Now this is what dreams are made of.
Disney recently announced that Hillary Duff will be starring in a reboot of the hit 2000s show Lizzie McGuire. As much as we loved the quirky pre-teen back then, the reboot will focus on Lizzie navigating through life in her 30s, living in New York City and working for an interior designer.
“I just thought that there was such opportunity there for her to be grown up and for her to be there for women again,” Duff said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
The show is set to take place on Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, which launches this November. Duff has been working closely with the original show’s creator, Terri Minksy, to construct the new series. It hasn’t been announced when the show will officially premiere, as Duff claims that they haven’t started filming.
Lizzie Mcguire wouldn’t be the same without the character Lizzie McGuire, so luckily Duff will be reprising her iconic role, but who else will star in the show? The cast list has not been confirmed, yet Duff states that there will be “a lot of surprises in store for viewers,” regarding the cast. She announced through Twitter that the musician Lizzo will appear in the reboot, after responding to a tweet in which Lizzo asked to cameo in the show.
Duff revealed that she had been toying around with the idea for a while, yet didn’t think the timing was right–– until now! Fans of the old show seem to be loving the fact that Lizzie will return to our screens (including me!) yet the show will also be introduced to a new generation of viewers.
Personally, I’m very enthusiastic for the show’s return and I can’t wait to finally get some long-awaited answers. Does Lizzie end up with Gordo? Did she rise to stardom after performing in Italy? Is she still BFF’s with Miranda?
According to Duff, the animated version of Lizzie that constantly talks inside her head and reveals her true thoughts will also be in the show! She’ll even be wearing the same outfit! I love this aspect of the reboot because it will show the audience that even though she’s grown up and changed, she’s still the same Lizzie who is just trying to navigate her way through life, like all of us.
Regardless of my love for the storyline and characters, I’m also excited to have Lizzie back for another reason: as someone to look up to. When I was younger, I remember looking up to Duff’s character and viewing her as a role model. I knew that whatever awkward situation Lizzie could get through, I could get through it too. But now that my middle school days are long, long gone, the original show has lost its relevance. Luckily for me, and for all of you Lizzie McGuire fans out there, we can yet again seek guidance in Lizzie’s experiences.
“She was everybody’s best friend and she was there for such pivotal moments in their pre-teen life and entering your 30s is a really big deal,” Duff said. “It’s just the right time for her to step back in and to have her go along with you in your 30s and you know all of the fun times and all of the big monumental moments and all of the challenges that you’re faced with.”
As we graduate college and enter into the adult world, we’ll have Lizzie by our sides, which is a comforting and nostalgic feeling. Better yet, she’ll be navigating NYC just like how we’re learning to do here at school, through internships, and maybe even in our career paths one day. When we were 13, we got through the awkward and weird years of middle school by seeing how she did. As our late 20s and 30s are upon us, we’ll be able to see how she got through that challenging time, and it will encourage us to do so to. It’s incredibly unique and special to have a role model that is consistent throughout multiple generations; it’s something you don’t find very often. As you grow, the character grows alongside you. So, thank you Lizzie Mcguire for doing just that.
To watch the full interview with Entertainment Weekly, click this link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-MDZLNUwRw