COVER STORY Hilary Duff A TEXAS METEMORPHISIS C I O N W D B I O A Y N S S by William C. Reynolds t was a scene last summer that could have happened anywhere in the West, a young girl greeting a horse as the midday sun painted the moment with summer’s I warmth. They stood together in a pasture on California’s Central Coast, where mountains meet the sea. Here in this coastal canyon the land is a blur of buckskin and blue — a place where the green pastures of spring have turned golden, ris- ing up to meet the sky. On that summer day, this one young girl and a special horse shared a time with the only audience, the sky and the land. It was a unique moment of quiet for the teenager and she relished the private time. Hilary Duff doesn’t get many solitary moments — especially with a horse — at this point in her life, let alone with Spirit, the little mustang who was inspiration for DreamWork’s animated blockbuster Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron. “I had to catch my breath when I saw him,” she said. “He’s absolutely stunning.” Spirit is no ordinary horse and the place he lives, Return To Freedom, Neda DeMayo’s Central California wild horse sanctuary, is no ordinary ranch. Hilary had traveled from her Los Angeles home to the Buellton, California, facility, where along with Spirit, 130 other horses live out there lives in peace. Return to Freedom is a refuge dedicated to preserving the last of America’s photography by Charles Bush OPPOSITE: Pink sleeveless T-shirt from Roper; necklace with heart pendant from Happy Trails de Santa Fe; sterling silver heart bracelet from Island Cowgirl. JUNE 2004 wild horses, and Hilary had been named its official youth ambassador. She was obviously moved by the visit. “It’s important to raise the awareness of other kids about these horses,” says Hilary. “This is really an honor; horses have always been special to me and I look up to people who are involved with organizations that help people and ani- mals. It’s very special to give back to your community — that’s the best part of being in the position I’m in right now.” That position is one of a highly influ- ential superstar. In fact, in her young 16 years, Hilary Duff has performed and worked more than many in Hollywood will in their entire careers. If you’re asking yourself, “Who is Hilary Duff ?” Get ready, you’re about to see a lot of this household name to most kids under 18. Her film and television careers are boom- ing along with a 2004 booked-full sum- mer of a concert tour in support of her hugely successful debut CD. Yes, she’s a recording artist as well. As for movies, she’s just wrapped Heart of Summer, an urban, romantic drama, in which she stars OPPOSITE: Pink sleeveless T-shirt from Roper; striped cotton skirt from Billabong; with Rita Wilson and John Corbett (My Pink Applique boots from Liberty Boot Co.; necklace with heart pendant from Happy Big Fat Greek Wedding) along with Trails de Santa Fe; sterling silver heart bracelet from Island Cowgirl. ABOVE: Long-sleeve lavender snap-front shirt and red Vintage Collection boots with Rebecca De Mornay and David Keith. white stitching, both from Roper; denim skirt and yellow cotton T-shirt, both from She also just completed the romantic Wrangler; sterling silver beaded necklace with cross from Happy Trails de Santa Fe. comedy feature A Cinderella Story with Last year she starred in three features of her debut album on Hollywood young hunk Chad Michael Murray. It’s a including the rollicking Steve Martin Records, Metamorphosis. A now multi- contemporary Cinderella story set for family comedy Cheaper by the Dozen million plus, triple-platinum selling U.S. release this July. Next, she’s slated to along with Bonnie Hunt and Demi album; the CD initially shipped to stores star in The Perfect Man, a romantic com- Moore’s squeeze, Ashton Kutcher. Also well in excess of gold record status with edy based on the true-life stories of came the wacky spy comedy Agent Cody over 800,000 copies sold with its initial Heather Robinson, a teenage daughter Banks with Frankie Muniz and her own release last August. With impressive con- searching for the perfect man for her sin- starring vehicle, The Lizzie McGuire tinuing sales today, Hilary’s singing career gle mom. This followed with another Movie, these all released in 2003. The is exploding on Top 40 radio, MTV, and comedy, Outward Blonde. A film about a later Lizzie film is the big screen follow- the top 200 retail charts. Just like her song snotty, teenage New Yorker, who, after up to her mega successful Disney “Come Clean” says on her album, Hilary failing gym class, is