Hilary Duff remains booked and busy, and I’m not just talking about her acting gigs. The former child star has emerged a media personality, and she’s also jumped back into the music scene as of late. Now, Duff can claim yet another major professional accomplishment, as she recently graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. The cover looks absolutely stunning, and Duff seems to be quite proud of her accomplishment. But what’s making me laugh is her following up the SI showcase with a funny look at her home life.
From time to time, Duff (38) shares cute family photos and small insights into her domestic life, and they’re typically quite sweet. So it tracks that the Cadet Kelly star would post a not-so-glamorous photo to her Instagram story after looking flawless during the SI cover shoot. Based on the photo below at least one of Duff’s kids decided to give her a bit of a makeover involving crayons or markers. Take a look at the funny pic, which is captioned with “Sports Illustrated cover model”:
I love when celebrities can be self-deprecating, so I definitely have a soft spot for this post. What it exemplifies is that while Duff certainly has a public persona that can appear quite pristine and glows under the bright lights of Hollywood, that merely ties back to what she does. On the other hand, what she is is a mother of four, who (by the looks of it) doesn’t mind indulging her kids at her own expense. That, in my humble opinion, is what makes Duff a true icon.
Of course, the fact that Duff is also now an SI cover model does indeed help with that “icon” status as well. The fitness buff also posted plenty of behind-the-scenes tidbits from the photoshoot to her Instagram account as well. One of those posts, in which Sports Illustrated is tagged alongside her, features footage from the shoot. Take a look at the video below and bask in the glow of Duff’s stunning aura:
Hilary Duff is now in rarified air, as she shares the distinction of SI cover model with a number of other famous ladies. For instance, fellow actress Megan Fox modeled for the publication back in 2023, while Salma Hayek also posed in 2025 in flawless fashion at the age of 58. Olympic athlete Jordan Chiles also became a cover model in ‘25, and she later opened up about how it helped her embrace her body. So, needless to say, this very exclusive club has some truly excellent members.
As for Duff, this has certainly been a major year for her from a professional standpoint. The How I Met Your Father star not only released her first album in over a decade, Luck... or Something, but she also performed her first concert in nearly 20 years. She’s certainly crushing it right now and, quite frankly, I love to see it.
Of course, I also wouldn’t mind seeing further glimpses into Hilary Duff’s home life by way of any fun photos or videos she shares. Although she may be a massive star, that crayon makeover and other sweet candid moments with her kids that she posts about help make Duff feel a bit more grounded.
