Millennials might best remember Hilary Duff as the ultimate TV teen queen from Disney’s hit show, “Lizzie McGuire,” but she’s all grown up.
Now 28, Duff currently stars on the TV Land comedy series, “Younger.” She married former NHL player, Mike Comrie, in 2010. The couple welcomed a son in 2012, and they separated two years later. Those are several major life milestones in short order for a woman who is not yet 30.
“I am a single parent,” Duff told CNN at a recent Stella Artois publicity event. “I have a lot of support with my family and people I’ve had in my life a long time and who know my son. They help pick up the pieces when I can’t.” Duff added, “I have an amazing support system with his dad.”
Duff and Comrie’s divorce finalized in February. Despite their split, she said they manage to co-parent well. “I think communication is really important and having respect for one another and knowing that your child is always watching,” Duff said. “We have a lot of love for one another, so I think that it makes the whole situation much easier.”
Duff lives with her son in Los Angeles, but seems to miss the pace of life she experienced growing up in the South. “Living in California, honestly, is quite a scary place to raise a child,” she said. “I’m from Texas, a much simpler place.”
Duff is currently filming season three of “Younger.” She has seemingly grown from child star to well-adjusted adult with ease. Duff said she’s trying to teach that same self-assuredness to her son.
“I think it’s important to instill self-respect, compassion and a strong work ethic.” And perhaps offering insight into how she’s navigated the career changes and personal challenges in her own life, Duff added, “When you do something with your life, it gives you a confidence that you wouldn’t otherwise have. That can help you move forward in other aspects of your life.”