Some habits never grow up. Instead, they just get better lighting and a social media caption.
Jake Thomas, best known as Matt McGuire from Disney's Lizzie McGuire sitcom, just reminded the internet why he was every older sibling's personal villain. Decades after the show first aired, the actor channelled Matt McGuire by drawing a moustache on a Lizzie McGuire poster featuring Hilary Duff.
The caption was playfully lethal in its simplicity, and slightly menacing in the most nostalgic way possible: 'Old habits die hard.'
For anyone who grew up watching Matt McGuire scheme his way through childhood, his Instagram update was very much on-brand. Back then, his entire personality revolved around pranks, chaos, and making his sister's life just a little bit more complicated. Now, apparently, all it takes is a poster and a marker to revive the tween nightmare.
The Return of Matt McGuire
There is something oddly comforting about seeing a character known for harmless mischief make a comeback years later, even if it is now done with a wink instead of a full episode plotline. Although if the Lizzie McGuire show ever attempts to make a resurgence again, there is a large audience of millennials who would love to see grown-up Matt torment Lizzie in adulthood.
At a time when reboots, reunions, and reimaginings dominate the entertainment industry, Thomas managed to tap into the same feeling without any of the production.
No reboot announcement or script required. All he needed was a marker and a poster of Lizzie McGuire while nostalgia worked its magic.
What Has Matt McGuire Been Up to Since?
Still playing pranks on Lizzie, apparently!
While many still associate Jake Thomas with his days as a mischievous on-screen little brother, his career has expanded beyond the McGuire household.
After Lizzie McGuire, he appeared in successful projects like Cory in the House and Criminal Minds, gradually stepping into more mature roles. More recently, he has taken a turn into gaming, portraying billionaire character, Marco Silva, in the action-adventure title MindsEye.
The role is far from a simple voiceover. Thomas spent years working with performance-capture technology, wearing motion-capture suits and facial-mapping rigs to bring the character to life. His digital likeness was fully scanned, translating his expressions into a virtual world with uncanny precision.
To that effect, he has certainly come a long way from pulling pranks in a suburban kitchen, but somehow, the connection still tracks. Because who would not have expected Matt McGuire to grow up into a rich, evil genius?
Where Is Lizzie Now?
Living a life that dreams are made of, of course! As for Hilary Duff, Lizzie McGuire herself is enjoying her newfound spotlight as well.
Balancing acting, family life, and now the Lucky Me tour, Duff has continued to build on the career that made her a household name. With her recent projects and ongoing ventures, she remains one of the early 2000s Disney stars who never really faded into nostalgia.
This dynamic only makes the prank better, because while Duff has evolved into a polished, multifaceted figure in entertainment, Thomas showing up with a marker feels like a reminder that somewhere in the multiverse, she is still Lizzie, and he is still Matt.
Some things evolve, and others are made to always stay the same. In short, if your little brother has access to a marker, you are never truly safe.
Will Hilary Duff react to the playful marker prank? Your move, Lizzie!
