Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, singer, author and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including seven Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards, and two Young Artist Awards. She began her acting career at a young age, quickly being labeled a teen idol as the title character in the Disney Channel comedy series Lizzie McGuire (2001–2004) and in the film based on the series, The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003).
This article is about the actress and singer. For the album, see Hilary Duff (album). For the sitcom character, see The High Life (British TV series).
Hilary Duff
Thereafter, she appeared in numerous mainstream films such as Cadet Kelly (2002), Agent Cody Banks (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), and A Cinderella Story (2004). She later appeared in independent films playing a wider range of adult-themed roles, such as War, Inc. (2008), According to Greta (2009), Bloodworth (2011), and The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019). From 2015 to 2021, Duff starred as Kelsey Peters in TV Land's longest-running original series Younger, for which she received two People's Choice Awards nominations. Between 2022 and 2023, she has produced and starred as Sophie Tompkins in the Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father.[1]
Musically, Duff first came to prominence after releasing her debut studio album, the Christmas-themed Santa Claus Lane (2002), through Buena Vista Records. Her second album, Metamorphosis (2003), was hugely successful, topping the Billboard 200 chart and earning a 4× Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She enjoyed significant commercial success with her subsequent Platinum and Gold-certified albums released through Hollywood Records; Hilary Duff (2004), Most Wanted (2005), and Dignity (2007). Following a hiatus from music, Duff signed with RCA Records for her fifth album, Breathe In. Breathe Out. (2015). Duff has been hailed as an inspiration by subsequent Disney teen stars such as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez, and has sold an estimated 15 million records worldwide.[2]
In addition to music and acting, she has also co-authored a trilogy of novels, beginning with Elixir (2010), which became a New York Times best seller, and followed by the sequels Devoted (2011) and True (2013). Duff's success in the entertainment industry led her to venture into business with fashion lines of her own such as Stuff by Hilary Duff, Femme for DKNY, and the "Muse x Hilary Duff" collection, a collaborative effort with GlassesUSA which was credited to have boosted GlassesUSA's sales for its premium brands. She has also invested in a number of businesses ranging from cosmetics to children's products.
Early life[edit]
Hilary Erhard Duff was born on September 28, 1987, in Houston, Texas.[3][4][5] Her parents are Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in a chain of convenience stores, and Susan Colleen Duff (née Cobb), a homemaker turned film and music producer. Duff has one older sister named Haylie.[5] She was raised between Houston and San Antonio, the locations of her father's convenience stores. Encouraged by their mother, both Hilary and her sister enrolled in acting, singing, and ballet classes.[6] The siblings earned roles in local theater productions, and later participated in a touring BalletMet production of The Nutcracker in San Antonio.[5] Increasingly interested in the pursuit of show business, the Duff sisters and their mother moved to California in 1993, while their father stayed in Houston to take care of his business.[6] The sisters auditioned for several years and were cast in many television commercials.[6] Due to her acting career, Duff was home-schooled from the age of eight.[7] The pair also modeled for various clothing brands.[8] Duff stated, "My sister and I really showed an interest in [performing] and dedication, and [our mother] was like, 'How can I tell my kids no?' It's the same as kids that are going into sports. Parents support them and push them."[9]
Career[edit]
1993–1999: Career beginnings[edit]
During her initial acting years, Duff primarily played minor roles, such as her uncredited part in the Hallmark Entertainment western miniseries True Women (1997)[10] and as an uncredited extra in the ensemble comedy-drama Playing by Heart (1998). The same year, Duff landed her first major role as Wendy in Casper Meets Wendy, based on the Harvey Comics characters.[11][12] After appearing in the supporting role of Ellie in the television film The Soul Collector (1999), Duff received a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot (Supporting Young Actress).[13] In March 2000, Duff appeared as a sick child in the CBS medical drama series Chicago Hope. She was next cast as one of the children in the pilot episode of the NBC comedy series Daddio.[6] Her Daddio co-star Michael Chiklis stated, "After working with her the first day, I remember saying to my wife, 'This young girl is gonna be a movie star.' She was completely at ease with herself and comfortable in her own skin."[6] However, producers dropped Duff from the cast prior to the airing of the show.[6]
