Frankie Muniz is setting the record straight on his two-decade disconnect from Hilary Duff.<\/p>\n
The \u201cMalcolm in the Middle\u201d alum opened up about why he hasn\u2019t spoken to the former Disney star in 22 years during a recent episode of \u201cThe Joe Vulpis Podcast.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe became really, really good friends,\u201d Muniz, 39, said of the beginning of his and Duff\u2019s friendship. \u201cWe had a really great relationship for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Hilary Duff and Frankie Muniz during his cameo in Season 2 of \u201cLizzie McGuire.\u201d \u00a9Walt Disney Co.\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Muniz revealed why he hasn\u2019t spoken to Duff in more than 20 years during a recent episode of \u201cThe Joe Vulpis Podcast.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair first met as teens when their careers kicked off around the same time. Duff, now 38, starred in \u201cLizzie McGuire\u201d<\/a> starting in 2001, while Muniz joined \u201cMalcom in the Middle\u201d for the sitcom\u2019s debut in 2002. <\/p>\n Muniz and Duff became so close that the \u201cStay Alive\u201d star appeared as himself in an episode<\/a> of the second season of \u201cLizzie McGuire.\u201d<\/p>\n However, things took a turn for the worse after Muniz informed Duff\u2019s mom that he was preparing to star in \u201cAgent Cody Banks\u201d in 2003.<\/p>\n Muniz said that things took a turn for the worse after he informed Duff\u2019s mom that he was preparing to star in \u201cAgent Cody Banks\u201d in 2003.<\/p>\n The \u201cMalcolm in the Middle\u201d star during his latest appearance on the \u201cThe Joe Vulpis Podcast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was on the set of\u00a0\u2018Lizzie McGuire,\u2019\u00a0and I was in Hilary\u2019s dressing room and her mom was there,\u201d the actor recalled. \u201cHer mom was like, \u2018Do you know what you\u2019re doing this summer? What are you doing this summer?\u2019 And I go, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m filming this movie where I\u2019m playing like a junior James Bond.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Muniz claimed that Duff\u2019s mom asked whether the film had a female lead and that, by the next morning, Duff was cast in the role. <\/p>\n The \u201cBig Fat Liar\u201d actor, meanwhile, was hoping that \u201cSmallville\u201d star Kristin Kreuk would be cast as his onscreen love interest, Natalie Connors.<\/p>\n Muniz as Cody Banks and Duff as Natalie Connors in \u201cAgent Cody Banks.\u201d \u00a9MGM\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Duff and Muniz together in \u201cAgent Cody Banks.\u201d \u00a9MGM\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n \u201cHer mom\u2019s like, \u2018Guess what? We\u2019re going to be spending the summer together. She\u2019s doing\u00a0Cody Banks\u00a0with you. They signed the contract last night,\u2019\u201d Muniz continued.<\/p>\n \u201cNeedless to say, I wasn\u2019t thrilled about it. And not because I didn\u2019t want it to be Hilary,\u201d he added. \u201cI don\u2019t know how much I want to say. I\u2019m trying to think about it because I\u2019ve already said way too much.\u201d<\/p>\n Muniz went on to admit that he was \u201cvery sad when Hilary\u2019s mom would come on set\u201d before revealing that he hasn\u2019t spoken to Duff \u201csince the last day\u201d of shooting \u201cAgent Cody Banks.\u201d<\/p>\n Duff as Natalie Connors in \u201cAgent Cody Banks.\u201d \u00a9MGM\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Muniz and Duff together in another scene from \u201cAgent Cody Banks.\u201d \u00a9MGM\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve not said one word to her since then. So that\u2019s the truth of that,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one knows about my Hilary Duff story.\u201d<\/p>\n But the \u201cMy Dog Skip\u201d star also opened up about why he \u201cregrets\u201d ending his and Duff\u2019s friendship more than 20 years ago, and suggested he might reach out to the \u201cCinderella Story\u201d starlet sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI regret not just continuing to be friends with her because we had a great friendship for such a long time, and I let her mom\u2026 it pissed me off,\u201d Muniz said. <\/p>\n Muniz and Duff during the premiere of \u201cAgent Cody Banks\u201d at the Mann\u2019s Village Theatre in Westwood, California, on March 8, 2003. WireImage<\/p>\n \u201cI would love to catch up with her,\u201d the actor-turned-race car driver added<\/a>. \u201cI would love to even talk about that because I\u2019m sure she doesn\u2019t know any of that happened.\u201d<\/p>\n The Post has reached out to Duff\u2019s reps for comment.<\/p>\n Both Muniz and Duff, meanwhile, have kept plenty busy since \u201cAgent Cody Banks\u201d released in 2003. <\/p>\n Duff attends the 2025 Academy Museum Gala at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 18, 2025. FilmMagic<\/p>\n Muniz during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 16, 2025. Getty Images<\/p>\n The \u201cYounger\u201d actress announced her \u201chighly anticipated return to music\u201d<\/a> after a 10-year hiatus last month, while Muniz is preparing for the release of the long-awaited \u201cMalcolm in the Middle\u201d revival<\/a> on Disney+ next year.<\/p>\n