What Hilary Duff Thinks Really Happened Between Lizzie McGuire & Gordo

Hilary Duff knows what Lizzie McGuire‘s dreams are made of.

She understands how fans likely imagined what happened to her famous character after the movie. The former Lizzie McGuire star shared her thoughts on whether Lizzie and her best friend, Gordo (played by Adam Lamberg), eventually became a couple after the 2003 film.

And in her mind, Lizzie and Gordo are better off as friends.

Hilary confessed on Jake Shane’s podcast, Therapuss, on November 5th, that their attempt at something new didn’t quite succeed. She described it as a near miss, adding, “Another try that just… didn’t work out. It was really tough.”

The star of How I Met Your Father has shared her thoughts on what happened with Lizzie’s love life after the Lizzie McGuire movie, which suggested Gordo might have had feelings for her that were returned.

The 38-year-old jokingly suggested that Lizzie had a secret romantic connection with Ethan Craft, the character played by Clayton Travis Snyder, saying it would have been a satisfying development.

She explained she only saw her relationship with Ethan as temporary, and that she expected Gordo to be there for her afterward to help her cope.

Hilary Duff, a mom to five children – 13-year-old Luca (with ex-husband Mike Comrie), Banks (7), Mae (4), and 18-month-old Townes, as well as a child with her husband Matthew Koma (whom she married in 2019) – fondly remembers that time in her life.

“It’s really fun to play the what-ifs,” she said, “I love to play it out.”

Although a 2020 revival of the show that would have shown fans what Lizzie, Gordo, and the others were doing didn’t happen, Hilary Duff’s former co-stars have shared their thoughts on where their characters’ lives would be now. Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s mischievous younger brother Matt McGuire, recently explained how he imagines their sibling relationship would be today.

He told TopMob News in June that things hadn’t really changed. He believes they still cared for each other, even if they didn’t express it, and suggested they might be supporting each other through difficult times.

For a look back at the show that defined early aught’s pop-culture, read on.

The show was originally going to be called What’s Lizzie Thinking? When it was first proposed to Disney, it didn’t include the animated Lizzie that became so well-known. Instead, it just featured a regular voiceover by the show’s star, Hilary Duff.

Several actresses auditioned for the part of Lizzie McGuire, including Lindsay Lohan (who later became known for a love triangle with Aaron Carter), Sarah Paxton, and Hailee Hirsh. Ultimately, Hilary Duff got the role, but producer Stan Rogow told TopMob News that they were very happy with all of the candidates and thought any of them would have been a great choice to present to the network.

Duff admitted in an interview with TopMob News that her audition was a disaster – she hadn’t even bothered to learn her lines. She was almost ready to give up on acting when she got the part. While she didn’t take the audition seriously, the show’s creator, Terri Minsky, recognized her talent and contacted her directly.

I told them directly that they needed to fully embody the character,” Minsky explained to TopMob. “I could see they had a lot of potential, so I wanted to encourage them to dig deeper.

Hilary Duff’s fashion sense played a key role in her getting the part of Lizzie McGuire. Rich Ross, who was then Disney’s president of entertainment, told Newsweek they brought her in for four auditions, not because she was doing anything wrong, but because they were impressed by her outfits and curious to see what she’d wear next. Duff herself later explained that she intentionally used her clothing choices to differentiate herself from the many other actresses auditioning.

Disney Channel initially resisted an episode of Lizzie where the main character bought her first bra. According to writer Rogow in an interview with TopMob, executives were very concerned, saying, “Oh my god, you can’t do that!” However, Rogow noted that it was a somewhat daring idea for television at the time.

Duff remembers the “bra episode” as particularly memorable. She told TODAY that she really wanted a bra because she thought they were cool, but she was also dreading having to ask her parents about it, thinking it would be a very awkward conversation.

Ethan, who eventually became Lizzie’s long-time crush (played by Clayton Snyder), was originally intended to be a standard middle school athlete. Interestingly, the show’s writer, Nina Bargiel, shared that Danny Kessler (Byron Fox) was initially planned to be Lizzie’s main love interest.

She explained to Feminist Disney Tumblr that there was another character they initially considered as a love interest, but he wasn’t an option. Because of this, they decided to develop Ethan’s character instead, as he was already part of the story.

While Lizzie was longing for Ethan, Gordo – played by Adam Lamberg and considered by many to be one of the best Disney Channel characters ever – secretly had feelings for his best friend. After two seasons and a movie, fans finally witnessed them share a kiss, suggesting they had become a couple.

As someone who really pays attention to what viewers want, we definitely picked up on the huge desire for Lizzie and Gordo to end up together! Knowing the show was coming to a close, we really wanted to give fans a satisfying conclusion – a perfect final moment for their journey with Lizzie McGuire.

Although the show continued with new episodes after the movie came out, the film truly marks the end of Lizzie’s story.

Zack Snyder shared in an MTV interview that he surprisingly spent more time in hair and makeup than any of the female cast members. He explained that achieving Ethan’s long, flowing hair – which contrasted with his own naturally curly hair – required a lengthy process. He joked that stylists ‘destroyed’ his hair with layers of product, hairspray, and a straightening iron to get the desired look.

