Hilary Duff Reveals Which Song She’ll Be Singing in ‘How I Met Your Father’ Season 2

Last season, How I Met Your Father embraced Hilary Duff’s superb singing voice by having her perform “Drops of Jupiter.” And all of Duff’s “Come Clean”-era fans should be pleased to know this Hulu comedy is making her belt it out once again. During a set visit at the Television Critics Association’s 2023 winter tour, Duff spilled on the surprising story behind Season 2’s musical number.

Without giving too much away, in Season 2’s premiere Sofie (Duff) finds herself in a problem she can only think to solve by belting out “When a Man Loves a Woman.” According to Duff, it took a while for that song to be cleared. So to prepare for the scene, she was put to the test.

“There were a couple of runners up, and this was, I would say, 30 minutes before we shot. And it was like ‘Oh, is it going to be Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone?’ No, no, but go work on that one, OK? All right, is it going to be Carrie Underwood’s ‘Before He Cheats’?” Duff said. “Which is like, you were giving me some people with some big, broad voices.”

“A lot of actors would be like, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And we were like ‘Just go learn them and be prepared for either version, please,'” series co-creator Elizabeth Berger said. “She was totally game, which makes it such a joy. That is unusual that someone is just so down for whatever you need and rising to the occasion and making it fun.”

As stressful as it may be to learn three different power ballads for a single sitcom joke, it’s tied to one of Duff’s favorite parts of How I Met Your Father. “I have to very much put myself out on the line and embarrass myself. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, which is that fear of being an actor,” Duff said. “That fear is a really fun state to be in while we’re shooting here because it makes you feel alive.”

How I Met Your Father returns for Season 2 on Tuesday, January 24.