Hilary Duff recently shared her enduring admiration for Chad Michael Murray during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. When asked about her favorite onscreen love interest, she highlighted Murray’s character, Austin Ames, from the 2004 film A Cinderella Story.
Hilary Duff’s Favorite Heartthrob
During the interview, Duff had several choices: Murray’s Austin Ames, Penn Badgley’s Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl, and Yani Gellman’s Paolo Valisari in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. She opted for Murray, partly due to nostalgia as she had just watched the film with her daughter.
Duff described a memorable scene that resonated with her, stating, “It was the slow walk up the bleachers, and the rain drop. I was like, ‘Wow, this is romantic!’” She played Sam Montgomery, a high school senior who finds her fairy tale moment with Austin against the odds set by her evil stepmother, played by Jennifer Coolidge.
Legacy of A Cinderella Story
A Cinderella Story features Duff’s character secretly messaging Austin under various aliases. However, a classic plot twist occurs when she leaves her phone behind at a dance, leading him on a quest to discover her identity. Despite the film’s romantic charm, Duff reflected on a plot detail that puzzled her daughter, Mae. Duff expressed her daughter’s confusion over Austin’s inability to recognize Sam behind her masquerade mask.
“My 4-year-old has watched this movie and asks how he could not know it’s you in that mask,” Duff recounted, conveying a relatable frustration shared by many viewers. “I’m like, ‘I know.’”
Other Nostalgic Picks
In another interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Duff revealed a different favorite from her past: Aaron Carter. Carter appeared as himself on her breakout show, Lizzie McGuire, in 2001, when both stars were just 13. Their on-screen chemistry quickly translated into a real-life romance.
- Film: A Cinderella Story (2004)
- Main Character: Sam Montgomery
- Co-star: Chad Michael Murray as Austin Ames
- Notable Scene: Proclamation of love under the rain
- Other Pick: Aaron Carter, guest star in Lizzie McGuire (2001)
Duff fondly recalled the innocence of her first crush, saying, “It felt very innocent and butterflies.” However, she humorously clarified that her relationship with Carter was not a serious love, describing it as “not even a love interest, just a kiss.”
Hilary Duff’s nostalgic reflections not only highlight her favorite heartthrobs from the 2000s but also bring back memories shared by many who grew up watching her iconic roles.
