Hilary: The Joke's On Her

Hilary Duff had to face her past during her recent visit to the video-music channel MuchMusic in Toronto. In an appearance on Live@Much, the show's hosts pranked the singer by playing old clips in which she denied being involved with beau Joel Madden. "You've made me look like this horrible liar," she joked to the audience. "I'm sorry – I'll never do it to you again." Now that they're out of the closet with their relationship, Duff revealed on the show that while recording her Most Wanted album, she didn't even want Madden – who cowrote several tracks – in the studio. "I was nervous – nobody wants to sound dumb in front of their boyfriend," she said. "He was so mad at me. He was like, 'Why can't I be in there? I helped do this, too!" Madden was on hand, though, for Duff's Canadian trip: He trekked up from the Sundance Film Festival to visit his ladylove, who also performed at the Air Canada Centre and promoted her line of girls clothing at Hudson's Bay Company department store.

Hilary Duff's New World

Hilary Duff says her life is pretty normal, but not every 18-year-old makes music and movies, dates a rock star (Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden) and has her own "world" – at least in cyberspace. The Most Wanted singer, 18, recently launched Hilary World, a new Web site on Kids Online at AOL (KOL) that features an advice column, and her own blog on AOL's teen service RED. PEOPLE caught up with Duff about her new venture, coping with life on the road and having her "peaceful, perfect place." Tell me about your Hilary World site.It has all my favorite things that I'm into – movies, music, actors – and we update it all the time. I'm doing a blog once or twice a week. There will be an advice column that will have live chats every once in a while. Do you write the advice column yourself? I get to go through the questions and pick the ones I want to answer. Kids these days have things going on in their lives, thoughts or feelings that they don't necessarily know who to talk to about. I'm just going to answer honestly and tell them how I would handle a situation. I think serious issues are cool to talk about.

Joel's Treat for Hilary

Hilary Duff's boyfriend, Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden, knows the way to her heart: a good cup of java. "Most of the time we're in hotels and stuff, so he'll order whatever he knows that I like," she says. "Or we’ll go on walks in the morning to Coffee Bean. He's a great boyfriend." And even though the couple's conflicting schedules sometimes keep them apart, Duff and her rocker at least will spend Thanksgiving together. "I'm actually going to be home on Thanksgiving, but then Thanksgiving night, Joel and I fly to Brazil because he has some shows there," she told us at a recent party in London celebrating Stella McCartney's new H&M fashion line. The actress-singer has been busy promoting her Most Wanted album in Europe, and she doesn't have any downtime planned in the near future. "I have to fly to New York twice and do some work in L.A. Then I tour Australia for two weeks. Then I come back and do some promotion for the movie that my sister and I have coming out Material Girls, she says. "Then I do a four-week tour in Canada and then Asia." Lucky she'll have a good cup of coffee to keep her going.

Hilary Duff's Birthday in Bed

Hilary Duff's 18th birthday celebration got under way early – before she was even awake. "I was sleeping and my friends jumped on me and brought me Starbucks," says the singer-actress of her 8:30 a.m. wake-up "call" on Sept. 28. Then her pals took her to breakfast in a custom-decorated SUV. "My friend painted all over her car. She put this huge star on the windshield so when I sat in the car my head went right there. It was really funny." The good times kept rolling that evening at L.A. club Mood, where the birthday girl – decked out in a sexy red Stella McCartney dress – celebrated with 300 guests at a lavish Moroccan-themed bash featuring henna tattoo artists, an array of delicacies – including sushi, swordfish and beef satay – and a multi-tiered red velvet cake. Besides a treasure trove of presents – including a Louis Vuitton jewelry case from her boyfriend, Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden ("I'm scared to put anything in it – it's too nice," she told us) – Duff's favorite gift was having her man share her big day with her. "We spend a lot of time apart so when we're together it's really special," she told us.

Hilary Duff's Changing Diet

Hilary Duff has been working up a sweat on her U.S. summer tour and it shows in her svelte physique. But that's not the only reason she's looking so trim. "I've made myself be really good for the last couple of months," she says of her healthier diet. "I used to be obsessed with French fries. Like I'm the biggest French fry person in the world. I could eat French fries all day." Duff hasn't only changed what she eats – she's also altered how she eats. "I've been eating a little bit all throughout the day and I saw such a big difference so fast! Now I'm like, 'Yes, this is awesome!' And I'm still full all the time." But Duff says she'll never become a waif. "I think it's feminine to not be so skinny. I like to look normal and I think it's also important for girls who look up to me to see that."

