Hilary Duff’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Is the Glow-Up Early-2000s Lizzie Never Saw Coming
Few stars have reinvented themselves as many times as Hilary Duff, and her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit appearance is the latest chapter. Photos from her shoot are circulating online again this week, and they are reigniting the conversation about how far the former Disney star has come.
Duff rose to fame as the title character on ‘Lizzie McGuire,’ then starred in early-2000s favorites such as ‘Agent Cody Banks,’ ‘A Cinderella Story,’ ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie’ and ‘Cadet Kelly.’ More recently, she appeared on ‘Younger,’ which ran for 7 seasons, and ‘How I Met Your Father.’ She also built a music career, with her 2003 debut album ‘Metamorphosis’ earning a 4x Platinum certification.
That comeback has picked up speed in 2026. She signed with Atlantic Records and released her first new album in over a decade, ‘luck… or something,’ in February, then announced her first tour in more than 18 years. The run spans 7 countries and kicked off May 22 in Las Vegas.
Now Duff is also in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2026 issue, which was revealed May 11 on TODAY and features 34 women. She is 1 of 4 cover stars, alongside Tiffany Haddish, Alix Earle and Nicole Williams English. The photos making the rounds come from her shoot with photographer Kat Irlin in South Caicos.
Hilary Duff for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2026 issue 🔥 [📸 : @kat_in_nyc ] https://t.co/TG4wsO81ze
— Complex (@Complex) October 15, 2026
It was her debut in the annual issue, and Duff was surprised when she was first approached. SI reports that she had to take stock of her feelings and ask plenty of questions before agreeing. On set, she quipped to Sports Illustrated that “Early 2000s Hilary would be like, ‘You are wild and so risqué.'”
Hilary Duff para a edição de 2026 do Biquíni da Sports Illustrated 🔥 📸 @kat_in_nyc https://t.co/pUN3YIrKkZ
— Gossip Hilary (@gossiphilary) October 15, 2026
She also told the magazine the shoot felt like a personal challenge as a mother of four, saying she doesn’t usually lounge around in bikinis and was a little scared. She sent plenty of sneaky videos to her husband, musician Matthew Koma, from location. She also predicted her daughters would hype up her photos and joked that she would act like it never happened around her son.
Hilary Duff for 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit https://t.co/uFJII6fyQP
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 12, 2026
The shoot takes place on the beaches and a resort in South Caicos, an island Sports Illustrated describes as a quiet, dreamy tropical backdrop. Duff wears swimsuits from brands including OYE Swimwear on the cover, as well as Vitamin A, Riot Swim, MOEVA and Haight. The gallery also pairs a few suits with a Skims shirt and shorts.
SI’s editor in chief, MJ Day, praised Duff’s career as its own form of quiet rebellion, one in which she keeps reinventing herself with confidence, humor and grace. Day also said the 4 cover models redefine what people might expect from the issue. That framing positions Duff’s cover as part of a broader message that there’s no single blueprint for success.
📸🔥| New photos of Hilary Duff looking gorgeous for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit— https://t.co/BPJU2qKvcU
— Hilary Duff Charts (@HilaryDuffChart) May 24, 2026
Fans have been vocal about the photos, and many leaned into nostalgia. Some joked with ‘Lizzie McGuire’ references, including a nod to the character’s doomed relationship with the scheming Italian pop star from ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie.’ Others simply celebrated the idea of a childhood favorite taking such a bold step.
The cover also lands in a big year for Duff, who appeared on the TIME100 list in April. For many millennials, she has been a familiar presence for most of their lives, which explains the strong reaction. The mix of nostalgia and current relevance is a big part of her appeal right now.
The SI cover fits neatly into a larger comeback narrative. Duff has gone from teen idol to television lead to pop singer again, and now to Swimsuit cover star. Each step has been a small statement about who gets to define an entertainer’s career after the early years.
With a new album, a world tour and a high-profile magazine cover behind her, she has plenty of momentum. Whether a new acting project follows is still unknown, but fans clearly want to see more. For now, the photos have given them another reason to talk about Duff.
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