Untangling Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff’s Fractured Relationship

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Everyone says it takes a village to raise a child, and Hilary Duff definitely had that with her sister Haylie. Their close relationship made those first years of motherhood seem effortless.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always admired the close bond between the Duff sisters! It’s funny, even though Hilary is actually two years younger than her sister Haylie, she was the one offering support and advice when Haylie became a mom to her daughter, Ryan, back in May 2015. Haylie and her fiancé, Matt Rosenberg, were so lucky to have her experience!

Not that the 40-year-old needed much help finding the perfect recipe. 

Hilary told TopMob News in June that her sister is a natural mother. She mentioned the baby is already on a schedule, even though she’s only four weeks old, while promoting her album, Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Hilary shared that her then-3-year-old son, Luca (from her marriage to Mike Comrie), is often very affectionate. She told TopMob that Luca once tried to comfort Ryan during a tantrum. He grabbed his favorite comfort object and gently placed it on Ryan, saying it would make him feel better.

If only there were a straightforward solution to what currently ails them. 

Okay, so it’s been about ten years, but Haylie is back with a new album – it came out on February 20th and it’s called luck… or something. What’s different this time around? She’s really focusing on the music and isn’t sharing as much about her personal life with her daughters, Ryan, who’s ten, and little Lulu, who’s seven. It feels like a shift in what she’s choosing to share with the world, and I’m here for artists making those choices!

Instead, she has a disc full of raw, incredibly personal lyrics. 

The 38-year-old artist told Glamour she was eager to be open and honest while writing her new album, especially since she created much of it with her husband, Matthew Koma, who is also the father of their daughters, Banks (7), Mae (4), and Townes (21 months). She wanted to challenge herself creatively and create something that truly reflected who she is today. She believes many people can relate to the significant life changes she’s experienced over the last decade or so.

A recurring theme involves Hilary’s difficult family situation, specifically how her parents, Bob and Susan Duff’s, complicated 2008 divorce impacted her, as expressed in her writing on “The Optimist.” She once wrote that she wished she could sleep on planes and that her father truly loved her.

In the song “We Don’t Talk,” she seems to address the long-speculated issues with her sister, Haylie, describing it as a painful emotional separation.

Frankly, she explained to Glamour, she just felt it was time for her to come clean. 

Hilary explained, “Family is who shapes you the most. They’re the people who naturally have the biggest impact on your life, simply by being the family you’re born into.”

She added that family ties don’t guarantee a lasting relationship. You can only manage your own actions and responsibilities, and focus on what you can control.

And theirs was a particularly twisty road.

Hilary admitted her life and her parents’ relationship were both quite difficult. She understands this isn’t unusual and explained that she’s been thinking about why she’s choosing to talk about it now, ultimately feeling she was simply ready to share her story.

Hilary hasn’t shared the reasons for her strained relationship with Haylie, and it’s possible she doesn’t fully understand them herself.

In her song “We Don’t Talk,” she admits she’d give up everything just to ease Haylie’s jealousy and offer her a fair share, but she’s also willing to listen to Haylie’s perspective.

The song goes on, suggesting they talk things through: “Let’s really talk this out, both of us, right here on the couch.” It expresses a desire to recapture the simplicity of their childhood and to finally address what’s making them sad – specifically, their lack of communication and unwillingness to discuss the problem.

Because, for years, the siblings were more than willing to speak on their close-knit bond. 

Haylie shared with People magazine in 2015 that she and her partner loved raising their children together. She said it was a lifelong dream for them to have a family, and they were thrilled it had come true.

Hilary hasn’t been giving me advice, really. She’s just been a great support system. Whether I need to vent, or just need someone to hold my baby for a moment, she’s always there for me in any way I need. That support has been the most helpful thing so far.

But, now, as Hilary’s latest track suggests, well, they don’t talk. 

As a huge fan, hearing this song really hit me. She sings about sharing the same family, the same roots – like we’re built from the same stuff, even if our paths are different because we have the same mother. It’s so relatable! Everyone always asks me how she’s doing, and I want to say she’s incredible, but honestly, I’m not sure. It’s a really honest lyric, and it feels so real.

Hilary hadn’t been seen in public with her sister Haylie since 2019, so it was likely she noticed Haylie spending time with Ashley Tisdale French on January 27th. This outing happened shortly after Ashley, who founded Frenshe, wrote about ending a friendship with a group of women she described as toxic – a group many people believed included Hilary.

