At the Time100 Summit on April 22, 2026, Hilary Duff reflected on her early rise to fame and long career in the spotlight
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While speaking to Dan Macsai, senior editor at Time, the 38-year-old said she feels “really quite sad” when watching documentaries about child stardom
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Duff also emphasized that, despite those emotions, she remains grateful for her own experience growing up in the industry
Hilary Duffbecame one of the defining faces of early 2000s pop culture, rising to fame with her breakout role onLizzie McGuirebefore successfully transitioning into film and music.
Decades later, the 38-year-old remains a steady presence in entertainment, and at the Time100 Summit, Duff told Dan Macsai that recent documentaries,such asQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TVandFraming Britney Spears,have made revisiting that era feel especially emotional.
“It's such a long time ago, but it's an out-of-body experience. I think I feel really quite sad when I watch a lot of those documentaries for obvious reasons,” Duff admitted.
Documentaries likeQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which premiered in 2024, have exposed troubling conditions behind beloved children's programming, detailing allegations against producer Dan Schneider tied to shows such asThe Amanda Show,All ThatandZoey 101.
Meanwhile,Framing Britney Spears, released in 2021 on Hulu byThe New York Times Presents, revisits the intense scrutiny and pressures placed on young stars navigating fame.
Despite recognizing the darker realities some of her peers faced, Duff highlighted a sense of gratitude for her own path. “I feel very grateful that I wasn't put in too many positions that left battle wounds on me,” she shared.
Reflecting on her early start, she noted, “I have held a job as an adult since I was 9 years old. I had a very different upbringing, a lot of missed experiences, but also a lot of amazing [ones].”
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That balance between sacrifice and opportunity has shaped how Duff views her rise to fame.
“I'm a scrubby kid from Texas. I sometimes am like, ‘How did I get here? How did I end up here?'” she shared.
And while she acknowledged that some of her success may be “luck,” Duff made clear it never takes away from the fact that she “worked as an adult since such a young age.” Growing up in professional environments, she explained, meant learning quickly how to navigate adult expectations.
“I had to be able to hold my own in a room full of adults constantly, and was expected to show up and be professional. Through exhaustion or sickness or whatever, just keep grinding,” Duff told Macsai, underscoring the discipline that defined her early years.
“It's taught me a lot and it's completely formed who I am, and I'm proud of that person,” she emphasized.
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