Hilary & Haylie's Big Sister Act

Gearing up for Thursday's inauguration of President Bush, Hilary Duff headlined the America's Future Rocks Today concert at the D.C. Armory – but stealing the show was an expletive uttered by the Pennsylvania rock band Fuel. "Welcome to the greatest ----ing country in the world," Fuel frontman Brett Scallions announced at the concert attended by the President. Parents in the house, which was described as half full, were not amused. Scallions quickly apologized,saying, "Excuse my language." Tuesday's concert, which included performers Ruben Studdard, JoJo, Ryan Cabrera and 3 Doors Down and paid tribute to youth volunteerism and community service, was planned partially by first daughter Barbara Bush, concert officials said. She and her twin Jenna watched the show but did not appear onstage. "It’s really cool," Duff told PEOPLE during a backstage break. "I think the whole thing is all about talking about the future and the youth and how we can make things better and how to treat other people.” The singer, who performed in a black sequined top, rolled-up jeans and sneakers, prepped the crowd for the arrival of the President and First Lady Laura Bush. "My call to you all is that as you enjoy the great freedoms of America and as you enjoy yourself at this inauguration, I hope you take away the lesson of helping somebody in need," said President Bush, who appeared near the event's conclusion – long after Scallions' remark. "And when you do, it will not only make our country a better place, it will lift up your own spirit." Others appearing at the event attended by about 7,000 were former football player Jason Sehorn, actor Stephen Baldwin (who rode a skateboard onto the stage) and Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell, whose co-host Billy Bush is the son of Jonathan, the brother of former President George H.W. Bush

Obscenity Mars Duff's Pre-Inaugural Show

Gearing up for Thursday's inauguration of President Bush, Hilary Duff headlined the America's Future Rocks Today concert at the D.C. Armory – but stealing the show was an expletive uttered by the Pennsylvania rock band Fuel. "Welcome to the greatest ----ing country in the world," Fuel frontman Brett Scallions announced at the concert attended by the President. Parents in the house, which was described as half full, were not amused. Scallions quickly apologized,saying, "Excuse my language." Tuesday's concert, which included performers Ruben Studdard, JoJo, Ryan Cabrera and 3 Doors Down and paid tribute to youth volunteerism and community service, was planned partially by first daughter Barbara Bush, concert officials said. She and her twin Jenna watched the show but did not appear onstage. "It’s really cool," Duff told PEOPLE during a backstage break. "I think the whole thing is all about talking about the future and the youth and how we can make things better and how to treat other people.” The singer, who performed in a black sequined top, rolled-up jeans and sneakers, prepped the crowd for the arrival of the
President and First Lady Laura Bush. "My call to you all is that as you enjoy the great freedoms of America and as you enjoy yourself at this inauguration, I hope you take away the lesson of helping somebody in need," said President Bush, who appeared near the event's conclusion – long after Scallions' remark. "And when you do, it will not only make our country a better place, it will lift up your own spirit." Others appearing at the event attended by about 7,000 were former football player Jason Sehorn, actor Stephen Baldwin (who rode a skateboard onto the stage) and Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell, whose co-host Billy Bush is the son of Jonathan, the brother of former President George H.W. Bush

Hilary Duff, Madonna Join Tsunami Aid

Hilary Duff is donating a portion of all ticket sales from her sold-out Most Wanted tour to aid tsunami relief efforts, and Madonna, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton and Mary J. Blige are among those joining the roster of stars on Saturday's NBC disaster-relief telethon. "I, just like everyone else, have watched this terrible tragedy and feel so sorry for the children and the families who have lost so much," Duff, 17, said in a statement. She will give the money to Kids with a Cause, which helps children who suffer from poverty, hunger, sickness, lack of education, abandonment, neglect and abuse, the Associated Press reports. "I want to do everything I can to help those that have survived," she says.

As for Saturday's live Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope, the TV fund-raiser will air on all NBC stations and benefit the American Red Cross. Musicians scheduled to appear include India.Arie, Kenny Chesney, Sheryl Crow, Gloria Estefan, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Jones, John Mayer, Sarah McLachlan and Roger Waters, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Rounding out the show will be a lineup of celebrities that includes Halle Berry, Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas, Rhea Pearlman, Tim Robbins, Kevin Spacey, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and George Clooney – who has invited his sparring partner, FOX commentator Bill O'Reilly, to join in too.

