She played the role of Lizzie’s best friend, Miranda Sanchez.
In 2003, Disney extended the Lizzie-verse by releasing “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
However, to the dismay of fans, Vergara-Paras' character was absent from the film.
Likewise, she was nowhere to be seen during the series finale of “Lizzie McGuire.”
“In spirit, I think Miranda was there no matter what.
If I’m in their minds while they were watching it, Miranda was a part of it.
But Lalaine wanted to be a part of something else, too.”
After finishing up with “You Wish!,” Vergara-Paras seemingly vanished from the spotlight.
In 2005, the actor-turned-singer released a peppy pop-punk tune called “I’m Not Your Girl.”
“All the songs are about things I have gone through and what I am thinking.
I wrote about my family, friends and boys, of course, and about life.”
In 2010, Vergara-Paras served as the bassist in an all-girls band called Vanity Theft.
Alongside her bandmates, she filmed several music videos and embarked on a cross-country tour.
In a 2011 interview withCurvemagazine, Vanity Theft member Elyse Driskill said Vergara-Paras joined the band on a whim.
“She was a [friend of a friend],” Driskill recalled.
“We were like, ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be funny if Lalaine was our bassist?’
So, she thought about it and started taking lessons.”
Vergara-Paras rocked out with Vanity Theft for a year and a half before exiting the band in late 2011.
In 2003, she guest-starred in the iconic series “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.”
Although she only appeared in two episodes, Vergara-Paras' stint on “Buffy” was memorable nonetheless.
In 2010, Vergara-Paras made a crowd-pleasing appearance in the blockbuster film “Easy A.”
Vergara-Paras played a small role titled “gossipy girl” in the flick.
In the years following her exit from “Lizzie McGuire,” Vergara-Paras struggled to stay on the straight-and-narrow.
In 2008,TMZreported that the former child actor had been arrested for possession of methamphetamines.
She ultimately pleaded guilty to drug charges and agreed to enter a treatment program.
Fortunately, the arrest served as a wakeup call that prompted Vergara-Paras to get her life back on track.
“It’s a lot of responsibility.
“That’s completely different from this movie,” she shared.
“Just besides my age alone and growing up and being more in tune with my feelings.
It’s completely different and just the whole character alone.
The only thing similar is basically it being about a teenage girl.
That’s about it.”
Vergara-Paras also revealed that filming the movie was an incredibly physical process.
To prepare for her role, she had to start going on daily runs.
Since the series wrapped in 2004, Vergara-Paras has settled into a quieter life.
“I’m just more on the relaxed side of things,” she told HuffPost.
“It was just go, go, go.
Now it’s just a completely different perspective on my go, go, go,” she said.
“I’m just more like trying to walk over there.
I’m not trying to jog or run anymore.”
And much like their characters, the pair shared a deep friendship in real life.
While chatting with HuffPost in 2015, Vergara-Paras revealed that she and Duff hung out regularly behind the scenes.
The gal pals created numerous core memories together, including shaving their legs for the first time.
Unfortunately, they drifted apart after “Lizzie McGuire” wrapped in 2004.
In 2015, the former co-stars had a surprise reunion when Vergara-Paras spotted Duff at a local bowling alley.
Thomas rushed to the bowling alley where an iconic reunion commenced.
In the aforementioned HuffPost interview, Vergara-Paras said she was looking forward to rekindling her friendship with Duff.
The show’s untimely cancellation left many fans wondering what might have been.
In 2024, former “Lizzie McGuire” writer Jonathan Hurwitz took toTikTokto dish about the axed reboot.
So, I’m hopeful that we could have actually had her be involved.”
Although Miranda was canonically Mexican American, Vergara-Paras herself is of Filipino descent.
In 2019, Vergara-Paras opened up to her Instagram followers about the white-washing she experienced while working in Hollywood.
The former child actor posted a photo of herself and wrote (viaE!
These days I struggle to find photos where I look as ethnic as possible."
Vergara-Paras showed up to the affair sporting a plaid messenger hat she wore on “Lizzie McGuire.”
During their rendezvous, Vergara-Paras opened up about how she’s been doing since her Disney Channel heyday.
“I mean, getting [by] day-to-day, I think, is a challenge in itself.”
When asked if she still gets recognized in public, the actor confirmed, “It definitely happens.”
Vergara-Paras also admitted that some of her fan interactions have been awkward and invasive.
“Like, do you really ask that of someone you don’t know?”
Robert Carradine and Hallie Todd reprised their roles as Lizzie’s mom and dad.
The table read even included Lizzie’s nemesis, Kate Sanders, played by Ashley Brillault.
“This is so exciting!”
exclaimedHilary Duff, who, of course, played Lizzie McGuire.
“We haven’t all been together in a very long time.”
In the episode, Lizzie and Miranda decide they’re ready to purchase their first bras.
When Lizzie’s mom crashes their shopping trip, the girls hatch a plan to ditch her.
For Vergara-Paras, seeing all of her castmates together was an emotional experience.
But on the flip side, some actors have struggled tremendously in the wake of their Disney Channel fame.
Speaking exclusively toPeople, Vergara-Paras expressed her excitement about working on the project.
