Hilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer, songwriter and author. Duff began her acting career at a young age and quickly became labeled a teen idol as the title character of the hit television series Lizzie McGuire and in the theatrical film based on the series, The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Take a look below for 40 more awesome and interesting facts about Hilary Duff.

1. Duff was born on September 28, 1987, in Houston, Texas.

2. Her parents are Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in a chain of convenience stores, and Susan Colleen, a homemaker turned film and music producer.

3. Duff has one older sister named Haylie.

4. She was raised between Houston and San Antonio, the locations of her father’s convenience stores.

5. Encouraged by their mother, both Hilary and her sister enrolled in acting, singing and ballet classes.

6. The siblings earned roles in local theater productions, and later participated in a touring BalletMet production of The Nutcracker in San Antonio.

7. Increasingly interested in the pursuit of show business, the Duff sisters and their mother moved to California in 1993, while their father stayed in Houston to take care of his business.

8. The sisters auditioned for several years and were cast in many television commercials.

9. Due to her acting career, Duff was home-schooled from the age of eight.

10. The pair also modeled for various clothing brands. Duff stated, “My sister and I really showed an interest in [performing] and dedication, and [our mother] was like, ‘How can I tell my kids no?’ It’s the same as kids that are going into sports. Parents support them and push them.”

11. During her initial acting years, Duff primarily played minor roles, such as her uncredited part in the Hallmark Entertainment western miniseries True Women and as an uncredited extra in the ensemble comedy-drama Playing by Heart.

12. The same year, Duff landed her first major role as Wendy in Casper Meets Wendy, based on the Harvey Comics characters.

13. After appearing in the supporting role of Ellie in the television film The Soul Collector (1999), Duff received a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot (Supporting Young Actress).

14. In March 2000, Duff appeared as a sick child in the CBS medical drama series Chicago Hope. 

15. She was next cast as one of the children in the pilot episode of the NBC comedy series Daddio.

16. Her Daddio co-star Michael Chiklis stated, “After working with her the first day, I remember saying to my wife, ‘This young girl is gonna be a movie star.’ She was completely at ease with herself and comfortable in her own skin.” However, producers dropped Duff from the cast prior to the airing of the show.

17. In 2001, it was confirmed that Duff was in a relationship with fellow teen star Aaron Carter.

18. Carter later guest-starred in an episode of Lizzie McGuire with Duff. The relationship garnered media attention with reports of a love triangle between Duff, Carter, and actress Lindsay Lohan.

19. Duff and Carter continued an on-again-off-again relationship for three years, before ultimately ending their relationship for good.

20. In July 2004, a 16-year-old Duff began dating Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden, who was then 25 years old.

21. After a long period of tabloid speculation, Duff’s mother Susan announced their relationship in a June 2005 interview for Seventeen magazine.

22. Madden worked with Duff on her compilation album, Most Wanted.

23. In November 2006, Duff and Madden broke up.

24. Duff began dating Canadian NHL player Mike Comrie in 2007.

25. Duff and Comrie announced their engagement in February 2010, and married on August 14, 2010, in Santa Barbara, California.

26. Duff announced her pregnancy in 2011, and gave birth to a son, Luca Cruz Comrie, in March 2012.

27. On January 10, 2014, Duff and Comrie announced that they had amicably separated and would continue to co-parent their son.

28. In February 2015, Duff filed for divorce from Comrie, citing irreconcilable differences, and requesting primary physical and legal joint custody of their son. The divorce was finalized in February 2016.

29. Following her split from Comrie, Duff dated personal trainer Jason Walsh from August 2015 until November 2016.

30. Duff has been in a relationship with Matthew Koma since January 2017.

31. Duff and Koma worked together extensively for her 2015 album Breathe In. Breathe Out.; the title track is a track he co-wrote and produced.

32. They announced she was pregnant with their first child together, a girl on June 8, 2018.

33. In October 2018, Duff delivered their daughter, Banks Violet Bair, via a home water birth.

34. Duff and Koma then became engaged in May 2019.

35. For natural disasters, she donated $250,000 to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina in addition to donating over 2.5 million meals to Hurricane Katrina victims in the southern US in 2005.

36. In August 2006, Duff traveled to a New Orleans elementary school and worked with USA Harvest to distribute meals.

37. She has helped various youth charities and is a member of Kids with a Cause.

38. Duff has also served on the Advisory Board of the Audrey Hepburn Child Benefit Fund and the Celebrity Council of Kids with a Cause.

39. In October 2008, Duff starred in a public service announcement for The Think Before You Speak Campaign by Ad Council and GLSEN to prevent youth from using anti-LGBT vocabulary, such as the phrase “That’s So Gay.”

40. In July 2009, Duff was named as a youth ambassador to the children of the Colombian capital, Bogotá. As a Youth Ambassador, she spent five days in the country, distributing backpacks filled with food to needy children.