Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Hilary Duff

It’s hard to imagine Duff as anything other than an entertainer. She turned Lizzie McGuire into a household name and has sold millions of records since her album debut in 2002. However, in the mid-2010s, the actress stated that if she hadn’t become a celebrity she would probably be working as an interior designer. The Houston native has always been passionate about home décor and feels that she would have pursued it if not for her successful career in Hollywood. With her track record, she probably would have found a way to become a star in that line of work as well!

When we think about Hilary Duff, a number of things come to mind: her humble beginnings on the Disney Channel, “Metamorphosis” becoming a best-selling album, and the fact that she never went to rehab like so many of her contemporaries. However, one thing that doesn’t seem to fit is Hilary Duff: video game star. Oddly enough, the entertainer’s likeness has been featured in multiple different video games, three of which were “Lizzie McGuire” games developed for the Gameboy Advance. “The Sims 2: Pets” also featured Duff and her dog Lola as downloadable characters. Who would have guessed?

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. Hilary Duff is a triple threat: actress, singer, and author. She published her first novel, “Elixir,” in 2010. The story focuses on a young female photojournalist who gets caught up in a mystery after her father inexplicably disappears. The book spawned two sequels and was co-authored with Elise Allen. Firmly rooted in the young adult genre, the trilogy has garnered praise from critics and has since earned a place on the prestigious New York Times Best Seller list. Is there anything that Hilary Duff can’t do?

After releasing a Christmas album in 2002, Duff decided she wanted to make a pop record. So the following year, she enlisted the help of Hollywood Records to make her dream come true. The decision couldn’t have come at a better time for the floundering record company, as they had posted significant losses over the past couple of years. Luckily for them, “Metamorphosis” was an instant success, eventually making its way to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The album would go on to sell over 5 million copies, saving Hollywood Records in the process.

For Hilary Duff, Lizzie McGuire was the role of a lifetime; and she had the Disney Channel to thank for it. The character ultimately proved popular enough to warrant a film, one that Disney hoped to turn into a franchise. However, things didn’t exactly go as planned for either parties. During negotiations for the sequel to “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” Duff’s mother – who at the time was also acting as her manager – wasn’t satisfied with Disney’s offer and felt that the entertainment giant was lowballing her daughter. The Duffs ultimately walked away from the deal, and severed their ties with Disney for good.