Hilary Duff is coming clean.
Hot on the heels of the release of her new song “Mature,” rumors began to run rampant about the inspiration behind the song. Many of those theories pointed to Leonardo DiCaprio due to the lyrics, “Very Leo of you with your Scorpio touch,” and her husband Matthew Koma only adding fuel to the fire by sharing a meme of the Titanic actor holding the album artwork. As for how the singer herself views those rumors?
“First of all, we’re getting the biggest kick out of the speculations,” Hilary said during On Air With Ryan Seacrest Nov. 22. “It’s honestly, it’s thrilling. It’s 100 percent thrilling and the internet is such a funny place. I’m obsessed with everyone and I’m seeing all the videos.”
As for whether the Great Gatsby actor really is the “Leo” in question, she continued, “You can’t take anything that Matthew posts seriously. He’s the biggest troll on the planet Earth. He will lead everybody down all the roads and have the most fun doing it.”
Yet, the 38-year-old kept it vague. “So,” she continued, “not confirming, not denying anything here.”
But Leonardo isn’t the only possible “Mature” muse the internet has set its sights on: Joel Madden, whom Hilary dated between 2004 and 2006 when she was 19 and he was 28, was also named as a candidate.
After all, of the song, Hilary previously divulged, “‘Mature’ is a little conversation that my present self is having with my younger self. The two of us are reflecting on a past experience and sending love to each other. It’s a chuckle, a wink, and a sense of being grateful that we are sure footed in where we landed.”
In the song—which marked the Lizzie McGuire alum’s return to music after 10 years—Hilary sings, “She looks like she could be your daughter / Like me before I got smarter / When I was flattered to hear you say / You're so mature for your age."
But as for whether the new track is about Joel, none of the powers that be have confirmed if the speculation is true. However, the Good Charlotte frontman’s wife Nicole Richie was happy to lean into the rumors.
Sharing a picture of her and Hilary laughing on the ground together to her Nov. 11 Instagram Story, Nicole wrote, “'Mature' is not the word I would use to describe us, but regardless, this song is a BOP."
And soon enough, Joel himself reposted the pic to his own account.
As for why Hilary—who tied the knot with Matthew in 2019—decided to return to music now, after a decade, she credits much of her inspiration with her husband.
"Living with the person that I live with—who's my husband—and just being 10 years removed from music and being 38 and just arriving kind of where I am in my life," she said on the Nov. 5 episode of Jake Shane's Therapuss podcast, "I just felt like I can finally fill in the blanks."
For a closer look at Hilary and Matthew’s life together, read on.
Red Carpet Official
Back in January 2017, the pair confirmed their budding romance by posing on the red carpet together at Entertainment Weekly's pre-SAG Awards party at Chateau Marmont.
A Brief Breakup
Shortly after their red carpet debut, a source confirmed to E! News the two had split in March 2017. According to the source, the breakup was triggered by their busy schedules.
Rekindling the Romance
By October 2017, they had rekindled their romance, evidenced by his appearance at her 30th birthday party. "Since Matt got back from tour, they've been seeing each other again," a source told E! News exclusively at the time. "Him being gone on tour was the main reason things didn't work out the first time around, so now that he's back, they picked up right where they left off." As she later revealed on The Talk in December 2017, it was actually the third time they were dating. "Timing is such a big deal… third time's a charm!" she told the co-hosts.
Baby on Board
In June 2018, the couple has sweet news to share: they had a baby girl on the way. "We made a baby girl!" Koma wrote on social media. "She will be as beautiful and sweet as her mother...@hilaryduff another incredible chapter begins."
Mom & Dad
By the fall, they officially added a new member to the family: daughter Banks Violet Bair. "This little bit has fully stolen our hearts! She joined our world at home on Thursday afternoon and is absolute magic," the actress shared online in October 2018.
Yes!
Nearly two years after stepping out publicly for the first time, Koma asked the actress to marry him.
Just Married!
Duff and Koma said "I do" in Dec. 2019, surrounded by their loved ones!
12 Months Later
When celebrating his one year wedding anniversary to Hilary, Matthew wrote a thoughtful post on Instagram expressing his gratitude for all that she's done during the pandemic. "I'm so in awe of your badassery," he gushed in part.
Growing Family
Hilary and Matthew went on to welcome daughter Mae James Bair in March 2021.