Once Lizzie and her friends finished middle school, the idea was to continue their story on ABC as a high school sitcom, along with a sequel to the popular movie. Unfortunately, disagreements during contract talks led Disney and Hilary Duff to go their separate ways.

Disney was eager to keep making Lizzie movies, as production chief Nina Jacobson explained to Entertainment Weekly. However, every negotiation has a limit, and we reached ours with Lizzie. Ultimately, the deal just didn’t make financial sense anymore, and we had to stop.

Despite Disney’s efforts, Hilary Duff’s mother and manager, Susan Duff, revealed in an interview with EW that they declined a sequel because Disney wasn’t treating Hilary with the respect she earned. According to Susan, Disney tried to pressure them into accepting an unfavorable offer, but they refused, effectively ending the potential for future films in the franchise. They felt Disney didn’t appreciate Hilary’s contributions.

Hilary Duff’s lawyer stated to the Los Angeles Times that negotiations with Disney fell apart because the company pressured them and didn’t offer a fair payment compared to other opportunities Duff had. Although the Lizzie McGuire project is no longer happening with Disney, the lawyer emphasized that Hilary Duff’s career is still thriving.

Okay, so when Lizzie McGuire was tragically cancelled, I was devastated, obviously. But then I heard they were trying to save something with a pilot focusing on Stevie, Selena Gomez’s character! It was supposed to be about her, as Miranda’s sister, which, honestly, was a brilliant idea. I was SO excited, even though it didn’t end up going anywhere. Still, the thought of more Selena and Lalaine together was enough to keep me hoping!

Similar to the show Lizzie McGuire, the idea for Stevie also involved an animated version of her inner thoughts speaking out loud. Disney Channel considered two pilot episodes that year, but ultimately chose Hannah Montana over the show starring Selena Gomez. Gomez later found success as the lead in The Wizards of Waverly Place, which launched her career.

When it was most popular, Lizzie McGuire generated around $100 million in revenue from merchandise like clothes, books, and music. It was Disney Channel’s top-rated and most successful show, regularly attracting 2 million viewers per episode and even airing seven days a week, including Saturday mornings on ABC.

In August 2019, Disney+ confirmed a long-anticipated revival of Lizzie McGuire. Hilary Duff would return as Lizzie, and the original show’s creator would be involved in the new series, which would follow 30-year-old Lizzie as she lives her life in New York City.

Although the cast was initially kept secret, a photo from the first read-through showed that the original McGuire family would be returning. Hallie Todd, Robert Carradine, and Jake Thomas are all reprising their roles as Lizzie’s parents and her mischievous younger brother, Matt.

Unfortunately for fans hoping to see Lizzie and Gordo become a couple, they won’t be dating when the new series begins. Lizzie is already engaged to someone else, even though Adam Lamberg is returning to play Gordo. Hilary Duff explained to Vulture that keeping them apart is part of what made their relationship so compelling – the constant question of ‘what if?’ and the lingering hope. They intentionally want to create some heartbreak for viewers, and that will continue with the revival.

Sadly, the series was never made. Hilary Duff shared the news in December 2020, explaining that it fell apart after a disagreement about the creative direction with the show’s creator.

Okay, so, I’ve been following all the behind-the-scenes stuff, and it breaks my heart to say it… a reboot just isn’t happening. Duff basically confirmed it, even after she begged Disney+ to move the show to Hulu! It’s just… devastating. We won’t get to see what she would have become, all the amazing things she could have done. I’m totally crushed, but honestly, everyone involved really, really tried. It just wasn’t meant to be, you know? Seriously, what else could go wrong in 2020?! I’m just…mourning her, and everything we lost.

Did you know Cardi B is a fan of Lizzie McGuire? She shared how much the movie meant to her at Vogue’s Forces of Fashion event back in 2019.

Hilary Duff said she has a song stuck in her head whenever she attends a dream event, like Paris Fashion Week. It’s from her movie, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, and the lyrics, ‘Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of,’ perfectly capture how she feels when she’s invited to these fashion events.

When The Lizzie McGuire Movie came out in May 2003, it unexpectedly became a big success. It opened at number two in theaters, just behind X2: X-Men United, and eventually made over $50 million.

Okay, so a lot of people were really bummed that Miranda seemed to disappear from the show and movie – it looked like her family just went on a long vacation! But the real story is that Lalaine, the actress who played Miranda, actually wanted to pursue her music career. She really wanted to focus on that passion, and that’s why she stepped back from the show. It’s always great to see someone follow their dreams, even if it means saying goodbye to a beloved character!

Hilary Duff became very popular as a teen star with her role as Lizzie, so many of her fans were surprised when she decided to step away from acting for a while.

In a 2015 interview, she explained that people considered her crazy because she was achieving success and earning a lot of money. It was a frightening time, she said, because her career wasn’t secure and she desperately needed the stability it provided. Having grown up famous, constantly in the public eye, she felt lost and unsure of who she was, and didn’t have the space to rediscover herself.

She confessed that being constantly recognized as Lizzie McGuire could be really painful. While she enjoyed it while filming the show, she didn’t anticipate how popular it would become. Afterwards, being known only as Lizzie bothered her a lot, but she’s since gotten over it and doesn’t mind anymore.

2025-11-06 23:19

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