Hilary Duff Shares Rare Insight on Co-Parenting with Ex-Husband Mike Comrie
Hilary Duff is providing a rare glimpse into her relationship and coparenting journey with ex-husband Mike Comrie.
“It reached a point where it just wasn’t meant to be,” Duff, 38, shared on the Wednesday, February 25, episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast when discussing the end of her marriage to Comrie, 45.
“I think he was on board because I was clear about this, this, and this. And he responded, ‘Great,’” she elaborated. “This was before conscious uncoupling was widely recognized. Given my parents’ difficult divorce, I found labeling it extremely painful, but ultimately, we weren’t together any longer, which clearly indicated that things weren’t working out.”
Duff and Comrie exchanged vows in 2010, welcoming their son Luca two years afterward. The couple parted ways in 2014 and finalized their divorce two years later.
“That was an incredibly tough decision since we had a two-year-old,” Duff reflected. “I did everything I could to maintain peace and encourage us to spend time together. Every transition wasn’t just a handoff; we’d go to the park or share a meal. It was vital for me to ensure that Luca felt comfortable.”
She added, “I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when I realized it was over, but it happened quickly. It simply wasn’t working anymore. One of the hardest parts was processing everything and facing the emotions involved. It was a frightening period, trying not to mess things up for my child. I pushed aside my feelings to prioritize his well-being.”
Duff mentioned having to process her divorce “in front of the world,” explaining that she began to mourn her marriage as she started “dating again.”
“I went to a lot of therapy,” she remarked. “It was an invaluable resource for confronting the emotions that arose, you know? … I was 27, 28 during a really wild time in life. I started allowing myself to find joy amidst something painful. I feel like that theme runs heavily through my life.”
Duff mentioned that her new album, Luck … Or Something, features “many heavy themes” masked as joy due to its pop music nature.
“I feel like that’s a significant part of my approach,” she explained. “Big challenges can be happening on one side, and while I might tackle them now or push them down to handle later, I genuinely maintain a happy disposition that helps me navigate through things.”
She continued, “I also realized from my parents’ divorce that it was crucial to show my child the importance of fighting for happiness. I thought it would be better for him to experience it when he was younger rather than when he was five or eight, as older kids tend to feel guilt over their parents’ separation. I wanted Luca to not remember this and to feel secure in both lives we could provide.”
Duff advised anyone experiencing divorce to seek therapy for “processing emotions” while also “[standing] up for yourself.”
“The same could have been true for him, you know?” Duff noted. “I didn’t just up and leave. It was a collaboration that needed to happen. But you have to prioritize your own well-being, and having kids doesn’t change that. Your children will be alright… You just have to show them that you matter too.”
She added, “I think it’s essential to remember that when you have kids, they can consume all your energy, and it was crucial for me not to let that define everything, because a two-year-old can’t make that decision.”
After her separation from Comrie, Duff moved on with Matthew Koma. They welcomed daughter Banks in 2018, married the following year, and had daughters Mae and Townes in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
