Hilary Duff Chooses Chad Murray Over All Her Co-Stars: Hilary Duff just gave fans a nostalgic moment. The 38-year-old actress and singer made a big confession on live TV — and it has everyone talking about a beloved early-2000s classic.
On the Tuesday, March 10 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, host Jimmy Fallon put Hilary on the spot. He asked her to pick her favourite on-screen love interest from three choices — Chad Michael Murray from A Cinderella Story, Penn Badgley from Gossip Girl, and Yani Gellman from The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
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She did not hesitate for even a second.
“I’m going to say Chad Michael Murray,” Hilary told Fallon with a smile. She stuck to her answer without any second thoughts. It was clear, confident, and — honestly — not that surprising to fans who grew up watching the two together on screen.
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So what makes Chad so special to Hilary? It comes down to a film that still lives in her heart — and now her daughter’s too.
A Cinderella Story was released back in July 2004. The romantic comedy, directed by Mark Rosman, told the story of two teens who fall for each other through anonymous online messages — only to meet at a school Halloween dance. Hilary played Sam Montgomery, a girl routinely mistreated by her wicked stepmother. Chad played Austin Ames, a popular football player hiding his true creative self. The chemistry between the two was instant. The film became a generation-defining moment for teen movie lovers everywhere.
Here is what made that movie magic so real:
The story was a modern spin on the classic Cinderella fairy tale
Sam and Austin connected through online messages before they ever truly met face-to-face
A phone replaced the glass slipper in this 2000s retelling
The school Halloween dance served as the big romantic reveal
Jennifer Coolidge played the wicked stepmother, adding unforgettable comedy to the mix
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Now, more than 20 years later, the film is still playing in Hilary’s home. And not because Hilary chose to put it on — her 4-year-old daughter Mae James Bair keeps asking for it.
“I just watched it with my daughter, and it’s embarrassing that she always wants to watch it,” Hilary told Jimmy Fallon, laughing. The love for the film has clearly passed down a generation.
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But little Mae is not just enjoying the movie. She is already asking the big questions.
Earlier this year, in a Vanity Fair interview, Hilary shared an adorable conversation she had with her daughter about a classic plot hole in the film. In the story, Austin fails to recognise Sam even though she is standing right in front of him — wearing just a simple mask.
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Mae could not wrap her head around it.
“My 4-year-old has watched this movie and also picked up on — how could he not know it’s you in that mask?” Hilary recalled. “And I was like, ‘It’s the age-old question, honey.'”
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Mae apparently pushed further: “But it’s you. You are right there. I don’t understand. How does he not know?”
Hilary’s response? “I know.”
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It is the kind of sweet, funny parenting moment that reminds people why Hilary Duff has always been so relatable. She is not just a celebrity — she is a mum watching old movies with her kid and laughing at the same plot holes fans have been debating for two decades.
The feeling, it turns out, goes both ways. Chad Michael Murray has also spoken warmly about Hilary and their time filming together. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, he called her “incredible” and said she “glows”. He described the filming experience as a real-life friendship, saying everyone on set was close and the energy was joyful. “We were just two kids enjoying ourselves while making a significant movie,” Murray said. “I never anticipated it would turn out the way it did.”
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The film holds a special place for both of them — and clearly for a whole new generation of young viewers too.
You can watch the full clip of Hilary’s Tonight Show appearance on
The Tonight Show YouTube channel, where she also teaches Jimmy Fallon a dance from her new music and talks about going on tour.
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Twenty-two years on, A Cinderella Story is still making people smile — and Hilary Duff just made sure nobody forgot it.
