Frankie Muniz Breaks Silence: No Contact with Hilary Duff for Over Two Decades Post Movie Fallout

Frankie Muniz recently opened up about the reason he has not communicated with his once “close friend” Hilary Duff since their joint appearance in the 2003 movie Agent Cody Banks.

Last month, during an episode of The Joe Vulpis Podcast, Muniz disclosed that the cause of the rift between them was Duff’s mother. He accused her of secretly maneuvering to have the Lizzie McGuire actress cast as the lead female in his movie.

Muniz, now 39, mentioned that he and Duff, 38, used to be “extremely close friends” for a “considerable period.” However, Duff’s mother, who Muniz described as “the ultimate stage mom,” intervened after finding out that the Malcolm in the Middle star was set to appear in Agent Cody Banks.

Muniz, who recently turned 40, shared a previously untold story on the podcast: “I bumped into Duff’s mom on the set of Lizzie McGuire, and she asked me, ‘What are your plans this summer?’ I mentioned I was about to start shooting a film where I play a young James Bond type, titled Agent Cody Banks.”

Upon her inquiry if there was a suitable female role for her daughter, Muniz played coy, even though he knew his contract allowed him some influence over casting decisions.

Muniz initially hoped for Kristin Kreuk from Smallville to be his love interest in the movie. However, he soon discovered from Duff’s mother that Hilary had already been signed for the role the previous night.

Confused, Muniz thought, “The same movie you didn’t know about yesterday?” After contacting his agents, Muniz found out that “calls were made,” leveraging his and Duff’s friendship, leading to the assumption that he would approve.

Muniz expressed his discontent, stating, “I wasn’t happy about it. Not because it was Hilary, but because it was done behind my back.”

Muniz hesitated as he continued, reflecting, “I’ve already shared too much, but since the last day of filming, I haven’t spoken a single word to Hilary. So that’s the full story behind my experience with Hilary Duff that nobody knows.”

Reflecting on the past, Muniz expressed regret over not maintaining his friendship with Duff, admitting her mother’s actions had “angered him.”

Regarding their current status, Muniz said about Duff, “I’d really like to reconnect with her,” and regarding the casting issue of Agent Cody Banks, he noted, “I’d want to discuss it because I’m fairly certain she was unaware of what transpired.”