Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire in The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Hilary Duff Movies and TV Shows We Grew Up With (and Still Love)

April 21, 2026

For a lot of us, Hilary Duff wasn’t just another face on TV — she was our childhood friend. From Lizzie McGuire’s inner monologue to the Y2K fashion of Cadet Kelly, her roles shaped the early 2000s in a way that still hits today.

Now, with a new album and her first tour in over a decade, her resurgence is a full-circle moment for millennials. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or catching up on her newer projects, this guide covers the Hilary Duff movies and TV shows that defined a generation and became our favorite comfort watches.

Best Hilary Duff Movies & TV Shows

Lizzie McGuire

Before group chats and TikTok, there was Lizzie McGuire — processing every awkward moment in real time with her animated alter ego saying exactly what she couldn’t. From hallway crush spirals to outfit-related social disasters (remember the unicorn sweater?), Lizzie turned everyday middle school chaos into something weirdly comforting and completely relatable.

Add in Gordo, Miranda, and a theme song that still lives rent-free in your head, and it’s no surprise this fan-favorite series is what Duff is best known for.

Watch: Lizzie McGuire*

*Lizzie McGuire requires the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle. Access content from each service separately. Content, feature, and device compatibility varies by service. ©2026 Disney and its related entities. HBO Max ©2026 Home Box Office, Inc.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)

Title art for The Lizzie McGuire movie starring Hilary Duff.

Lizzie finally got her main character moment in The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2023) when a school trip to Rome leads her to pose as a pop star alongside an Italian heartthrob named Paolo.

It doesn’t matter how long it has been since you last watched this 2000s classic. We’re willing to bet you still remember every word of “This Is What Dreams Are Made Of.”

Watch: The Lizzie McGuire Movie*

*The Lizzie McGuire Movie requires the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle. Access content from each service separately. Content, feature, and device compatibility varies by service. ©2026 Disney and its related entities. HBO Max ©2026 Home Box Office, Inc.

Younger

If you grew up with Duff, Younger felt like catching up with her in her “20-somethings” era. Trading middle school drama for the world of New York publishing, Hilary plays Kelsey Peters — a career-driven editor who’s just as ambitious as she is impulsive.

If you’ve watched, you already know Kelsey made some of the show’s most questionable decisions but grew through it all. It’s sharper, more grown-up, and proof of the ways Duff’s TV roles kept evolving right along with us.

Watch: Younger*

*Live TV plan required to watch live content on Hulu. Regional restrictions, blackouts, and additional terms apply.

How I Met Your Father

The Hulu Original series How I Met Your Father fully launched Duff into her “figuring it out in your 30s” era as Sophie. She navigates dating, friendships, and life in New York with perspective and plenty of dating app nightmares.

If you watched How I Met Your Mother, you’ll catch the parallels in this spin-off, but Duff really makes the role her own.

Watch: How I Met Your Father

Gossip Girl

Duff pops up in Gossip Girl as Olivia Burke, a movie star trying to live a somewhat normal college life at New York University. In a world of gossip-hungry socialites, that was never going to happen. Her six-episode arc in Season 3 quickly turns into one of the show’s more memorable storylines, especially once she gets tangled up with Dan, Vanessa, and that whole situation.

If it’s been a while since your last GG rewatch, this is your sign to go back to the beginning. XOXO.

Watch: Gossip Girl*

*Gossip Girl requires the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle. Access content from each service separately. Content, feature, and device compatibility varies by service. ©2026 Disney and its related entities. HBO Max ©2026 Home Box Office, Inc.

Cadet Kelly (2002)

Title art for the Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly starring Hilary Duff.

Cadet Kelly is a 2000s Disney Channel Original Movie classic. Duff plays Kelly, a creative, free-spirited NYC teen who ends up at a military academy after her mom marries the school’s commandant.

The abrupt transition from her happy-go-lucky city life to the strict rules and routines of boot camp is an adjustment, especially with her by-the-book cadet captain Jennifer Stone (played by Christy Carlson Romano of Even Stevens*).

Watch: Cadet Kelly

*Even Stevens is available with the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic/Premium. Access content from each service separately.

Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Title art for the Hilary Duff movie Cheaper by the Dozen.

Cheaper by the Dozen drops Duff into one of the most crowded households of early 2000s family films. She plays Lorraine, one of the older kids in a family of 12 children. The movie leans into the reality of a family that size, from competing for attention to figuring out where you fit in it all. It’s an easy rewatch, especially if you remember just how stacked that cast is.

And if you want to continue the story of the Bakers, watch Duff revisit her character in Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005).*

Watch: Cheaper by the Dozen*

*Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 are available with the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic/Premium. Access content from each service separately.

War, Inc. (2008)

Title art for the Hilary Duff movie War, Inc.

Not every Duff role fits the Y2K mold. In War, Inc., she plays Yonica Babyyeah, a pop star caught up in a satirical story set in a fictional war zone. It’s a sharp turn into darker comedy and a different kind of project than what she’s known for. If you’re curious to see her in something outside the usual, this one is worth checking out.

Watch: War, Inc.

Hilary Duff TV Cameos and Guest Appearances

Even longtime fans might have missed some of Duff’s TV cameos and appearances throughout the years, spanning everything from sitcoms to procedural dramas.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Duff appears in the 2009 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Season 10, Episode 19, “Selfish”), playing Ashlee Walker, a young mother at the center of a missing child investigation.

Watch: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

George Lopez

In 2003 and 2004, Duff appeared in two episodes of George Lopez (Season 2, Episode 22, “Team Leader” and Season 4, Episode 19, “George’s Grand Slam”) in unrelated guest roles.

Watch: George Lopez