Hilary Duff’s journey to becoming a prominent figure in entertainment is quite remarkable. At the age of 11, she faced a significant setback when she was fired from a TV role. This unexpected turn of events ultimately paved the way for her to achieve fame and success.
Duff became a beloved figure in the early 2000s as the star of Disney’s “Lizzie Maguire” series. Her portrayal of the titular character for two seasons from 2001 to 2004 was a launching pad for her career in films such as “Agent Cody Banks,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” and “A Cinderella Story.”
None of her subsequent accomplishments would have been possible if she had not experienced being let go from a previous TV role.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Duff told Variety, “The audition for the TV show was crazy. I had decided that I wanted to go back to Texas and be a ‘normal kid,’”
She elaborated on the situation: “I had just gotten replaced off of a TV show because they replaced me with twins, so they could work longer hours.”
The young actress felt devastated, recounting, “And I remember being like, ‘I got fired. 11 years old and I got fired from a job.’ It was like absolutely devastating.”
While she contemplated returning to a normal life, a call from her manager sparked a change. Disney had shown interest in her for an audition.
“My manager called my mom and was like, ‘Disney wants to see Hilary for this thing,’” she said.
Initially unprepared and still processing her previous rejection, Duff didn’t perform well at the audition.
“I walked in and I was super unprepared. It was like a monologue,” she recalled, adding that casting director Robin Lippin pointed out her lack of preparation. “She was like, ‘You’re not very prepared for this.’ ”
Feeling embarrassed yet motivated by the challenge, Duff returned the next day, fully prepared, and delivered a much-improved performance.
“I came back the next day and I was completely off book. And I had it down,” she shared.
Over the following weeks, Duff went through multiple audition rounds, one of which involved showcasing a special talent.
Eager to impress, she demonstrated her ability to walk on her hands, saying, “I think I was trying to shock everybody.”
Her talents impressed the casting team, and her gymnastics ability became a part of Lizzie Maguire’s character on the show.
Beyond acting, Duff also gained recognition as a singer, with her albums “Hilary Duff” (2004) and “Dignity” (2007) resonating with fans. Despite this success, Duff hadn’t originally planned on a music career.
Reflecting on this unexpected path, she said, “I think it was a combination of not entirely knowing what I was doing and also being thrilled to be a pop star.”
Duff had taken voice lessons as a child but did not foresee a music career until she found inspiration from Britney Spears, humorously declaring, “I was like, well I’m also gonna be a pop star, so watch this.”