Actor/singer Hillary Duff, best known for Lizzie McGuire and How I Met Your Father, has built a stellar career. Duff made her career from being a singer and she instantly came into prominence after her debut studio album, Santa Claus Lane in 2002.
Duff was simultaneously leaving a mark in the music industry and television and gained fame with the Disney series Lizzie McGuire in 2001. The actor was 13 years old when she starred in the Disney series. The studio, however, allegedly never paid merchandise royalties to the actor.
Disney Never Paid a Single Penny to Hillary Duff as Merchandise Royalties
Despite her successful run in the series as the audience embraced it, Hillary Duff did not make much money from the show. The series that was aired over two decades ago has earned Disney over $100 million selling merchandise alone. Duff was reportedly paid $15,000 per episode of Lizzie McGuire, totaling $975,000 for all the episodes.
While breaking it down, it is safe to say that it was not a lot of money in the 3 years run of the show with 65 episodes. And with taxes and agent fees, she made about $120,000 only. Duff, however, made the most money with the Lizzie McGuire movie that came out in 2003 for which she was paid $1 million. Made with $17 million, the Lizzie McGuire movie earned over $55 million. The studio was all set for a sequel and Duff was offered $3 million for the role. However, her mother felt that the actor deserved more and demanded $5 million. Disney then countered with $4 million giving the star 24 hours to make a decision. However, later the studio opted out of the movie.
Duff once revealed that she never got even a dollar from Disney’s staggering merchandise sell profits. The actor recently joined the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actor’s Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) protest for fair pay to artists. However, She was not the only one to face the monetary situation from the studio, her screen father in the series, Robert Carradine showed receipts of $0 residual checks at the protest.
What Hillary Duff Thinks of Cancelled Lizzie McGuire Revival Show
It is undeniably true that Lizzie McGuire has shaped the actor’s career. Talking to Cosmopolitan, the 35-year-old revealed what her character would have been in the now-canceled show. “My character was moving back home with her parents because she caught her soon-to-be fiancé cheating on her,” Duff told the magazine.“She was falling flat on her face at the moment and being like, ‘I need to pivot because everything that I thought was wasn’t, and I’m turning 30. What the f*ck?'” she added.
“In my 34 years, I’ve realized that everything does happen for a reason. There’s a time and a place for everything. It just wasn’t her moment. I’m constantly asked about it still. All it does is breathe life into the fact that people still want it, and that’s really sweet. It’s not dead, and it’s not alive.”
A Cinderella Story actor, however, acknowledged the show and said that she was honored to be a part of it. Taking to her Instagram, Duff said, “I’ve been so honored to have the character of Lizzie in my life. She has made such a lasting impact on many, including myself.”
“To see the fans’ loyalty and love for her, to this day, means so much to me. I know the efforts and conversations have been everywhere trying to make a reboot work but, sadly and despite everyone’s best efforts, it isn’t going to happen,” she wrote on Instagram.
Adding further, the actor revealed that she would want “any reboot of Lizzie to be honest and authentic to who Lizzie would be today. It’s what the character deserves.” The actor would miss the amazing woman she would have been and the adventure she’d had with her.
Also read: Lizzie McGuire Stars: Where Are They Now?
Source: YouTube.
