Years after falling out with her parents and sister, Haylie, former Disney Channel star Hilary Duff opens up about the estrangement.
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While appearing on the On Purpose With Jay Shetty podcast, the actress/singer addressed her single “The Optimist,” and how it seemingly relates to the estrangement.
“I think being very vulnerable and open about what it’s like to be in a family where your parents aren’t together, and you don’t have a relationship with both of your parents,” she explained about the track’s inspiration.
After referring to the estrangement as “devastating,” Duff said, “It doesn’t matter what age you are, you want your parents to feel like they care about you. And a bit portion of my existence hasn’t felt like that.”
“I don’t know if that’s the truth,” she further noted. “But that’s how it feels.”
Duff Speaks Specifically About Her Estrangement From Her Father and Sister
While continuing to speak about her family’s struggles, Hilary discussed her relationship with her father, Robert.
She noted that the estrangement began shortly after her parents divorced in 2008.
“My dad and I don’t really have much of a relationship, and we don’t speak very often,” Hilary said. “It’s really hard, I think, if a family breaks apart very dramatically. It’s hard to find your way back sometimes—some people want to, and some people don’t.”
Speaking about her strained relationship with Haylie, Hilary said the sibling estrangement was actually common.
“In my adulthood, I’ve come across more and more people that are having this experience,” she shared. “And as painful as it feels to share, when I decided to make this record, I could only talk about the things that I’ve gone through. There would be no purpose to make a record after 10 years [other] than to face what it’s been like. So that’s my truth.”
Hilary further confirmed that she and Haylie don’t speak. She then described one of her new songs, “We Don’t Talk,” as “a very vulnerable song.”
The How I Met Your Father alum also noted not being in contact with her younger sister is “a very raw part of my existence.”
“I hope it’s not forever, but it’s for right now,” she added.