Hilary Duff Raises Her Voice

Whether you know her best as "Lizzie McGuire" or from her music [she's on tour now] or any of her films, including Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen or A Cinderella Story, bouncy blonde actress/singer Hilary Duff is on everyone's radar. Now she has a line of products called Stuff by Hilary Duff that includes everything from t-shirts and ringtones to hair care and doggie clothes. She won a World Music Award for Best New Female Artist and she's popping up on TRL and tons of other TV shows in support of her latest movie Raise Your Voice, about a talented singer who, despite her dad's strong objections and a family tragedy, attends a summer music program where her talent grows and she falls in love.

When we spoke with the busy star in L.A. recently, her hectic schedule had her feeling poorly but trouping on valiantly. She looked more classic and tailored than "rock chick" in high heels, brown slacks, chiffon print blouse, gold and pink coral dangle earrings and thin pink strands in her otherwise blonde hair. We asked the young star.. who has just turned 17, about her family, her love of music, her products, upcoming films and how she handles her growing fame.

TeenHollywood: How are you feeling? We heard you were sick.

Hilary: I am. I have everything in the world wrong with me right now!

TeenHollywood: Oh, we're sorry. Hope you feel better (she sniffles). How do your parents handle your sudden success?

Hilary: My parents, no matter if it was gymnastics or soccer, acting or singing, like they've always been one hundred percent supportive, you know. My mom is the hardest worker in the world for me when it comes to something that I want to do or achieve or accomplish. Same with my sister, like we're all big supporters in my family. And that's one thing that I really didn't relate to with Terri [her character in Raise Your Voice] at all, because she didn't have a very supportive half of her family at least.

TeenHollywood: Do you all talk about it at home?

Hilary: We don't really talk about it in my household. We don't talk about how I have a clothing line that's doing this, or my movie comes out, unless we're in a meeting or something, and I think it has become bigger than what anybody expected and it's really exciting for me. I'm really lucky that I get to do all this stuff, and of course my family, I feel like they're just as big a part of it as I am. Just because we all have worked so hard for all of this together. It is a little scary though, I know it's scary for my mom to give me a little bit of freedom, and every time I leave my house I'm sure she freaks out a little bit because we're not 'normal' any more.

TeenHollywood: How do you decide what products you'll endorse? There must have been some weird requests.

Hilary: Yeah, there have been. I'm trying to think, a couple of food products that were kind of weird, some weird merchandise.

TeenHollywood: Like the ironing board?

Hilary: I didn't even know about that one!

TeenHollywood: Are you very much involved in that process?

Hilary: Well, as much as I don't like to be a part of it, I have to be, because I'm gonna be the one sitting there smiling and have to be happy with how it comes out, or what it is that I'm promoting. We all talk about it, the whole team around me, my managers and my mom, and everyone. We all work together and see what's gonna make you the happiest, what's gonna be the best deal, you know. At the end of the day, I want to listen to them because I think that they're older and smarter, and they want to listen to me, because they want me to be happy.

TeenHollywood: Do you think your character's mom in the film (played by Rita Wilson) is kind of like your own mom when she has trouble letting her daughter go away?

Hilary: I don't think so. I think that in the movie, Rita's [Wilson] character, she's a beautiful character, is letting her daughter leave but I feel she's a little weaker, than I think my mom would be. My dad is definitely nothing like David Keith in the movie. Of course, he's a little bit strict with us just because we're his girls. I know my mom worries about me when I leave the house, just because our life is so different now, but I don't think that she's worried about my job. She's very proud, and she keeps it going.

TeenHollywood: So has switching from TV to movies made a big difference for the way you live your life?

Hilary: I think it's different just because I've grown. I am older and more people do know who I am. It's not like I can just go to a restaurant or go walk down the street.

TeenHollywood: So when you walk down the street it's chaos?

Hilary: Yeah. Which, it's like a really good thing sometimes and it's really cool to get to see people supporting you and loving you, and it's inspiring to want to keep working, and putting out stuff for them to want to see or do. Hopefully it inspires them to follow their dreams somewhere. But also, I don't think people understand that I get such little time off as it is and they don't understand what they're asking for sometimes.

TeenHollywood: You were shooting this film and recording at the same time. When do you sleep?

