Hilary Duff Breaks Silence on ‘Lizzie McGuire’ Costar Robert Carradine’s Death: ‘Sad to Learn’ He Was ‘Suffering’

Hollywood is mourning the loss of Robert Carradine, the actor best known for Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, who has died at 71.

His brother Keith Carradine revealed his sibling took his own life after his long term bipolar disorder “got the better of him”.

Robert’s family said in a statement to Deadline on Monday February 23: “It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away.”

“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder,” the statement continued. “We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness.”

“At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss,” the statement concluded. “With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”

His brother Keith went on to say, per Deadline, that he “was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day.”

Following news of his passing, Hilary Duff — who played Robert’s daughter in the Lizzie McGuire franchise took to Instagram to pay tribute to her onscreen dad.

“This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend,” she captioned a February 24 post. “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family, and everyone who loved him.”

Robert’s illustrious career began in 1972 with The Cowboys opposite John Wayne. He went on to star alongside Jane Fonda and Jon Voight in Coming Home, appear in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, and share the screen with his brothers David and Keith in The Long Riders.

He later found fame as a comedic icon in 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds and charmed a new generation as Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire and The Lizzie McGuire Movie alongside Duff.

Robert’s half-brother brother, Kill Bill actor David Carradine, died in 2009 aged 72.