Although Hilary hasn’t commented on the recent conflict involving mothers online, her husband publicly addressed it. He shared a mock magazine cover on Instagram with a headline that sarcastically suggested that focusing on one’s own children is a better approach than obsessing over others, framing it as an observation from a father’s perspective.

Hilary, meanwhile, is content to let her lyrics do the talking. 

She told Rolling Stone in November that a major reason she was releasing new music was because she wanted to be open and honest with her fans, sharing what’s currently happening in her life and connecting with them on a more personal level.

Hilary feels a strong connection with her fans, many of whom have followed her since she was a teenager. She explained that they’ve shared similar life experiences, like navigating difficult relationships, dealing with anxiety, the challenges of parenthood, going through divorce, figuring out who you are as an adult, and dealing with family issues.

Hey now, hey now, while it’s not exactly the stuff of dreams, it is quite real. 

Honestly, it seems like every week another celebrity is opening up about past feuds! It’s become surprisingly common. I’ve been keeping track, and there are quite a few stories out there – let’s take a look at who else has shared their side of things.

In January 2024, Bobby (the second person from the left in the picture) spoke about rumors of a disagreement with Tan (in the middle). This came two months after Bobby announced he was leaving Queer Eye after being on the show for eight seasons.

He assured Vanity Fair that he and Tan are doing okay. He explained they went through a personal issue, but it was unrelated to the show and wasn’t romantic in nature—it was something that had been building up between them privately.

In March 2024, Tan addressed claims that he tried to get his friend Jeremiah Brent to replace Bobby on the show Queer Eye.

Netflix and the production team held extensive auditions. I didn’t recommend my friend for the role, but they ultimately earned it because they were the most qualified. I also want to clarify that I didn’t help them get the part by causing anyone else to be removed from consideration, as he explained in an Instagram post.

During a September 2023 game of “Stir the Pot” with her daughter, Kelly Osbourne, on TopMob News, Sharon Osbourne described actor Topher Grace as the rudest celebrity she’d ever encountered, calling him a “rude little boy” and a “dastardly little thing.”

He did not respond to her remarks publicly.

Five years ago, Sharon shared with Larry King that Ashton seemed annoyed when he was a guest on The Talk in 2014, after she mispronounced his name.

She remembered him asking, ‘Who are you and what have you accomplished in this field?’ She said she responded fiercely, telling him, ‘Don’t underestimate me, because I’ll completely overwhelm you.’ She added, ‘You have no idea what you’re up against, young man.’

In August 2022, Cassadee Pope and Maren Morris publicly disagreed with Brittany Aldean, wife of country singer Jason Aldean. This followed a post Brittany shared on Instagram on August 23rd, where she thanked her parents for not allowing her to transition during a phase where she preferred traditionally masculine interests, stating she enjoyed her current feminine lifestyle.

I was really surprised when JoJo Siwa shared on TikTok in 2022 that Candace Cameron Bure was the rudest celebrity she’d met. Apparently, years ago, Candace didn’t take a photo with JoJo on a red carpet, and it really hurt her feelings. It was good to see Candace publicly apologize soon after, saying she felt terrible for breaking JoJo’s heart and that she was truly sorry.

Candace and the other person resolved their differences. However, when asked months later if her network, Great American Family, would ever feature same-sex couples as the main characters in its holiday movies, she said it wouldn’t, explaining that the network would continue to focus on traditional marriage.

JoJo, who publicly shared they are part of the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, responded to the actress’ comment on Instagram, calling it “rude and hurtful to an entire community.”

In June 2021, Courtney Love claimed Olivia Rodrigo had copied the album cover art for her band Hole in a promotional photo without giving proper credit. Olivia responded with a simple, “Love u and live through this sooooo much.” Courtney then playfully replied, “Olivia – you’re welcome. My favorite florist is in Notting Hill, London! DM me for details! I look forward to reading your note [winking face emoji].”

I was watching Watch What Happens Live recently, and they asked Henry Winkler why he and Tom Hanks didn’t really click while filming Turner & Hooch back in 1989. It was interesting to hear him talk about their dynamic on set!

I directed the movie for thirteen days, and then Jeff Katzenberg, the producer, told me to pack up and go home, saying I had everything I needed.

Winkler and Hanks’ dog seemed to get along very well. “I really loved that dog,” Winkler said.

He also refused to admit if he’s even seen the flick. 

“You know what you did!”

Anyone who watched The Hills probably remembers Lauren’s famous line from the start of season three. The drama between her and Heidi began when Heidi started dating Spencer Pratt. It really exploded when Lauren claimed Heidi and Spencer spread a false rumor that she’d made a sex tape with her boyfriend at the time, Jason Wahler.

