hilary duff

Hilary Duff was born on September 28th, 1987, in Houston, Texas. The younger of two sisters, she is representative of her family's knack for the entertainment business (her mother is a producer, her sister a musician). It was during a ballet tour at the age of 6 that Hilary realized that she wanted to become an actress.

After a commercial appearance and much hard work, she landed her first role, in the made-for-TV movie True Women. It was certainly a mark of success for a 10-year-old; little did anyone suspect how much further she would take her career.

Advancement came quickly for Hilary. After a solid turn as the titular witch in the made-for-TV movie Casper Meets Wendy in 1998, Duff appeared in the TV movie, The Soul Collector and received a Young Artist Award for Supporting Young Actress in a TV Movie or Pilot. But the real turning point in her career was her lead role in the Disney Channel's successful show, Lizzie McGuire.

By all accounts, Lizzie McGuire took Hilary to the top ranks of young entertainers. Aside from becoming the Disney Channel's No. 1 series, it broke records in its time slot (it also spawned a hit feature film in 2003). The series has given Hilary fame, fortune and -- more importantly, she might argue -- the opportunity to break into another passion of hers: music.

Duff contributed her vocals to the Lizzie McGuire television soundtrack album, for the song "I Can't Wait." Not surprisingly, it became a hit. After the less-successful Christmas album Santa Claus Lane, Duff returned to the recording studio to work on her real accomplishment: her debut album, Metamorphosis.

Continuing Hilary's streak of nearly unprecedented success, Metamorphosis hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts upon its release, and soon afterward spent its fair share of time in the top spot. Featuring a variety of styles from a variety of talented producers and songwriters (including Hilary's sister, Haylie), the record showcases Hilary's adaptability to many musical styles. She has toured North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia in support of the album, and has long since been a regular on shows like MTV's Total Request Live.

Throughout her pop stardom, Hilary hasn't given up acting. In 2003, she starred in both The Lizzie McGuire Movie and Agent Cody Banks, alongside Malcolm in the Middle's Frankie Muniz. She will no doubt draw more attention to herself when the remake of Cheaper by the Dozen and A Cinderella Story are released.

Hilary shows no sign of relinquishing any of her endeavors. In fact, she has put notable efforts into charity work, not to mention social appearances. She is only 16, but Hilary Duff's got the career of a thirty-something superstar.

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