Hilary Duff Gets a New Pal

Joining the ranks of fellow blonde starlets Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, Hilary Duff has picked up a trendy new companion – a Chihuahua. The former Lizzie McGuire star plopped down $1,200 for a 1.5-lb. Blue Fawn pup at TeaCups Puppies Boutique in Hollywood, Fla., last weekend. The 9-week-old puppy – who was not immediately named – will grow to between 4 and 5 lbs. And Duff, 17, seems like she'll be a doting owner on her new tiny friend, says TeaCups founder Eleonora Bonfini. "She was very concerned about the puppy. I know that baby won't be left alone, and that it will be warm and safe traveling with her," says Bonfini. Considering the $677 Duff already spent on accessories at the store, including $45.99 for a crocheted sweater and $299.99 for an Italian shearling carrier, it's a pretty good bet the new pooch will be treated like royalty.

Hilary Duff's Song about Lindsay Lohan

OVERHEARD: Hilary Duff's eponymous new CD contains a track called "Haters" that appears to rehash her reputed 2002 feud with Lindsay Lohan over their love triangle with Aaron Carter. Though the song mentions no one by name, USA Today reports that some are suggesting Duff has Lohan in mind with these lyrics: "You're the queen of superficiality/Keep your lies out of my reality ... You say your boyfriend's sweet and kind/But you've still got your eyes on mine." Duff's spokesman had no comment regarding the song. And neither Duff, 17, nor Lohan, 18, is still dating Carter. Lohan's with Wilmer Valderrama, while Duff has been linked to Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden, though they claim they're only friends. ARGUED: CBS network parent Viacom has sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission protesting the government's $500,000 fine for Janet Jackson's exposed nipple during the Super Bowl, calling it "entirely illogical." The company says no one knew Justin Timberlake was going to rip off Jackson's top, and it wants the FCC to reduce the fine – the largest ever leveled against a television broadcaster. Viacom also argued that the ruling was a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech and that the brief flash of Jackson's breast was not necessarily indecent. DENIED: The wildly successful, yet controversial flick Fahrenheit 9/11 won't be up for a Golden Globe, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Michael Moore movie runs afoul of the award show's rules, which preclude documentaries from competing. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which administers the Globes, will however, consider another controversial flick – Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. The film, most of which is in Aramaic, can't be considered in the best drama category, but can run in the foreign language category. Nominations for the 62nd annual Golden Globe Awards will be announced Dec. 13. Winners will be revealed in a Jan. 16 ceremony.

Hilary, Haylie Duff Channel Paris Hilton

MATERIALIZED: Are Hilary and Haylie Duff taking on the Hilton sisters? The blonde actresses are teaming up for a new movie comedy called Material Girls, in which the siblings will play Hilton-like heiresses who lose their family fortune and have to deal with the real world without their riches, MTV News reports. The Material Girls script is still in the works, and shooting is expected to begin in January. As for the movie's music, the singing sisters hope to record Madonna's "Material Girl." Madge's Maverick Films is producing Material Girls, but so far rights to the similarly named hit song have not been secured. Among other projects, the Duff duo also collaborated on the song "Our Lips Are Sealed" for the soundtrack to A Cinderella Story, which starred Hilary. ADOPTED: There's a new arrival at the White House, Miss Beazley, a week-old Scottish terrier puppy who is set to move in come Christmas, when she's old enough. The pup was a gift from President Bush to his wife Laura on Thursday, her 58th birthday. Miss Beazley joins First Dog Barney, though it remains to be seen how well they will get along. First Dog Spot, an English springer spaniel, died last February. Miss Beazley gets her name from a dinosaur character in Oliver Butterworth's children's book The Enormous Egg, The Washington Post reports. SUED: A Miami-based architect is trying to put the kibosh on a new Donald Trump real-estate venture, the Associated Press reports. Paul Oravec has sued the star of The Apprentice, claiming that the Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences in Sunny Isles Beach (a few miles northeast of Miami) look suspiciously like designs he submitted to The Donald, but were rejected. The suit alleges copyright violations, and asks a judge to either have construction halted or to order the buildings to be destroyed. Oravec is seeking unspecified damages. Trump's spokeswoman, Norma Foerderer, said she couldn't comment because she hadn't seen the filing.

