In a 44-minute video shared on Instagram on Monday, May 11, Hilary Duff virtually reconnected with her former Lizzie McGuire costars for a virtual table read of the series’ “Between a Rock and a Bra Place!” episode, which aired on the Disney Channel 19 years ago.
“LIZZIE MCGUIRE retro table read!” Duff captioned the clip. “We could not stop laughing reading lines from tween us…this is the first time we were all ‘together-ish’ in almost 18 years!”
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“Do excuse our delayed singing…we will be taking singing lessons as a group to work on our craft!!” she added.
Costars that joined Duff included Adam Lamberg (Gordo), Lalaine (Miranda), Jake Thomas (Matt McGuire), Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire), Hallie Todd (Jo McGuire), Ashlie Brillault (Kate) and Davida Williams (Claire). Kyle Downes, who portrayed Larry Tudgeman on the show, filled in for the late David Carradine.
Bob Thomas – Jake’s father who wrote two episodes for the series – read the stage directions for the virtual Lizzie McGuire table read. At the same time, writers Nina and Jeremy Bargiel appeared in the video call to explain the history behind the iconic episode.
“I truly believe that this show was magical, and everyone that was a part of it created that … and made this show mean so much to so many people,” Duff said following the table read. “I think we’re all very grateful to have experience that.”
The “Between a Rock and a Bra Place!” episode followed around Lizzie and Miranda getting their first bras, who believed that the undergarment would make them popular in school. Meanwhile, Gordo helped Matt enter a contest to become Jet Li’s sidekick in a new action movie.
Last year, Disney announced that a Lizzie McGuire reboot is in the works for its streaming platform Disney+ and that Duff would return to reprise her role as the titular character, but with a twist – Lizzie would be a 30-year-old millennial in New York City. Unfortunately, after filming the first two episodes of the reboot, Disney+ announced in January that series creator Terri Minsky had exited her post as showrunner for the Lizzie McGuire reboot. As a result, production on the Lizzie McGuire reboot was halted.
In February, Variety revealed that the reason for Minsky’s sudden departure from the project was related to her and Duff wanting to create an “adult version” of the beloved tween series, but Disney was looking to keep the Lizzie McGuire reboot kid-friendly.
The same month, Duff said it would be a “disservice” to tell the story of her adult character with a PG rating.
“Was incredibly excited to launch ‘Lizzie’ on D+ and my passion remains!” Duff wrote in a statement on Instagram at the time. “However, I feel a huge responsibility to honor the fans’ relationship with LIZZIE who, like me, grew up seeing themselves in her. I’d be doing a disservice to everyone by limiting the realities of a 30 year old’s journey to live under the ceiling of a PG rating.”
“It’s important to me that just as her experiences as a preteen/teenager navigating life were authentic, her next chapters are equally as real and relatable,” shee added. “It would be a dream if Disney would let us move the show to Hulu, if they were interested, and I could bring this beloved character to life again.”
A spokesperson for Disney previously said that the company’s “goal is to resume production and to tell an authentic story that connects to the millions who are emotionally invested in the character, and a new generation of viewers too.”
According to sources in the Variety report, it is “unlikely” for the Lizzie McGuire reboot to move forward on Disney+.
Brittany R
Brittany is a writer who is obsessed with rom-com movies, Gossip Girl, reality television, fashion, and pop-culture. When she isn't reporting on the latest celeb buzz, she is filling up her online shopping cart without checking out.
