‘He was the voice of Simba’: Hilary Duff reveals childhood crush on Jonathan Taylor Thomas

WASHINGTON: Actor and singer Hilary Duff opened up about her first celebrity crush during a recent appearance on ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’, revealing that she was a huge fan of former teen heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas, according to People.

During the recent episode of the talk show, Duff was asked by an audience member about her earliest celebrity crush. “My first celebrity crush was Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Do you remember JTT? Look, you’re too young. You’re too young,” Duff said.

The actress then turned to the audience to see how many people recognised the former actor. “Please raise your hand if you know who I’m talking about. It’s not even half,” she joked.

.@HilaryDuff just reminded everyone she’s that girl. pic.twitter.com/crV0N5pFFm

— The Jennifer Hudson Show (@JHudShow) May 20, 2026

Duff went on to explain Thomas’ popularity during the 1990s and reminded the audience of some of his most notable roles. “Okay, guys. He was on Home Improvement. He was also in The Lion King. He was a kid. He was the voice of Simba, right?” she said.

Thomas rose to fame as a teenage star through his role on Home Improvement and also voiced young Simba in Disney’s animated classic The Lion King. He became one of the most recognisable teen idols of the 1990s, regularly appearing on magazine covers.

Despite his fame, Thomas stepped away from Hollywood at the peak of his career. In a 2013 interview, he explained the reason behind his decision. “I’d been going nonstop since I was 8 years old. I wanted to go to school, to travel and have a bit of a break,” he had said, according to People.

Duff, meanwhile, is now married to musician Matthew Koma. The couple share three daughters — Banks Violet, Mae James and Townes Meadow. The How I Met Your Father star is also mother to son Luca Cruz, whom she shares with former husband Mike Comrie, according to People. (ANI)