Frankie Muniz recently revealed he had a secret disagreement with Hilary Duff that lasted for 22 years. It all started because of a conflict with Hilary’s mother.
The actor, age 39, recently discussed his early friendship with Duff on The Joe Vulpis podcast, explaining why they haven’t spoken in more than 20 years. He’s also starring in the new revival of Malcolm in the Middle.
Frankie Muniz recently shared that Hilary Duff’s mother, Susan, played a significant part in getting her the role in their 2003 movie, Agent Cody Banks.
Frankie Muniz and Hilary Duff became good friends early in their acting careers. In 2002, Muniz even made a guest appearance on an episode of Duff’s Disney Channel show, Lizzie McGuire.
On the show’s set, the race car driver met Duff’s mother, who was the classic, overbearing stage mom.
Hilary was really cool, and we had a great connection. However, her mother was quite overbearing.
Daily Mail has reached to Duff’s representatives for comment but did not immediately hear back.
He shared a story he’d never told anyone before, admitting it might get him into trouble, but saying he wasn’t worried because he’s turning forty.
Muniz shared that he and Susan had talked about his summer plans, revealing he’d be starring as the lead in the movie Agent Cody Banks.
She asked if there was a girl who could play Hilary, someone who would be a good fit for the role. I replied that I thought there was, but I wasn’t sure who.
Muniz’s contract allowed him to have a say in who played Natalie Connors, but he didn’t share that information with Duff’s mother.
Kristin Kreuk, famous for her work in shows like Smallville and Reacher, was a candidate for the part.
The day after talking to Susan, they ran into each other again – this time in Hilary Duff’s dressing room on the set of Lizzie McGuire.
The next day on set, I went to her dressing room to visit, and her mom excitedly told me they were going to be spending the summer together. She chimed in, saying they’d both be in Vancouver for the whole summer!
Muniz had assumed at first that Duff would be working on a separate project in the area.
I was excited when I heard Hilary was filming nearby, thinking maybe we were working on the same movie. I imagined we’d spend time together, like having dinners. But she told me she was actually filming ‘Cody Banks’ – with me!
Muniz seemed confused and then repeated what someone else had said: “She was saying, ‘No, yes, yes, she is. They signed the contract last night.'”
I was shocked, saying, “How could you approve a movie you hadn’t even heard of yesterday? It just doesn’t make sense!”
Because he helped choose the actors for the show, Muniz asked his agents how Duff had been selected to play Natalie Connors.
He explained that someone had called and, knowing Hilary and him were close and that he was working on her show, they apparently thought everything was okay.
I wasn’t happy about it, and it wasn’t even about who was chosen – Hilary would have been fine. I was upset that they made the decision without involving me.
The actor shared that he felt quite down whenever Duff’s mother came to the movie set during filming in 2003.
Muniz explained that he hasn’t spoken to Hilary Duff at all since they finished filming together. He emphasized that this is something people aren’t aware of, and he wanted to set the record straight.
He admitted to the podcast host that he does regret losing touch with the former Disney Channel actress and expressed a desire to reconnect with her.
He said they had been close friends for a long time, but he was really angry with her mother, and that’s what bothered him.
After Hilary Duff spoke about their past issues on a recent podcast, a source revealed to the Daily Mail that she’s willing to talk to her former colleague about what caused their friendship to end.
She also mentioned wanting to share her old memorabilia with her children, and if they enjoyed watching Agent Cody Banks, she’d love for Frankie to be able to share stories about working on the movie – and her other early roles – with them.
After experiencing life, becoming a mother, and especially following the loss of Aaron Carter, Hilary has been focused on resolving past problems and relationships so she can embrace her future without dwelling on regrets.
According to a source, Hilary would prefer to reconnect with Muniz naturally, perhaps through a casual call or meeting. She’s open to rebuilding a friendship if it feels right, but isn’t pushing for it and is okay if it doesn’t happen.
Oh my gosh, after seeing Hilary and Frankie in Agent Cody Banks, I seriously followed Hilary’s career everywhere! She was amazing in A Cinderella Story back in 2004, and then I was SO excited to see her in Younger – I watched every single episode from 2015 to 2021! And most recently, I’ve been loving her in How I Met Your Father – honestly, she just keeps getting better and better!
Muniz paused his acting career to focus on his dream of becoming a professional race car driver.
Despite previously stepping away from acting, he’s returning to the screen for a revival of Malcolm in the Middle, and will be joined by original cast members like Bryan Cranston, Justin Berfield, and Christopher Masterson.
Muniz will reprise his role of Malcolm in the four-episode Disney+ series.
The actor recently shared a photo with Berfield and Masterson, capturing a special moment together.
He explained in the caption that he wasn’t supposed to share this yet, but the show’s theme song—’Boss Of Me’—reminded him and made him change his mind.
‘I’m just too excited for y’all to see the new episodes and I miss my brothers,’ he added.
The popular sitcom aired for seven seasons, from 2000 to 2006, and won seven Emmy Awards during its run.
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2025-10-29 04:22