Hilary Duff had an unexpectedly hilarious moment while appearing on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” after realizing not everyone remembers one of the biggest heartthrobs of the ‘90s. The singer and actress was left stunned when much of the audience appeared unfamiliar with the actor who once had her completely swooning as a kid.
During Wednesday’s episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Duff was asked by an audience member to reveal her childhood crush after actor Jacob Elordi recently named the “Lizzie McGuire” alum as his own celebrity crush.
Without hesitation, Duff named one of the ultimate teen idols of the ‘90s: Jonathan Taylor Thomas. But when she tried to gauge the crowd’s reaction, things quickly took an unexpected turn. “Do you remember JTT?” Duff asked, before turning to the audience.
After seeing confused faces, the actress jokingly realized she might be speaking to a younger crowd. “Look, you’re too young. You’re too young,” she said. “Please raise your hand if you know who I’m talking about.”
To Duff’s surprise, “not even half” of the audience appeared familiar with Thomas.
Duff Quickly Gave The Audience A ‘90s Pop Culture Lesson
Determined to educate viewers, Duff quickly launched into an explanation of why Jonathan Taylor Thomas was such a major star. “OK guys, he was on ‘Home Improvement,’” she explained.
Duff also reminded fans that Thomas voiced one of Disney’s most iconic animated characters. “He was also in ‘The Lion King.’ He was a kid. He was the voice of Simba, right?” she added.
The actress later admitted she also had another teenage crush: Zac Hanson, the youngest member of the Hanson brothers.
What Happened To Jonathan Taylor Thomas?
While Thomas was once one of Hollywood’s biggest young stars thanks to roles in “Home Improvement,” “The Lion King,” “Man of the House,” and “Tom and Huck,” he eventually stepped away from the spotlight.
After becoming a household name as a child actor, Thomas largely left Hollywood behind and kept a low profile. His last recurring acting role came on Tim Allen’s sitcom “Last Man Standing” between 2013 and 2015, while his most recent public sighting was during a rare outing in Southern California in 2023.
Hilary Duff Is Entering A New Music Era
Meanwhile, Duff has been making headlines of her own. The mother of four recently released her sixth studio album, “luck… or something,” marking her first music release in more than a decade.
The project also kicks off an exciting new chapter for the former Disney Channel star, who is preparing to hit the road for “The Lucky Me World Tour,” her first major tour since 2008. “I’m so excited for the scale to change,” Duff told PEOPLE in an interview regarding her “Small Rooms, Big Nerves” music outing earlier this year.
She continued, “There is something so sweet about getting to see everyone’s face, and being so intimate and close with everyone, and it was really a great way for me to start and build confidence, but I just feel like I know what I’m doing and kind of got my reps in.”
Hilary Duff Says New Music Is Finally Catching Up To The Classics
While longtime fans can likely expect plenty of nostalgia during “The Lucky Me Tour,” Duff has also been giving newer songs their moment in the spotlight. During recent performances, the singer included tracks from her latest album, including “Mature,” “Roommates,” and “Weather for Tennis,” a trend fans are expecting to continue once the tour officially kicks off.
Still, Duff admitted there’s been something especially meaningful about seeing how strongly audiences still connect to the music that made them fall in love with her in the first place. “What’s been so fun about the live shows is realizing how much the old songs mean to people,” Duff shared. “A lot of those songs just live rent-free in my head, so it’ll be nice for the other music to catch up and join the mix.”
Known for starring in Lizzie McGuire before becoming a pop star with hits from her triple-platinum debut album “Metamorphosis,” Duff continues to reconnect with longtime fans.
