Lizzie McGuire cast now from joining the army to new career in law
It's been over two decades since The Lizzie McGuire Movie brought our favourite animated series, complete with its internal monologues, to life on the big screen, embodying the early-2000s aesthetic.
Premiered on 2 May 2003, the film was a Disney Channel sensation: Lizzie embarks on a trip to Rome, is mistaken for an international pop star, and even manages to evade her frenemy-turned-friend while entangled in a romantic plot with an Italian pop star named Paolo - all during a school excursion.
The movie marked the conclusion of an immensely popular series that aired from 2001 to 2004, catapulting Hilary Duff into teen idol status. A reboot was announced by Disney+, but was subsequently cancelled in 2020 - following alleged creative disagreements between Duff and Disney executives over the series' themes and slightly more mature tones.
Several members of the original cast were set to reprise their roles for the highly anticipated reunion.
With this unfortunate turn of events, many fans were left pondering what became of the cherished actors - while some bid farewell to Hollywood, one enlisted in the Army, and others maintained their careers at a steady pace, reports the Mirror US.
Here's a look at where the stars of Lizzie McGuire find themselves in 2025.
Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire/Isabella Parigi)
Now 37, Hilary Duff has gracefully made the leap from Disney darling to multitasker: mum, singer, author and actor. After conquering the teen film circuit with Cheaper by the Dozen and A Cinderella Story, Duff released pop hits like 'Come Clean' and 'So Yesterday' before eventually settling into adult TV roles with Younger and How I Met Your Father.
Off-screen, Duff is now a mother of four - three daughters with husband Matthew Koma and one son with her ex, hockey player Mike Comrie. She's also become a best-selling children's author, publishing My Little Brave Girl in 2021 and My Little Sweet Boy in 2023, both inspired by her kids. She was set to lead the Lizzie McGuire reboot, but creative clashes with Disney over a more grown-up direction led to its cancellation.
Adam Lamberg (David 'Gordo' Gordon)
Gordo was Lizzie's best friend and the reluctant crush of many teenage girls of the time. Off-screen, Adam Lamberg walked away from acting shortly after the series ended, instead embracing a much quieter life.
Now 40, Lamberg earned a geography degree from UC Berkeley, followed by a master's in public administration from Baruch College in New York - and even worked at the Irish Arts Center in New York as a development associate. He'd agreed to reprise his role in the reboot but that reunion never ended up happening.
Jake Thomas (Matt McGuire)
Jake Thomas was the annoying little brother everyone secretly loved. Now 34, he's grown into a jack-of-all-trades behind the scenes, dabbling in photography, directing and screenwriting - the latter of which he studied at California State University, Northridge, alongside Japanese.
He's popped up in everything from Cory in the House to ER, and in 2023 launched a rewatch podcast Living Lizzie with fellow cast member Davida Williams.
Ashlie Brillault (Kate Sanders)
Ashlie Brillault played Kate, Lizzie's frenemy and former bestie, and then promptly exited the acting world entirely. Aside from a brief one-episode appearance on One on One, Brillault packed it in after the movie and pivoted into law. She earned her JD and now works as a criminal defence attorney in Southern California.
Hallie Todd (Jo McGuire)
Hallie Todd was Lizzie's patient and wise mother. In real life, Todd's career dates back to the 1970s, with appearances on Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Life with Roger before becoming the Disney Channel's coolest TV mum.
Now 62, she's mostly stepped behind the camera with her husband Glenn Withrow and daughter Ivy. The trio run a production company and write together, and according to her official bio, Todd also teaches acting.
Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire)
Robert Carradine also had a career long before being Lizzie's dad. With credits in Revenge of the Nerds, The Cowboys, and even Django Unchained, Carradine, now 70, has stayed consistently in work over the decades.
He co-hosted King of the Nerds from 2013 to 2015, appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap, and has three children of his own. Carradine was another cast member confirmed for the reboot before it collapsed.
Yani Gellman (Paolo Valisari)
After playing the charming but shady pop star in the movie, Yani Gellman went on to land major roles in The Young and the Restless, 90210, Greek, and Pretty Little Liars.
He's still acting, most recently in the film A Bestselling Kind of Love, and keeps fans updated via Instagram. Gellman also appeared in the underwater thriller 47 Meters Down and, fun fact, once modelled for Omega watches.
Alex Borstein (Miss Ungermeyer)
Alex Borstein made all of the kids and young teenagers scared of her as Miss Ungermeyer. Known for MADtv, Gilmore Girls, and as the voice of Lois Griffin on Family Guy, Borstein joined the Lizzie McGuire world just for the movie, but left a lasting impression.
Now 53, Borstein has won two Emmys for her powerhouse role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and continues to get scene-stealing roles across TV and film.
Carly Schroeder (Melina Bianco)
Melina was the chaotic best friend to Matt, Lizzie's brother, and Carly Schroeder had an already impressive career before that - appearing on Port Charles and in the soccer drama Gracie.
But her biggest life twist came in 2019 when she announced she was joining the U.S. Army. Now 34, she's a Captain and Infantry Officer after graduating from Officer Candidate School.
Daniel Escobar (Mr. Escobar)
Daniel Escobar played the affable Mr. Escobar in the film and was already a familiar face thanks to roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Charmed, and Malcolm in the Middle. Sadly, he passed away in December 2013 at the age of 49 due to complications from diabetes.
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