Biography

Hilary Erhard Duff was born on September 28, 1987 in Houston, Texas, to Susan Duff (née Cobb) and Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in convenience store chain. When Hilary was six, she had been traveling in the Cechetti Ballet with her sister Haylie Duff but decided she wanted to fulfill her dream of acting. Her first part was in the mini-series True Women (1997), but her first starring role was as "Ellie" in The Soul Collector (1999), for which she won a Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot (Supporting Young Actress) Young Artist Award. Hilary also starred in Casper Meets Wendy (1998) in 1998, in which she played the young witch "Wendy".

Success came again as she took the role of the starring title character "Lizzie McGuire" in the #1 hit Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire (2001). "Lizzie" was extremely successful and spawned The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003).

The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) was released to theaters on May 2nd, 2003, grossing an impressive US$42 million domestically. Hilary also appeared in Agent Cody Banks (2003) in 2003. Additionally, Hilary is storming the music charts, with singles "So Yesterday" and "Come Clean" settling nicely into the top 40. Hilary's first album, "Metamorphosis", debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, and eventually ascended to #1 in the following weeks. To date, it has sold more than 2 million copies. Although she toured the USA in support of "Metamorphosis", Hilary hasn't discarded her film career. A Cinderella Story (2004), co-starring Chad Michael Murray, hit theaters on July 19th. The Perfect Man (2005) and Raise Your Voice (2004) opened in 2005. Hilary was the 2004 international spokesperson of "Kids With A Cause", a charity organization that specializes in poverty-stricken children. Her other film credits include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Human Nature (2001), Cadet Kelly (2002) and True Women (1997).

Hilary continues guest-starring on TV shows, filming movies, recording albums and doing television concerts.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Sammi R, dreamergirl67@hotmail.com, maddawgNS2004, ka_bff

Strawberry blonde hair

Bright eyes and smile

Younger sister of actress Haylie Duff. Daughter of film producer Susan Duff and Bob Duff, who owns a chain of convenience stores in Houston, Texas.

Her first magazine cover was the April 2002 issue of Popstar magazine.

Rolling Stone proclaimed her "Teenager of the Year" in 2003.

Accepted the lead role in A Cinderella Story (2004) because Charles Perrault's story "Cinderella" was her favorite fairy tale when she was growing up.

Was home schooled since at the age of 10. Took two online correspondence courses via the Harvard Extension School. (2005).

In preparation for her driving test, she drove herself between filming locations during principal photography for A Cinderella Story (2004).

Was first offered the role of Mary Elizabeth "Lola" Cep in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004), but Lindsay Lohan was cast instead.

Her favorite episode of her hit show Lizzie McGuire (2001) is Lizzie McGuire: First Kiss (2002), where her character Lizzie falls in love with the paperboy and shares a kiss with him.

Her first clothing line, Stuff By Hilary Duff, was launched in 2004. Initially started as a clothing line, the company expanded its business into furniture, fragrances, and jewelry, targeted at the teen and preteen demographic, the line grossed more than $5 million in its first year. The line was officially discontinued, in 2008, since Duff didn't have full control of the line anymore.

She enjoys gymnastics, swimming, reading, singing, writing, and hanging out with older sister, Haylie Duff.

One of Teen People 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 [2005].

Stated in an interview that her favorite movie she has filmed was The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003).

Got into singing after watching her sister, Haylie Duff, perform.

Was mentioned in Eminem's song, "Ass Like That".

"With Love... Hilary Duff" was Duff's first fragrance and is distributed by the Elizabeth Arden company. The fragrance was a huge success for Duff, becoming one of the three best-selling fragrances launched at U.S. department stores in late 2006.

Good friends with costumer Sommer Terry.

A huge fan of Janis Joplin.

Named #58 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Ranked #72 on the Forbes Power 100 for 2007.

In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year at $12 million.

Ranked #25 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 Women of 2008 list.

Had conflict with Faye Dunaway when she said Hilary Duff wasn't a real actress (when it was confirmed Duff was going to perform in the remake of Bonnie and Clyde (1967)).

Good friends with Frankie Muniz.

Engaged to Mike Comrie (February 19, 2010).

Joined the social networking site Twitter on October 10, 2010.

