Disney legend Hilary Duff welcomes Billboard into her studio for a special edition of Billboard Family, joined by her 13-year-old son Luca, from her first marriage, who steps into the interviewer role with the perfect mix of charm, honesty, and teenage comedic timing.
Together, they dive into Hilary’s upcoming musical era — her new album ‘luck.. or something.’ The title, she explains, is a playful, tongue‑in‑cheek nod to the question she’s been asked her entire life: How have you stayed grounded in such an intense industry? For Hilary, the answer is layered — shaped by years of work, growth, and learning to stay steady in a world that rarely is.
She recalls the moment the album finally felt real: driving home alone with six finished songs, playing them back‑to‑back, and realizing she loved what she’d made. It felt raw, honest, and fully hers — a blend of her old self and her new self, finally aligned.
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Hilary also opens up about working with Matthew Koma — her husband, whom she married in 2019, longtime creative partner, and the producer behind this new era. She describes him as entertaining, endlessly supportive, and someone who made the studio feel safe. More importantly, he wanted this project to be fully hers. He stepped back, let her “drive the ship,” and encouraged her to shape the album from the ground up. No chasing hits. No formulas. Just instinct, honesty, and ownership.
Then comes one of the interview’s most hilarious, human moments: Hilary tells Luca about performing at the Houston Rodeo as a kid — a massive hometown moment in front of over 100,000 people. She remembers being driven around the arena in a car to wave at the crowd, the air thick with the smell of dirt and livestock. Luca, an LA boy through and through, is baffled. That’s when Hilary drops the bomb: her parents used to feed her calf fries, telling her they were chicken tenders… only for her to later learn they were fried bull testicles. Luca’s reaction is instant disgust, disbelief, and pure comedy — a perfect mother‑son moment that highlights just how different their childhoods were.
What’s striking throughout the interview is how clearly Luca comes across as his own person — thoughtful, curious, funny, and fully engaged. There’s no glazed‑over “industry kid” energy here. He asks real questions, listens, challenges her, jokes with her, and shows a genuine understanding of the world around him. You can tell Hilary is a hands‑on parent, someone who talks to her kids, encourages them to think, and raises them with common sense, not celebrity bubble wrap. It’s refreshing — and honestly beautiful — to see a Hollywood kid who feels grounded, aware, and confidently himself.
The conversation drifts into acting dreams, family chaos, spilled miso soup, the ongoing debate about the new couch, and the sweetness of a household that’s always busy but always connected. Luca teases her about trying to take his phone, she teases him about his PlayStation obsession, and together they paint a picture of a family that’s messy, loving, and deeply bonded.
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And yes — they talk about “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Hilary admits she avoided performing it for years because she wanted to be seen as herself, not just Lizzie McGuire. But now, two decades later, she embraces it with pride. It’s a full‑circle moment — healing, joyful, and finally hers to claim.
It’s Hilary Duff at her most open, funny, and grounded — and Luca at his most charmingly unfiltered.
Dig out the full Billboard Family moment below.
Drop your thoughts below. Isn’t it refreshing to see a Hollywood kid with his own mind?
