Hilary Duff is remembering a member of the Lizzie McGuire family.
Following executive producer Stan Rogow's death Dec. 7, the Disney Channel alum shared a heartfelt message reflecting on the impact he had on her growing up.
"Writing this right now is bringing back so many distant memories of what feels like a completely different lifetime," the 36-year-old wrote in a Dec. 10 statement on Instagram. "One where I had absolutely no clue where I was heading or how I was getting there, but where I had that eagerness and blind optimism that accompanies youth and your first opportunities to step up."
"You heavily cherish the people who first believe and see something in you," she continued. "And for me there was a very special person who fought for me to land a role that would change the course of my life…and I'm so very sad to hear of his passing today."
For the How I Met Your Father star, her starring role as the titular tween on the Disney Channel series was what dreams were made of.
"Thank you for thinking I had ‘that special thing,'" she wrote. "Thank you for all the Lizzie adventures. Thank you for helping me create a reality I could never have dreamed of."
Stan, whose family confirmed his passing to The Hollywood Reporter, produced both seasons of the Disney Channel show as well as 2003's The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
Hilary, like many childhood stars, has a complicated relationship with her character as she got older. However, as she previously revealed it eventually led to a newfound mindset about her career.
"We shot 65 episodes in two years, so from 12 to 13, I was Lizzie McGuire," she explained in a 2019 interview with E! News. "It is a blur. It went by so fast. I was so young and I loved it, but also, I wanted to have an identity outside of that, so I started singing. And I definitely went through a phase of not wanting anything to do with her."
The mother of three, who was briefly set to reprise the role in revival before its cancelation, added, "By the time I was 19 or 20, I realized how appreciative I was for that role and for those opportunities. I love her. She's very iconic."