Hilary: (laughs) I do. It's like, it depends, sometimes I'm busier than other times, but it's always kind of busy. I'd just gone off to work for three months, and now I'm gonna be promoting a movie, and then I go to Japan and Australia and Hawaii to tour overseas for a month, and then I'll be working on another movie, and then we're going to be promoting The Perfect Man. [her new romantic comedy with Heather Locklear].

TeenHollywood: Do you have any sort of technique to relax?

Hilary: I don't think so, I think I'm young, you know. [laughs] Get it all done while I can. But I love it so much that if I want to do it all, I'm gonna have to put in the work, and I'm willing to do that.

TeenHollywood: Don't you have massages or facials?

Hilary: You know what's funny? Everyone's like, oh my God, I want to go get a massage or a facial, and I'm not into that kind of stuff. I mean it's important to get facials just for your skin, because I always have makeup on, but that's not relaxing to me. Like, I'm checking my watch, what time is it? When can I go see my friends? I like massages but I'm young and I feel like if I'm not working, and I'm at home, I want to be like driving in my car, or going shopping, or hanging out with my friends, and being normal.

TeenHollywood: Do you have big plans for the next record release?

Hilary: Yeah. My album comes out on my birthday (Sept. 28th). Actually, I've been working so much lately, and I haven't had any time off, and my sister planned a trip for me and two of her friends and two of my friends to go to Mexico. I've never been to this part of Mexico before, and I'm going to go fishing and I've never done that stuff.

TeenHollywood: What drew you to play the character of Terri?

Hilary: I think what I loved so much about it was that even with the tragedy that happened in this girl's life, she really chose to persevere through it, and still follow her dream. But it's difficult for her. When she got to this school, she still had all this other stuff on her mind, and nobody made her feel welcome there, at all. And she struggled so much, and it was very hard for her, but she still challenged herself to like want to become a better [song]writer, and a singer, and learn more about her craft. And I think that was really cool, and really inspiring, especially for other people that have something that they want to do. They can go out and see how she did it, even with this horrible thing that's happened to her in her life, she still did it. Even without all of her parent's consent, she followed her dream, and she grew as a person and learned more about herself.

TeenHollywood: How is music important in your own life?

Hilary: I think it's so important because you can listen to any type of music and relate to it, no matter what. You know, somehow put it to your life. different sorts of voices come through with different emotions that you're feeling, and you listen to different kinds of music for your moods. I think it's really cool. And when you write, it's an even better feeling, because when I write music, I know that I say things in my music that I wouldn't necessarily sit here and say to you because I might be scared, or I might not want people to know, or I might be embarrassed. When I put that into my music, it's answers that people can listen to, and hopefully relate to. I think music should be important in everybody's lives. And in school, even if it's playing instruments, not necessarily writing or singing.

TeenHollywood: Do you play an instrument?

Hilary: I don't. I know how to play some of my songs on the piano. I wish I had stuck with piano when I was younger, because it's really cool, I wish I would've learned. I have some guitars, maybe I'll learn.

TeenHollywood: Cute British actor Oliver James plays your love interest in the film. How was it working with him?

Hilary: I really pushed for Oliver to get the part, because I like him so much. And I saw him in an Amanda Bynes movie [What a Girl Wants]. And he's so cute! I loved working with him. He's really nice, and I wanted them to keep his [British] accent a lot.

TeenHollywood: You guys have a nice kissing scene.

Hilary: It was a little embarrassing just because there were so many people there, and I can only work for ten and a half hours on set, during the day. We had seven minutes to do this scene, and so everyone's running around like crazy people, like oh my God, we've got to get this done! And I was sitting there like a little bit nervous, because I'm about to kiss this guy that I kind of just met, and a lot of people will be watching, and he's probably a little bit nervous too. But it was okay, and it was very professional, and he's really cute, did I mention that? So it made it easy.

TeenHollywood: Are you playing a bad girl in your next film?

Hilary: No, actually, the movie that comes out after this one is The Perfect Man. And that's with Heather Locklear, and Christopher Noth. That's more of like a mother and daughter relationship, it's kind of like a dramedy, I guess you would say. But the movie after that, hopefully we'll get it going. She's kind of a bad girl. It's like an action movie.

TeenHollywood: If you have time to read, what are you reading?

Hilary: Actually, I'm reading [a novel] 'The Lovely Bones.'

TeenHollywood: Does reading mean a lot in your life?

Hilary: I think that it's really relaxing, you know, especially with everything that goes on? You can really get lost in a good book and it's important to expand your vocabulary. I love reading, I even love reading kids' books still.

***

Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.