sent to an Outward Channel television series, “Lizzie is spreading her wings and no more “try- Bound program - sort of an Elle-Woods- McGuire.” A series that continues to run ing to fit a square into a circle.”The album meets-the-backwoods. after three years of consistently winning has caused quite a stir as Hilary is dealing In 1998, she starred in a direct-to- its ratings time slot. with growing up and the pull of her mil- video feature as the young witch in The Disney Channel cable show also lions of fans to stay just Lizzie McGuire. Casper Meets Wendy opposite a dream marked Hilary’s singing debut lending her “Change is a very important and natu- ensemble cast for anyone in Hollywood fresh vocals to “I Can’t Wait,”a song from ral thing,” says Hilary. “We called the (let alone a young 10 year old girl) the certified platinum, million-selling album ‘Metamorphosis’ because it’s about including Shelley Duvall, Cathy Lizzie McGuire Soundtrack. Singing has changes that everybody experiences, espe- Moriarty, Teri Garr, George Hamilton, seemed to be another of Hilary’s talents, cially kids. It’s not just about me, but it is Pauly Shore, Allen Thicke, and Ben Stein. along with acting, looking at the success very personal. The change might seem a COWBOYS & INDIANS kids today and their doubts of relation- ships lasting. A burden placed on ones so young but a reality just the same that in the end everyone is accountable to themselves: “Gotta find your inner strength/If you can’t then just throw life away/Gotta learn to rely on you.” Yet with all this huge, seemingly overnight success and with all the pres- sure forced upon her, Hilary is somehow succeeding at staying a teenager while also being TV and pop music’s favorite girl-next-door — a substantial achieve- ment in keeping values first. To maintain that achievement it takes a strong founda- tion to hold up to the pressures of the entertainment industry. Hilary’s founda- tion is a strong and grounded family, something parents Bob and Susan Duff have nurtured and closely protected, right from the beginning. Hilary Erhard Duff was born in Houston Texas, on September 28, 1987. A sixth generation Texan, she and older sister Haylie come from time-tested stock, their great-great-great-grandpar- ents having emigrated from Munich, ABOVE: Short-sleeve cactus shirt from Roper; jeans from Rock & Republic. OPPOSITE: Suede Wild Child shirt in baked apple red from Patricia Wolf; El Muerto Germany, and settled near Austin back in buckle set with black calf strap from Douglas Magnus; silver horseshoe necklace from 1840, four years after Texas won inde- Island Cowgirl; jeans from Rock & Republic. pendence from Mexico. little sudden as most people are used to talent included singer-songwriter-produc- “It does create a bit of permanence,” seeing me as a character on TV through er Meredith Brooks, producing master- she says. Permanence that makes for deep “Lizzie McGuire” and movie parts I mind Chico Bennett (Madonna, Usher, ties to her home state of Texas and the one played. This music is a good way to get Destiny’s Child), and some of the best thing that really matters to Hilary and her everyone to know the real me. Everyone pop-rock musicians anywhere. family - each other. With all that’s going on evolves and changes.” Of the experience, Hilary was ecstatic, with her life, Hilary Duff is growing up Change is one thing, doing it smart is “Can I tell you how awesome everyone pretty Western in all the good sense of the another and Metamorphosis shows that was to work with? Here were the very best word with roots that are faith based and Hilary was very smart in wanting some- writers, musicians, and producers ever and strong. No matter how far her fame might thing different on a debut album from they were so open to my opinions. I got to take her, she says she “feels grounded” and what would have been expected from talk with some of the writers and say, gives thanks to the very real connections of other pop princess efforts — a potential- ‘You know, I feel like this’ and they got it. her supportive family and friends. “Texas, ly dicey move in a very congested and It is so cool. I loved the whole process.” to me, is all about that — family and competitive field. But in Hilary’s case, she The album had a real family aspect as friends, and courtesy,” she smiles. did her homework. The 13 pop-rock well. Two songs were written by Hilary’s “‘Please’ and ‘thank you’ were probably songs were written, produced, and number one idol, her talented big sister, some of the first words my kids learned,” arranged by the very best in the business Haylie.