Was ranked at #40 on the 2011 Maxim list of "Hot 100" women.

Returned to work 10 months after giving birth to her son Luca in order to begin filming her guest appearance on Raising Hope (2010).

Started her European Concert Tour. [May 2006]

Currently recording a track that will "feature as the lead single for her upcoming film, Material Girls (2006), with her sister actress/singer Haylie, and an album project appropriately-titled "Material Girls". [April 2005]

Filming the music video for her upcoming single "So Yesterday". [June 2003]

Beginning tour again, starting in the Dodge Arena, Hildalgo, Texas, on March 4th 2005 [March 2005]

Promoting her upcoming album "Metamorphosis" in Toronto, Canada. [May 2003]

Filming Agent Cody Banks (2003) in Vancouver, Canada. [May 2002]

Filming The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003) in Rome, Italy. [October 2002]

On a promotion trip trough Europe, Japan and Australia. [October 2003]

Performing in radio station concerts, next month she will shoot the comedy Material Girls (2006) with sister Haylie Duff. [December 2004]

Finishing her tour in Australia and getting ready for her tour in Canada in January 2006. [December 2005]

Filming The Perfect Man (2005) in Toronto, Canada. [April 2004]

Best friends with Alanna Masterson.

Touring the United States and performing songs from her album "Metamorphosis". [July 2004]

Is promoting her new ablum called, "Most Wanted". [October 2005]

Has two children - a son Luca Cruz Comrie (b. March 20, 2012), with her ex-husband Mike Comrie and a daughter Banks Violet Bair (b. October 25, 2018) with her boyfriend Matthew Koma.

Released her new album 'Breathe in, Breathe Out' [June,2015].

Her name is derived from the Latin word hilarius meaning "cheerful".

She is descended from the Scottish King Robert The Bruce, who is Hilary's 21 times great grandfather.

I love clothes. I can't control myself. I have a huge fetish for shoes and clothes and make-up. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to wear things over and over again.

[on her life and career] It's crazy and so surreal. I feel like such a normal person, yet everybody around the world knows my music, my movie, my name and my face. It's crazy sometimes, but I'm so flattered. It's a good feeling.

In high school, kids deal with such harsh things that people don't realize can really affect their entire lives. They are so interested in getting the boyfriends and wearing low-cut shirts so the boys will like them. That shouldn't be their goal. They shouldn't do things for other people, they should do things if they have dreams of their own and really work hard for that.

Mom always tells me to celebrate everyone's uniqueness. I like the way that sounds.

Every week I read about myself in a magazine, about something that I haven't done or some place that I've never been or don't even know. It's just gossip, rumors, egos, and politics.

We're still a very tight-knit family, even though we live apart a lot. And now [sister Haylie Duff] and I get to work together more and more. We're really close.

I don't think the Disney Channel gives us enough credit for the age range Lizzie McGuire (2001) actually has. College students come up to me, grandparents, famous people. It's really funny.

[on helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina] It is heartbreaking to see the devastation on TV. People are missing family members and they have absolutely nothing left, not even food or water. I want to do everything I can to help those who have survived to help rebuild their lives.

[Dealing with mean girls in school] I switched schools in the middle of second grade, and it was tough because I had to go right into a new school where I didn't know anybody. I made friends eventually, but then when I started acting in California, a lot of those people were really mean to me. I'd go to school, and they'd be like "Well, haven't you booked anything yet?" It was embarrassing. They just didn't understand how hard it was and that things don't just happen overnight.

[on her first pregnancy] Everybody else says it's a girl, but I think it's a boy. I'd be happy with a girl, but my sister's like, "You can't keep saying that, because then when it's a girl, everybody's gonna be like, you really wanted a boy!" I don't care what I get, but every time I think about it or dream about it, I see a boy. I haven't gotten sick at all and I don't have too many cravings. It's so different. It's literally like an alien has taken over your body. One day I'll have a good day, and one day I'll have a bad day, and it kinda goes like that.