Tyrese and Dwayne Johnson had a public falling out in 2017 after the release date for Fast & Furious 9 was delayed until April 2020. On the same day, a spin-off movie featuring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham was announced, slated for release in 2019. Shortly after, Tyrese said he would leave Fast 9 if Dwayne Johnson remained involved.

Tyrese recently discussed the long-standing conflict with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, telling Van Lathan on The Red Pill podcast that he still hasn’t spoken to Johnson directly, though they plan to. He mentioned he did talk to one of Johnson’s producing partners, but not Johnson himself.

Tyrese admitted he shouldn’t have publicly shared frustrations on behalf of others connected to the franchise. He explained he was the only one who spoke out, and he takes responsibility for that, calling it unprofessional and ‘not cool’.

No more bad blood here.

Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were famously feuding for several years, with some believing the conflict even fueled Taylor’s song “Bad Blood.” The disagreement, which supposedly began over a shared backup dancer and rivalry during concert tours, ended when Katy sent Taylor an olive branch as a peace offering before Taylor’s Reputation Tour began.

Taylor shared on Instagram that she found a real olive branch in her dressing room, saying it meant a lot to her.

Taylor captioned the video, “Thank you Katy.”

For years, Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker, stars of Sex and the City, dismissed rumors of a disagreement. However, those rumors resurfaced when Kim chose not to participate in a third movie and later made comments about her co-star that seemed critical.

In a September 2017 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen asked Sarah Jessica Parker how she felt about Kim Cattrall telling Piers Morgan they had only been coworkers, not friends.

She was really upset about something, saying she was heartbroken. They had talked about it all week, and she explained that her memory of what happened was completely different from how it was being presented. She found the situation very disturbing because it didn’t match her recollection of events.

It’s upsetting, but I believe what truly connects us is the unique experience we all shared. It started as a professional collaboration, but over the years, it became something deeply personal. I’m hoping that the strength of those years, and the special connection we built with people through our work, will outweigh any recent disagreements. It was a real privilege to be a part of something so meaningful for so long.

And though they didn’t film scenes together, Kim did make a small appearance on And Just Like That.

Elton John and Madonna have been publicly disagreeing since 2004. The conflict began when Elton, while accepting an award at the Q Awards that year, criticized Madonna’s live performances. He famously told the audience, “Madonna, best live act? That’s ridiculous! Since when is pretending to sing live considered a real performance?” He went on to say he believed performers who lip-sync during paid concerts should face serious consequences.

The actress, formerly on Grey’s Anatomy, caused a disagreement with the show’s creator back in 2008 when she asked to not be considered for an Emmy Award. She explained that she didn’t think the storylines she was given were strong enough to deserve a nomination.

Shonda Rhimes discussed Katherine’s choice in a 2012 interview with Oprah Winfrey on Oprah’s Next Chapter. She admitted it was both hurtful and expected. “When someone consistently reveals their true nature, you should believe it,” Shonda explained. “I’ve really taken that to heart and it’s been a valuable lesson for me.”

The fight between Nicki and Cardi at the Harper’s Bazaar Icon party during New York Fashion Week became a major news story. A month later, Cardi explained what started the argument with Nicki.

Cardi B recently told W magazine that someone has been repeatedly criticizing her. They had talked twice before and seemed to resolve things, but the person continued to attack her.

The conflict truly escalated when Cardi B noticed Nicki Minaj had supposedly reacted to a tweet criticizing Cardi’s parenting, though Nicki claims she didn’t actually engage with it.

Cardi B explained she turned down a potentially very profitable Bruno Mars tour so she could be with her daughter, and she doesn’t regret it. She strongly defended her role as a mother, saying she’s a great mom and finds it frustrating that people without children would criticize her choices. She added that opportunities to meet artists are rare, and she wasn’t going to pass up a chance to connect with Bruno Mars just because it happened in a casual setting like a grocery store.

The conflict between Kanye West and Taylor Swift began in 2009 when Kanye interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. While they later reconciled and became friends, their relationship fell apart in 2016 following the release of Kanye’s song “Famous,” which referenced Taylor.

Just before the Grammy Awards in February 2025, Kanye West began following only Taylor Swift on Instagram. He didn’t offer any explanation for the action, and Swift didn’t publicly acknowledge it.

“I don’t know her.”

The rumored rivalry between Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez began in 2003 during a German television interview. When asked about Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey famously stated, “I don’t know her.”

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2026-02-19 00:19