We finally have a definitive reason as to why the highly-anticipated Lizzie McGuire reboot was forced to pump the brakes!
As you’re likely aware, production on the series was halted amid concerns about creating an updated version of the show that was “family friendly” enough for Disney+ viewers. According to the latest from The Hollywood Reporter, the fictional character brought to life by Hilary Duff was supposed to tackle sex and infidelity head-on in the first episode — and that simply was not going to fly with the powers that be over at Disney!
Related: This HIGHlarious ‘Lizzie McGuire’ Reboot Parody Is Exactly What Fans Needed
Details about the reboot were pretty scarce at first, but it was initially reported the new Lizzie McGuire would feature the title character, living in her ideal New York apartment, working a promising job as an apprentice to a decorator, and dating her dream guy until things inevitably go south. Considering this premise, it doesn’t seem too far fetched to think Lizzie — a woman entering her 30s in a committed relationship — would have a healthy sex life at this point. So, we’re not exactly sure how the writers could’ve danced around that topic.
(It’s also worth noting the new series was rumored to feature an openly gay character, too. Sex, infidelity, AND an LGBT+ storyline?! Bless their hearts…)
More to the point, relationships can get messy sometimes and infidelity is always a real possibility; it would’ve been completely realistic to explore this side of McGuire’s romance in 2020. We mean, she was supposed to be living in the Big Apple, FFS, where temptation, Tinder, and everything else in-between exists. It’s hard to imagine that story being told well without exploring all of the challenging parts that come with balancing love, career, and adulthood.
Duff recently made it clear she felt the same way, too! The starlet shared an open statement with fans where she explained her responsibility to tell Lizzie’s new story in the most authentic way possible:
“Was incredibly excited to launch Lizzie on D+ and my passion remains! 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.”
The 32-year-old actress continued, offering a solution to their ongoing problem:
“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. 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 <3.”
Creator and executive producer Terry Minksy — who was let go from the production over creative differences — also agreed the reboot should be moved from Disney+ to Hulu. In a statement to Variety, she said:
“I am so proud of the two episodes we did. Hilary has a grasp of Lizzie McGuire at 30 that needs to be seen. It’s a wonderful thing to watch. I would love the show to exist, but ideally I would love it if it could be given that treatment of going to Hulu and doing the show that we were doing. That’s the part where I am completely in the dark. It’s important to me that this show was important to people. I felt like I wanted to do a show that was worthy of that kind of devotion.”
Reactions, Perezcious readers? Do U think sex and infidelity are topics too mature for Disney viewers? Sound OFF with your reactions in the comments (below)…
[Image via Disney Channel/YouTube]
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