[on why she wanted to take the role in Bloodworth (2010)] Obviously, I hope people see it and think I did a good job in it, and see me in a different way than how they've watched me grow up, which is more lighthearted films. It is different in that I think every actor is looking for a challenge and to play something different, and to be a part of a project with other great actors. It was a great experience, and I think I've been trying to choose roles like that on purpose. I didn't find it easy to identify with her [the character of Raven Lee Halfacre], but I grew up in Texas and we had a house in the hill country that we'd go to often, and it was really deep into the country, and we had a few friends there growing up that were caretakers of our property, and I actually used them a lot for inspiration because they just had such a quiet life. The town was pretty incestuous - just back roads country stuff. I didn't relate to it, but I felt like I had some things to draw off of. The accent came pretty easy, and being where we had to be to film it really took you there fast because you were imagining that this was your life, how hard it would be.

[on taking the part of starlet Olivia Burke on Gossip Girl (2007)] I was a little hesitant. It was kind of close to home, then I realized, I would never say something [that Olivia says] like, Oh, this is just for the cameras. I think that's what makes me so different from some of the other people my age. It seemed for a time there were people who hated each other and I knew they hated each other but they were in pictures together all the time, smiling and throwing their arms around each other. I was like, You're in the same business I am how can you do that and feel okay I so wouldn't do that.

[on her dialect and dropping a live scorpion down her pants for War, Inc. (2008)] The first time I talked to John Cusack, he said, "You know, you have to have an accent." The character is an Eastern European pop star. I didn't even know where to begin. But the fun thing is, this place doesn't even exist. Turaqistan is not a real country. So I played around and mixed a lot of things together! I talked in that accent as much as I could, even to my family and friends! I grew up in Texas, and we had plenty of scorpions, but I never had to put one down my pants before. And my pants weren't that baggy, so I couldn't get any space. I did it a couple times with it going down my leg and it was terrifying. The little thing kept doing back bends because it obviously didn't want to go in my pants. Everyone on the set was cheering! It's off the wall and nuts and really smart and controversial and really proves the point. And I was so excited about it, like, "Gosh, can I do this? I don't know if I can do this!" Because you know what, when people won't take a chance on you, you have no confidence.

[on ex-boyfriend Joel Madden in the August 2007 edition of Seventeen magazine] All of the going out he did after we broke up sort of shocked me. That's just so out of character for him, and when we were together, he hated stuff like that, so I felt like I didn't really know him as well as I thought I did. I still want the cookie-cutter American dream--to get married, have kids, and have a house with a picket fence. I still believe that marriage can work.

[on whether there is any rivalry with older sister Haylie Duff] There's not. People always want to expect that, but we're so focused on what we're doing individually, that that's the last thing that happens.

[about her sex life] You know what? I was quoted [June 2006 interview in "Elle" magazine] saying I was a virgin, but I absolutely did not say that. That's nobody's business but my own.

[on taking on roles that are edgier or darker than what people might perceive to be in her comfort zone] Sometimes people don't think I can do the movies that maybe I could. I still fight for projects, and I don't get everything that I want. It's tough to convince people that I'm other things than just making people laugh. But I love romantic comedies, I would love to do more. They're not always easy. They are some of my favorite movies.

[on working with John Cusack and Ben Kingsley in War, Inc. (2008)] John was fantastic and just really gave us room to play on set. He wasn't one of those "Hurry, hurry, we've got to get it done now" types. He's a big believer in going into it until it feels right. It was a great all-around experience and also acting-wise I'd never worked like that before. And also we worked with Ben Kingsley, which was fantastic. I only had one scene with him, but it's hard to take your eyes off him. He's so talented. The other thing that's made it easy for me is going on tour so many times and having to sing in front of people. You don't have a second to hold back. You have to step on the stage at that moment. It prepares you for throwing yourself into something fast and not thinking too much about it before you do it. And that goes for getting ready to start a really challenging scene or working with someone who might intimidate you.

[on gaining weight during her pregnancy] My whole life I've worked out and exercised and been in the public eye and always kind of watched what I ate. And this was like a free pass and it was a blast. I am working out and I'm trying and I'm trying not to [obsess]. Everyone wants their body back, but all in time. It took nine months to get there and so hopefully, it won't take that long to get it off, but I'm doing it slowly.

I'm not a perfect, prude girl. I like to do normal things that 20-year-olds do. But as good as it is for the rest of the world to watch people fall apart, it's not a respectable way to be talked about. I don't want that attention. If I can't get any from what I'm doing now, I'll figure out a different plan.