Musical style[edit]
With her debut, Duff's music featured prominent pop and pop rock elements.[191] Duff cited listening to rock music as a child for the main influence behind the theme.[191] She worked heavily with The Matrix for her second studio album, leading critics to compare the effort to releases from artists such as Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson, and Lindsay Lohan.[192] These themes were featured more prominently on her third studio album, Hilary Duff. The album makes further use of strong drum and guitar beats.[193] Duff co-wrote multiple songs for the album, with the lyrics speaking on topics such as criticism, following your dreams, and love.[194] The new material featured on her Most Wanted (2005) compilation album began to see Duff transfer towards a more pop and dance friendly sound. This was later expanded upon for her fourth studio album, Dignity (2007). Dignity was heavily influenced by Europop, hip hop, and rock 'n roll.[67][68] Duff described the music as "dance", "rock", and "electro".[195] Duff co-wrote all but one of the songs on the album, which dealt with topics including her stalker, her breakup with Joel Madden, and her parents' divorce. Following its release, critics stated the album was "slightly ahead of its time."[196]
Duff's 2014 releases featured a more folk influenced, "earthy" indie pop sound,[197] compared to her previous releases.[198][199] The album's lead single was planned to be "All About You" (2014) and, among other instruments, it featured a banjo[200] and an acoustic sound.[201] Instead of the original plans, Duff released a dance-pop record which balanced EDM with the folk pop sound originally planned for the record.[202] This album consolidated Duff as a dance-pop singer.[203]
Personal life[edit]
Relationships[edit]
In 2001, it was confirmed that Duff was in a relationship with fellow teen star Aaron Carter.[230] He later guest-starred in an episode of Lizzie McGuire with Duff.[230] The relationship garnered media attention with reports of a love triangle between Duff, Carter, and actress Lindsay Lohan.[231] Duff and Carter continued an on-again-off-again relationship for three years, before ultimately ending their relationship.[230]
In July 2004, 16-year-old Duff began dating Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden, who was then 25 years old.[232] After a long period of tabloid speculation, Duff's mother Susan announced their relationship in a June 2005 interview for Seventeen magazine.[233] Madden worked with Duff on her compilation album, Most Wanted. In November 2006, Duff and Madden broke up.[234] Paper magazine later observed that the media chose not to call the relationship illegal even though Duff was underage.[235]
Duff began dating Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) player Mike Comrie in 2007. Duff and Comrie announced their engagement in February 2010,[236][237] and married on August 14, 2010, in Santa Barbara, California.[238] Duff announced her pregnancy in 2011, and gave birth to their son on March 20, 2012.[239][240][241] On January 10, 2014, Duff and Comrie announced that they had amicably separated and would continue to co-parent their son.[242][243] In February 2015, Duff filed for divorce from Comrie, citing irreconcilable differences, and requesting primary physical and legal joint child custody of their son.[244] The divorce was finalized in February 2016.[245]
Following her split from Comrie, Duff dated personal sports trainer Jason Walsh from August 2015 until November 2016.[246][247] She also briefly dated businessman Ely Sandvik in the summer of 2017, when she and Koma took a temporary break from their relationship.[248]
Duff began dating singer-songwriter Matthew Koma in January 2017. They worked together for her 2015 album Breathe In. Breathe Out.; the title track is a track he co-wrote and produced.[249] They announced she was pregnant with their first child together, a girl, on June 8, 2018.[250] On October 25, 2018, Duff gave birth to their first daughter.[251][252] Duff and Koma then became engaged in May 2019, and were married on December 21, 2019.[253][254] On October 24, 2020, Duff announced her third pregnancy via Instagram.[255] On March 24, 2021, the couple's second child together, also a daughter, was born.[256] On December 12, 2023, Duff announced her fourth pregnancy.[257]
Education[edit]
On January 31, 2005, Duff began taking classes at Harvard University as part of the Harvard Extension School. On February 4, she wrote on her website that she was taking classes "for Harvard University." Her statement upset some students at Harvard, who felt that she did not have the right to claim she was attending Harvard University, when she was attending its Extension School. The Harvard Crimson published a scathing opinion piece which insulted both Duff and the Extension School. The following week, The Harvard Crimson published a letter to the editor which criticized the opinion piece.[258][259][260][261]
Other published works
