Entertainment
The Best Hillary Duff Teen Movies Ranked, From To 'A Cinderella Story' To 'Raise Your Voice'
There are a ton of things you can probably relate to if you grew up during the '90s and 2000s: Lisa Frank, Friends, Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs, if you will), and *NSYNC vs. Backstreet Boys, just to name a few. Another one would be the love for Hilary Duff, queen of early '00s Disney Channel and purveyor of child actor success stories. Of course, because of nostalgia, a ranking of the best teen Hilary Duff movies has to be done. When not on the big screen, Duff rocked it as the awkward (but lovable) Lizzie McGuire on TV and produced a still iconic discography. But her movies were seriously the best, and deserve revisiting today.
The first time many of us saw Duff in a film was Casper Meets Wendy, the 1998 comedy every '90s kid adored. It was easy to fall in love with Duff from that movie and since then, she’s taken on roles like a semi-bratty sibling of 12, a damsel in distress who throws some zingers, and a depressed teen who sees her brother die before her eyes. She’s shown her range all while making bops we’ll forever be grateful for. While most of her movies are pretty on par with each other (she hasn’t really make a stinker, OK? there’s a ranking for everything, so without further ado...
10. In Search Of Santa (2004)
Most people haven't seen this one, but it came out in 2004. Duff played the voice of penguin princess Crystal and her real-life sister, Haylie Duff, played the voice of penguin princess Lucinda, also Crystal's sister. It's cute, but has little substance. If you want a background movie or something a little mind-numbing and cheesy, this one's got your back.
9. Cheaper By The Dozen 2 (2005)
The sequel to the successful Cheaper By The Dozen movie is low on the list. Why? Because Duff's barely in it, duh. It's a good movie, and has many laughs, but Duff's character Lorraine plans to move to New York, away from the family in the Midwest, so she arrives late to the house in Lake Winnetka. One of her best scenes in the movie is with her sister Sarah, played by Alyson Stoner. It's sweetest and highlights that under all the big-family stress and bickering, they really do care.
8. Material Girls (2006)
At this point, Duff wasn't really a teen anymore, but it still counts. She plays one half of a sister duo, the Manchetta sisters, with Haylie Duff. This wasn't long after everyone was watching Mean Girls, New York Minute, and The Devil Wears Prada, so it was very on trend. The Manchetta sisters are ditzy and spoiled and easy to hate, but the movie is also funny and the Duff sisters work well together.
7. Agent Cody Banks (2003)
If you developed a crush on Frankie Muniz from this movie, you weren't alone. He played a dorky dude who was actually a world-class spy. Can someone say "boyfriend material"? Plus, he was so cute. Also, it was cool to see Duff and Muniz team up again after he guest-starred on an episode of Lizzie McGuire. Duff's character was kind of a damsel, but with a strong will, and it's still a good movie after all this time.
6. Cheaper By The Dozen (2003)
These movies are great fun, especially if you have a big and loud family. But, of course, there are 12 kids, so Duff isn't the main focus. Still, she's great in this film. 10 out of 10, would recommend.
5. Casper Meets Wendy (1998)
Casper Meets Wendy was Duff's first film, but she really works it. Wendy is strong, feisty, funny, and so relatable. She's easy to root for and even easier to love.
4. The Perfect Man (2005)
After Raise Your Voice (which will come up later, don't worry), this was one of Duff's more serious and mature roles. Her character Holly is angsty and seems to know what she's doing (spoiler, she doesn't, but none of us really do). It's a feel-good movie, the acting is great and the story is relatable. And scene-stealer Lance, played by Carson Kressley? Absolutely amazing.
3. The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
This is one of the best Duff movies, giving a look into life in Italy (well, fantasy life) and bringing everyone's favorite Disney Channel character (besides Raven) to the big screen. And "What Dreams Are Made Of" will forever be branded into all our minds.
2. Raise Your Voice (2004)
This movie is so heartwarming (and heart wrenching) and pulls out one of Duff's best performances. It's beautiful, the music is great, and so is the cast. It just has all the best parts a movie can have.
1. A Cinderella Story (2004)
Last but not least is the best movie Duff has ever done. A Cinderella Story came well after a few other retellings of the classic tale, but it brought a fresh perspective to it. While it also stars Chad Michael Murray, which is cause to celebrate in and of itself, it brought out Duff's acting and made us fall under Sam's spell. She's tormented by high school, as a lot of us were, and deals with plenty of struggles. It's a cute movie, but also has a ton of heart. It's one of the few films I'll gladly watch over again, any day of the week. The superior Cinderella Story, that's for sure.
Everyone has their favorite Hilary Duff movie, and it may not go with the ranking of this list. But just know that no matter what your favorite movie of hers is, you're not wrong. And that's what dreams are made of.
