Hilary Duff at the Disney+ Showcase in California, 2019. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Hilary Duff has hinted that Disney dropped the new Love, Simon TV series for the same problematic reason that the Lizzie McGuire reboot has stalled.
The new TV show is called Love, Victor and is a spinoff of the movie, which was based on a book.
It emerged yesterday that the “family-focused” streaming service Disney+ had quietly ditched the series for being too “adult”.
Disney apparently dropped the TV show from its streaming service because it tackles themes of “sexual exploration” – and the sexual exploration in Love, Victor is that of the gay variety.
Specifically, the adult themes cited include alcohol use, marital issues among parents and “sexual exploration”, the outlet said. The source said that executives feared that families would not watch shows with such themes with “young kids”.
The 32-year-old Lizzie McGuire star shared a news headline about this controversy, which read: “Love, Simon TV show pulled from Disney+ as it’s not ‘family friendly’.”
In an Instagram story, Duff commented on the story, simply writing: “Sounds familiar…”
In October, it emerged that the Lizzie McGuire reboot would feature an openly gay character.
But then, in January 2020, the production of the reboot stalled after a lead TV writer quit.
Naturally, Duff’s cryptic Instagram story has led fans into the realms of wild online speculation.
Why reboot Lizzie McGuire with Hilary Duff who is in her thirties if you’re not gonna tackle adult issues? The Love, Simon series being moved is so sad. It’s not gonna get the same attention on Hulu.
— sean (@seanmcbae) February 26, 2020
DISNEY IS HOMOPHOBIC AND NO I AM NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE I AM GAY ASK HILARY DUFF
— TJ Kippen⛹🏼♂️☀️🧂(DJ Veggy) (@reddietyrus77) February 26, 2020
So could this mean that the reboot is canceled? And it’s Because it wasn’t family friendly enough and that why the creator left ? They all grown up now and they allowed andi mack which was an LGBT hit show with an openly gay character you wouldnt allow it because Disney anti gay
— NєνєrFσяgєт∂ємι♡♕ (@NeverForgetDemi) February 26, 2020
Hilary Duff appears to be delivering a late night Disney+ dragging, possibly suggesting the real reason why the ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot stalled… pic.twitter.com/m9cwPLGzf5
— Bradley Stern (@MuuMuse) February 26, 2020
In a statement, vice president of originals at Hulu said: “Love, Victor is funny, heartfelt and deeply affecting, and we were incredibly taken with the project.
“The show’s contemporary lens and honest storytelling make it a perfect fit for the millions of fans on Hulu who already watch and see themselves in series like Looking For Alaska, Pen15 and Grown-ish.”
The first season of Love, Victor will feature ten episodes. Disney+ president content and marketing said: “With Hulu now an integral part of our streaming family, our teams are closely collaborating and we have the unique ability to choose the best home for our original productions.
“All of us at Disney+ are incredibly proud of Love, Victor and know the series will be a perfect addition to Hulu’s strong slate of young adult programming.”