Hilary Duff has paid an emotional tribute to her former on-screen father, Robert Carradine, following his death at the age of 71.
Carradine, who portrayed Sam McGuire on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire, died on Monday. His family later confirmed that he had long battled bipolar disorder and ultimately died by suicide.
Taking to Instagram, Duff, 38, shared two photographs from their time on set alongside a heartfelt caption that began, “This one hurts.” She reflected on the warmth of the McGuire family dynamic and said she had always felt deeply cared for by her on-screen parents.
“It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend,” she wrote. “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Her co-star Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s younger brother Matt, also shared a tribute on Instagram. Describing Carradine as “one of the coolest guys you could ever meet,” Thomas remembered him as funny, pragmatic, occasionally cranky, and delightfully eccentric. He praised Carradine’s talents as an actor, musician, and director, but emphasized that “more than anything, he was family.”
Thomas added that he had looked up to Carradine while growing up and later realized the admiration was mutual. He concluded his message by sending love to Carradine’s loved ones and writing, “Rest easy, Bobby. Love you.”
Actress Lalaine, who portrayed Miranda Sanchez on the show, also expressed her grief, thanking Carradine for his constant fatherly support and cherishing their final conversation.
Carradine’s older brother, actor Keith Carradine, 76, told Deadline that the family chose to disclose the cause of death in hopes of reducing stigma surrounding mental illness. “It is an illness that got the best of him,” he said, adding that he wanted to celebrate his brother’s “beautiful soul” and acknowledge his long struggle.
Carradine’s daughter, Ever Carradine, shared an emotional message on Instagram, remembering her father as “all heart” and encouraging others to open their hearts and share love in his memory.
In a statement to Deadline, the family described Carradine as a beacon of light and acknowledged his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. They expressed hope that his journey would help shed light on mental health challenges and asked for privacy as they grieve.
Born on March 24, 1954, in Los Angeles, Carradine came from the renowned Carradine acting family. He was the son of John Carradine and Sonia Sorel, and the brother of David Carradine and Keith Carradine.
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