I have a little bitch in me.

[on her fans accepting her image as she grows older and takes on mature projects] I don't want to restrict myself from doing things that stimulate me just to make them happy. If they continue to like me, that's cool, but I don't want to cater to them. I'm not 13, 14, or 15 anymore.

Lots of girls like really smooth-talking guys, but I like the ones who are really nervous to come up to you and a little shy. They're probably the nicest ones.

My relationship with my mom is so amazing. We never got to have that stage that people go through, like when you're 13 and you think you're too cool for your parents. When you're embarrassed by them and stuff. We never went through that because I was constantly working and she constantly had to be there. We just because best friends. I tell her everything. She's really my role model and my inspiration. She's such a good person and such a strong person. A lot of people give her flack for being strong and being smart, but I think I envy that in her.

[on her role in Raise Your Voice (2004)] People have been asking me today what the most challenging part of the movie was, and it wasn't the crying scenes. I think that's much easier than trying to make people laugh. Crying on command is not that difficult. But the parts that were harder for me were after the tragedy happens to Terri in her life, it's kind of like just like a closed-off, numb feeling. She doesn't feel any emotion, no happiness, no sadness. She's kind of nothing. That was the hardest thing for me. And then going to the school and feeling like the outsider, I kind of learned how to do that a lot with Lizzie McGuire (2001) because she was the dork that didn't really fit in. And everybody kind of made Terri feel very unwelcome at the school at first.

[on her second album, which was self-titled] On the second album I worked with a lot of people that I worked with on the "Metamorphosis" album. And when I worked on "Metamorphosis" I was so nervous and shy about going into the studio and working with people, they eventually toward the end made me feel so comfortable and so secure with myself. I loved working with them. I have a great relationship with them. I talk to them [all the time]. When we started talking about the second album, I was like, "I want to work with all the same people." They knew what was going on in my life, what I was going through. I would call them and say, "I feel like this right now. I want a song about this . . . ". I never really felt like I had enough time to write my whole album and I don't know if I'm secure enough with myself to do that. But I wrote three songs on the album, one I wrote with my sister [Haylie Duff]. It's so personal and these people really got what I was going through and how I feel inside. I think that's what makes it good and that's what makes me relate to them.

[on her character in War, Inc. (2008)] Not only am I [cursing], but I'm smoking, letting boys put their hands on me. The character was a bit vulgar. I don't think using the "F" word would have bothered me if I had said it once or twice, but it's throughout the whole movie. But I'm just acting. A lot of people didn't want to give me a chance for a long time, because I was doing movies where I was nice, and I was still a kid. But that put me in a box, and people didn't want to take a chance on me. When I got this script, I flipped over it. I felt, "I need this, I want this." It was great just getting to play a character that was so out there and crazy.

You can be edgy without showing off your boobs.

I try not to wear like sunglasses because if you wear sunglasses, if you see someone who walks into the room with sunglasses, aren't you going to look at them and think, "Who's hiding under there?" So why would you do that?

[when asked if she would let her son, Luca, go into the industry] I'd say, "Are you sure?" My sister and I said that same thing to my mom, and she encouraged us. I'm so happy she did, and I would not change my life for anything. But it's tough, and it's totally different than it used to be. I am even scared of [Luca] growing up getting his picture taken all the time and feeling different. I saw a rag magazine the other day--I was having my hair done or something--and the headline said, "Who Wore It Better?" and the photo showed Suri Cruise and so-and-so's kid. They had the same dress on, and [this magazine] put these kids up against each other. I'm just thinking that this is sickening. Now that I'm a mom and I have a child, I can't imagine. It's not right.

[on motherhood] It's really wonderful. There are no words to describe it. I mean, to say "It's wonderful" sounds minuscule. When you get to see your baby for the first time, and they put him on your chest, and you're looking into each other's eyes, this feeling just washes over you and there are really no words. You know the first two weeks I was just on a high. I was going, going, going. And then after that, exhaustion set in. So that was tough. The advice people gave me was to sleep when your baby's sleeping and I didn't do it in the beginning. Once I got exhausted I thought, "Okay, I understand what they mean."