Hilary Duff is settling the debate about her most memorable on-screen romance. During a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the actress revealed that Chad Michael Murray remains her favorite love interest from her long list of co-stars.
While chatting with host Jimmy Fallon, Duff was asked to choose between three of her past romantic leads: Murray from “A Cinderella Story,” Penn Badgley from “Gossip Girl,” and Yani Gellman from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” Duff didn’t hesitate before choosing Murray, the actor who played Austin Ames opposite her Sam Montgomery in the beloved 2004 teen romance.
“I’m just going to stick to it, because I just watched it with my daughter,” Duff said, referring to rewatching the movie with her child. “It’s embarrassing that she always wants to watch it. I’m going to say Chad Michael Murray.”
Duff also recalled one specific moment from the film that still stands out to her. “It was the walk up the bleachers,” she told Fallon. “And the rain drop, I was like, ‘Wow, this is romantic!’”
A Classic Teen Romance Fans Still Love
“A Cinderella Story,” a modern retelling of the classic fairy tale, followed Duff’s character Sam as she forms a mysterious online connection with a popular high school athlete who turns out to be her classmate Austin, played by Murray. The movie has remained a fan favorite since its release, with many viewers still revisiting its iconic scenes years later.
Duff has even rewatched the film with her own children. In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, she said her young daughter had questions about one of the movie’s most memorable plot points. “My 4-year-old has watched this movie and also picked up on like, how could he not know it’s you in that mask?” Duff said. Laughing, she replied to her daughter, “It’s the age-old question, honey.”
Interestingly, Duff has previously admitted that her on-screen chemistry with Murray wasn’t entirely fictional. During a 2016 video interview with Cosmopolitan, she revealed she had a real-life crush on her co-star while filming the movie. “I definitely had a crush on him,” Duff said. “We had a few kissing scenes in the movie and I remember feeling pretty nervous about that, but then we became friends and I wasn’t so nervous anymore.”
Chad Michael Murray Still Praises Duff Years Later
More than two decades after the movie’s release, Murray has also looked back fondly on the experience. In a 2025 interview with People, the actor praised Duff’s personality and presence, calling her “awesome.”
“If you’ve ever met Hilary or if you’ve ever seen her even walking down the street, she glows,” Murray said. He added that she has “a magnetic presence” and “can light up a room.”
Murray also described the experience of making the movie as carefree and memorable for the cast. “We were two kids having fun making a big movie,” he said, adding that the film still holds a special place in his career.
Even years later, Murray says fans still quote one of the movie’s most famous lines to him: “Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought.”
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