Hilary Duff’s past teenage romance with rocker Joel Madden is drawing criticism from fans, who’ve raised concerns over their age gap.
The So Yesterday hitmaker, 37, and the Good Charlotte rocker, 46 — who is now married to Nicole Richie, 43 — dated from 2004 to 2006, starting when she was 16 and he was 25.
But the past relationship has caused ire with fans, after an old Cosmopolitan interview with Duff resurfaced on Reddit.
In the interview, the star — who recently announced a surprise career change — was asked who she lost her virginity to.
‘I had a 26-year-old boyfriend,’ she replied, in reference to Madden. ‘So everyone can make their own assumptions about what I was doing,’ she added.
A number of fans expressed their disapproval, with one writing, ‘It’s gross how these age gaps were normalized back then. I don’t remember if there was any outrage over this relationship.’
Hilary Duff’s, 37, past teenage romance with rocker Joel Madden, 46, is drawing criticism from fans, who’ve raised concerns over their age gap; They are seen in 2005
The hitmaker and the Good Charlotte rocker — who is now married to Nicole Richie, 43 — dated from 2004 to 2006, starting when she was 16 and he was 25; Seen with Richie in 2019
‘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.’
‘We shouldn’t have forgotten,’ another chimed in.
A number of other comments called the age gap relationship ‘nasty’.
Another fan pointed to the fact that Hilary is still friends with Joel and his current wife Nicole.
‘The fact that she’s friends with him and his wife Nicole Richie today is crazy, like dinner dates and everything.’
Duff and Madden’s split was amicable after two years of dating, and they decided to call it quits in 2006.
‘Every girl I’ve ever dated I have respect for, and I always try to leave them on good terms,’ Madden told PEOPLE in 2007.
‘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.’
Shortly after he broke up with Hilary, he began dating Nicole, who would eventually become his wife and the mother of his two children.
The past relationship has caused ire with fans, after an old Cosmopolitan interview with Duff resurfaced on Reddit; The two seen in 2005
In the interview, the star was asked who she lost her virginity to. ‘I had a 26-year-old boyfriend. So everyone can make their own assumptions about what I was doing,’ she said; Seen in 2005
A number of fans expressed their disapproval, with one writing, ‘It’s gross how these age gaps were normalized back then. I don’t remember if there was any outrage over this relationship’
Hilary and her current husband, Matthew Koma, 38, appear on good terms with the rocker. Last year the two even dressed up as Joel and his brother Benji Madden for Halloween
The foursome, who are neighbors, were also spotted on a date night together in 2022
Even though fans have taken an issue with the relationship, Hilary and her current husband, Matthew Koma, 38, appear on good terms with the rocker.
And last year the two even dressed up as Joel and his brother Benji Madden for Halloween.
Matt dressed as Joel with his MDDN hat, leather jacket and chain necklace while Hilary was the other Good Charlotte member in a black cap, leather vest and chain necklaces.
They proudly showed off the looks while out to dinner with Joel and his wife Nicole.
Joel and Nicole — who have been married since 2010 and share kids Harlow, 17, and Sparrow, 16 — reposted the costume tribute to their own Stories.
Joel captioned the snap: ‘Protect @matthewkoma and @hilaryduff at all costs,’ along with two crown emojis.
And Madden’s birthday in 2023, Koma shared a series of throwback photos, including one of Madden and Duff from 2006 when they were dating.
Koma playfully captioned the post, ‘It’s not even that weird that you dated my wife @joelmadden. It just makes me feel closer to you.’
Duff and Koma have been married since 2019, and share three kids together. Duff is also mother to son Luca Cruz, 13, from her marriage to Mike Comrie; They are pictured 2023
The foursome were also spotted on a date night together in 2022.
And in 2023, Hilary shared that they are neighbors and spend plenty of time together.
‘We’re neighbors. And we actually hang out all the time,’ she said on Watch What Happens Live in 2023. ‘I was just in her driveway honking her to come drink wine with us the other day.’
Duff is mother to son Luca Cruz, 13, from her marriage to Mike Comrie and shares daughters Banks Violet, six, Mae James, four, and Townes Meadow, one, with Koma.
The pair have been married since 2019.
