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Where Are They Now? The Shocking New Careers Of The Lizzie McGuire Cast In 2025

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The iconic cast of Lizzie McGuire, the Disney Channel sensation that defined a generation of millennials, has transitioned into fascinating and often unexpected new chapters in their lives. While the series ended over two decades ago, and the highly anticipated Disney+ revival was ultimately canceled, public curiosity about the stars remains at an all-time high in late 2025.

From a major pop music comeback to a quiet, successful career in law, the actors who brought Lizzie, Gordo, Miranda, and the entire McGuire family to life have forged diverse paths. This comprehensive breakdown reveals their current projects, surprising career changes, and the definitive, up-to-date status of the beloved original cast members.

The Main Cast: Complete Biography and Latest 2025 Updates

The core ensemble of the series has moved far beyond the halls of junior high, with their current endeavors spanning Hollywood, academia, and professional fields.

Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire)

  • Full Name: Hilary Erhard Duff
  • Birth Date: September 28, 1987
  • Role: Elizabeth "Lizzie" McGuire, the relatable, animated teenager.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Actress, singer, author, and entrepreneur.
  • 2025 Update: Duff is currently starring as Sophie in the Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father, which has been a major success. Crucially, in a major career shift, she announced a return to her music career after a nearly decade-long hiatus, signing with Atlantic Records and preparing to release a new pop album.

Adam Lamberg (David “Gordo” Gordon)

  • Full Name: Adam Matthew Lamberg
  • Birth Date: September 14, 1984
  • Role: David "Gordo" Gordon, Lizzie's best friend and intellectual equal.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Largely retired from acting to pursue a career in academia and professional life.
  • 2025 Update: Lamberg stepped away from the spotlight after the series and movie. He earned a degree in geography from the University of California, Berkeley, and later a Master's degree in Public Administration from Baruch College. He now works in the professional sector, having taken a role as a development associate at the Irish Arts Center in New York City.

Lalaine (Miranda Sanchez)

  • Full Name: Lalaine Ann Vergara-Paras
  • Birth Date: June 3, 1987
  • Role: Miranda Sanchez, Lizzie’s sharp-witted, fashion-forward best friend.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Actress, singer-songwriter, and bassist.
  • 2025 Update: Lalaine continues to pursue both acting and music. While her debut album, Inside Story, was released in 2003, she remains active in the music scene. She was also part of the virtual table read reunion of the cast in 2020.

Jake Thomas (Matt McGuire)

  • Full Name: Jake Thomas
  • Birth Date: January 30, 1990
  • Role: Matt McGuire, Lizzie's mischievous and often scheming younger brother.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Actor, director, and photographer.
  • 2025 Update: Thomas has successfully transitioned from child star to a working actor and director. His recent projects include roles in the video game MindsEye and the film Holly by Nightfall, which is currently in post-production. He is also an accomplished photographer and continues to direct short films and commercial projects.

Hallie Todd (Jo McGuire)

  • Full Name: Hallie Todd
  • Birth Date: January 7, 1962
  • Role: Jo McGuire, Lizzie's loving but often exasperated mother.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Actress, acting coach, author, and producer.
  • 2025 Update: Along with her husband and daughter, Todd runs a successful acting studio, The Studio, where she coaches aspiring actors. She also continues to act and was set to reprise her role in the canceled revival.

Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire)

  • Full Name: Robert Carradine
  • Birth Date: March 24, 1954
  • Role: Sam McGuire, Lizzie's goofy, supportive, and somewhat clueless father.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Veteran actor, known for roles in *Revenge of the Nerds* and other films.
  • 2025 Update: Carradine remains an active actor in Hollywood, taking on various roles in film and television. He was confirmed to join the rest of the McGuire family for the Disney+ revival before its cancellation.

The Shocking Career Change of the Show's Mean Girl

One of the most surprising and definitive career changes belongs to the actress who played the show's resident popular mean girl, Kate Sanders. This move highlights the diverse paths former child stars take after their initial fame.

Ashlie Brillault (Kate Sanders)

  • Full Name: Ashlie Brillault
  • Birth Date: May 21, 1987
  • Role: Kate Sanders, Lizzie's former best friend turned popular rival.
  • Post-Lizzie Career: Completely retired from acting to pursue a career in law.
  • 2025 Update: After the series and movie concluded, Brillault left Hollywood entirely. She earned her Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She is now a practicing attorney, a stark contrast to her on-screen persona. This dedication to a high-profile professional career makes her one of the most successful post-Disney Channel career changers.

The Untold Story of the Canceled Disney+ Revival

The most significant piece of recent history for the entire Lizzie McGuire cast is the highly publicized, and ultimately canceled, Disney+ revival. Understanding this context is essential to grasping the actors’ recent activities and the show’s legacy.

Creative Differences That Ended the Reboot

In 2019, Disney+ announced a sequel series that would follow 30-year-old Lizzie McGuire navigating life in New York City with her dream job as an interior decorator’s apprentice. The original family (Jo, Sam, and Matt) and Gordo were all confirmed to return, sparking massive excitement among fans of the original show.

However, the project was abruptly halted after filming two episodes. The core issue, which led to a change in showrunners and the eventual cancellation, boiled down to a fundamental creative disagreement over the show's tone and subject matter.

  • The Creators' Vision: Hilary Duff and the original showrunner, Terri Minsky, wanted the new series to reflect the reality of a 30-year-old woman's life, including mature themes and storylines.
  • Disney's Vision: Disney+ insisted on keeping the show family-friendly, in line with the network's traditional, wholesome branding.

Hilary Duff publicly lobbied for the series to be moved to Hulu, Disney's more adult-oriented streaming service, to allow for a more authentic, grown-up portrayal of Lizzie. Ultimately, the studio declined, and Duff released an emotional statement confirming the project was dead, noting, "The stars just didn't align."

Topical Authority: The Enduring Legacy and Key Entities

The cultural impact of Lizzie McGuire extends beyond the main cast, creating a web of relevant entities that continue to shape the actors' careers and the show's topical authority.

Key Supporting Actors and Entities

  • Clayton Snyder (Ethan Craft): The actor who played the handsome, dim-witted Ethan Craft largely retired from acting to pursue a career as a water polo player and coach. He remains a fan-favorite entity.
  • Ashlie Brillault's Legal Career: Her transition from teen actress to a practicing attorney is a significant, high-interest entity that provides a unique contrast to the paths of her co-stars.
  • Hilary Duff's Pop Comeback: The news of her return to music after a decade is a major cultural moment for millennial pop culture, linking her Lizzie McGuire past to a new adult career entity.
  • The Animated Lizzie: The iconic cartoon alter-ego of Lizzie McGuire remains a powerful, nostalgic entity associated with the show's unique blend of live-action and animation.
  • LSI Keywords and Entities: Other entities naturally woven into the cast's story include Disney Channel, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, How I Met Your Father, Baruch College, Atlantic Records, Hulu, and the creative differences that led to the revival's demise.

The journeys of the Lizzie McGuire cast are a perfect microcosm of post-child stardom life. While Hilary Duff continues her reign as a major television star and pop singer, her co-stars have found success in directing, coaching, and entirely new professional fields like law and non-profit work. The show’s lasting appeal is a testament not only to the beloved characters they created but also to the fascinating adult lives they have built.

actors in lizzie mcguire
actors in lizzie mcguire

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