saw this with the “That’s So Raven” reboot, “Raven’s House” and “Boy Meets World”. The storylines were childish and centered around the kids of our favorite characters. And while that’s all well and good, I’m glad Hilary wants a more authentic, YA-esque vibe for the Lizzie reboot.
WE STAND WITH HILARY.
Also, can we acknowledge how I’ve been calling Hilary Duff, Hilary this entire time like we’re best friends? Lmao, we stan a Lizzie reboot and will @ Disney until our dying day.