A resurfaced Cosmopolitan interview in which Hilary Duff referenced the age of a former boyfriend has reignited debate online about her mid-2000s relationship with Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden.
Duff, now 37, and Madden, 46, dated from 2004 to 2006. Social media users noted that the relationship began when Duff was 16 and Madden was in his mid-20s. In the interview, which circulated this week on Reddit, Duff was asked who she lost her virginity to and said, "I had a 26-year-old boyfriend," prompting many commenters to criticize the age gap and the public nature of the relationship at the time.
Reactions on social platforms ranged from calls for accountability to reflections on changing cultural norms. One commenter wrote, "It's gross how these age gaps were normalized back then," while another said, "When they were dating I was so young and thought they were such a cool couple. Now that I'm older, I'm disturbed that a grown man would not only date a teenager, but flaunt their relationship around. I wonder how he'd feel if his daughter was dating someone so much older." Several other posts described the pairing as "nasty," and some pointed to Duff’s continued friendship with Madden and his wife, Nicole Richie, as surprising.
Duff and Madden ended their relationship amicably in 2006. In a 2007 interview with PEOPLE, Madden said he tried to leave relationships on good terms, adding, "Every girl I've ever dated I have respect for, and I always try to leave them on good terms. I don't see the necessity to be friends with anyone you've dated, but definitely out of respect of the time, you have to be kind of respectful and that's what I try to do."
Madden later began a relationship with Nicole Richie; the couple married in 2010 and are parents to two children. Duff married musician Matthew Koma in 2019 and is a mother to four children: son Luca Cruz, 13, from her previous marriage to Mike Comrie, and daughters Banks Violet, 6, Mae James, 4, and Townes Meadow, 1, with Koma.
Despite the online criticism, Duff, Koma, Madden and Richie have publicly appeared cordial. The four have been photographed together at dinners and neighborhood gatherings, and Duff and Koma have participated in lighthearted public moments with the Maddens, including dressing up as members of Good Charlotte for Halloween last year. Koma has posted and captioned throwback images including a photo of Madden and Duff from 2006 with an amiable tone.
Observers noting the resurgence of the interview said it reflects wider conversations about celebrity relationships and age disparities that have gained attention in recent years. The resurfaced remarks and accompanying social media commentary underscore how past public behavior can be reevaluated in a different cultural context. Neither Duff nor Madden issued new public comment in response to the recent social media reaction.