Hilary Duff Paid Tribute To Late Lizzie McGuire Dad Robert Carradine

Trigger Warning: This article mentions suicide.

Hilary Duff is paying tribute to her Lizzie McGuire dad. Robert Carradine died on Feb. 23 at the age of 71, as his family announced in a statement to Deadline. The actor took his own life following a decades-long battle with bipolar disorder.

“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him,” his family wrote. “We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss.”

Carradine was best known for roles in The Long Riders and Revenge of the Nerds, as well as playing Lizzie McGuire’s loving father, Sam, on the Disney Channel sitcom. Following the announcement, Duff paid her respects on Instagram, sharing throwback photos with Carradine and her Lizzie McGuire family.

“This one hurts,” she wrote. “It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”

The Lizzie McGuire Family Pays Tribute

Soon after, Duff’s Lizzie co-stars poured in with their own tributes. Lalaine, who played Lizzie’s BFF Miranda, shared a candid BTS snapshot on Instagram. “It’s really not fair. I’m f*cked up atm...” she wrote. “I am thankful tho. Thankful for our last conversation, and your constant fatherly-like support. I love you Bobby.”

Hallie Todd, who played Lizzie’s mom Jo, commented on Lalaine’s post with three heart emojis before paying her respects with a photo of her and Carradine on the beach, writing about how close their families had become since Lizzie McGuire ended in 2003.

“I’m going to miss my sweet buddy so much,” she wrote. “He was a generous and loyal friend. He was brave, strong, kind and had a wicked sense of humor. He was a champion for the people he loved and always wanted the best for us. He was a wonderful actor, a brilliant guitar player, and the most incredible and devoted father... My friendship with Bobby and his family is probably my most treasured personal gift from working on Lizzie McGuire. He was my family on screen and off.”

Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s little brother Matt, also remembered Carradine as family. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet,” he wrote on Instagram. “Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric... I looked up to him growing up. And later in life, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too.”