What Did Chad Share with Hilary

Chad Michael Murray is Hilary Duff's Prince Charming in A Cinderella Story (opening Friday), but offscreen it wasn't the glass slipper he brought her. Instead, "He got me the whole box set of The Simpsons," Duff tells us. "We used to always talk about how we both stayed home a lot, so he asked me what shows I liked, and I told him I don't really watch TV. And he was like, 'What? I have to get you into The Simpsons.' Now I'm hooked on it. I really love them." Just how much does Murray love the long-running show? "I'm a Simpsons addict. I'm a fanatic," he tells us. "It's brilliant. The fact that the No. 1 primetime show in the history of TV is a cartoon, running for 15 years is pretty damn incredible, isn't it?" The Chachi Effect It's been years since recently separated John Stamos has had to use pickup lines to meet women, so it's not surprising that he's forgotten which ones were the most successful. "My memory's getting old," he told us at a recent event at the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City. "I was with Rebecca (Romijn-Stamos) for 10 years. I have to dust the cobwebs out and remember some of those pickup lines again." Guess there weren't too many cobwebs, because he then quipped, "Hi, I'm Scott Baio, it's nice to meet you." Swooning yet?

Hilary Duff The Cinderella Story

The Cinderella Story star kisses and tells about costar Chad Michael Murray

Famous feuds, shopping sprees and a heartthrob costar – Hilary Duff seems like another J.Lo in the making. But really, the Cinderella Story singer-actress says, she's just a 16-year-old from Houston who got "very, very lucky" with her own fairy-tale life (never mind the public squabbles with Lindsay Lohan and Avril Lavigne). Since breaking out on the now-defunct Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire in 2001, Duff has graduated from the junior-high scene to the big screen (Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen) and scored a few MTV hits ("So Yesterday," "Our Lips Are Sealed"). She recently talked about her charmed life as a teen superstar, and shared some of the perks – including her kiss with costar Chad Michael Murray. You got to smooch Chad, your onscreen "prince." How was it?(Laughs) It was much better than my real first kiss, but like, probably way more awkward because there were 270 people watching, crew and stuff like that, and we also shot it on the third day of filming. Out of those three days, I'd only worked with Chad one day. ... and we actually practiced a little bit. In the trailer?Yeah. I had to. Like, there was just so many people there, and (we) were just like, You know what? We have to forget about everyone staring at us and go for it and not even think about it. Do you ever see yourself as a Cinderella type?I definitely do think that my life sometimes – and this sounds so cheesy – but it's kind of like a fairy tale. ... I get to travel the world. I have so many fans that support me. I get to do what I love to do. I get to make movies, and I get to be onstage and sing and really be myself. I have such a beautiful family and such a great support system and wonderful friends. I get to go shopping all of the time.

What Makes Hilary Nervous

Though she's a superstar actress and singer, Hilary Duff is like other teens in at least one way: Though "I don't get nervous walking the red carpet anymore," says the 16-year-old, "I just worry about what to wear." Duff, who stars in the upcoming A Cinderella Story, adds: "It's still a little weird getting out of a car and having all these people screaming for you. Sometimes I get down thinking I don't have a normal life. I don't have any privacy. But I love what I do and when I see (that) other people like it, too, it all comes out okay." Next up: She'll exercise both her singing and acting talents as an aspiring songwriter in Raise Your Voice with Rita Wilson and John Corbett. Better Late ... Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon missed her graduation ceremony from Hunter College High School in 1984 because she was performing in a Broadway show – but she made up for 20 years later by delivering this year's commencement speech, where she encouraged students to look beyond New York City. "Growing up in New York prepares you for everything except for meeting the rest of the world," Nixon told the students. "Get out of here. Go see other places. You can come back." Nixon is currently filming the romantic comedy Little Manhattan with The West Wing's Bradley Whitford in – where else? – New York City.

Hilary Duff Has Designs on Teen Girls

This weekend in Toronto, "Lizzie McGuire" veteran Hilary Duff unveiled her new fashion line for teen girls in the Canadian city, according local news reports, which say that the line was met with loud squeals of delight from its junior-high-aged audience. "Looking good and being trendy shouldn't mean showing off a lot of skin," Duff, 16, said before the fashion show, as quoted by the Canadian Press. "The clothes can let girls be creative and have fun fashions without being super revealing." The fashion show reportedly took place on a bedroom set with the teen models popping out of a closet and yakking among themselves. The leisure look of the line, which Duff calls "On the Road," was heavy on pinks and blues and is said to reflect how the new designer likes to dress in her own free time off the movie set. Tracksuits and T-shirts dominated that look, while to reflect Duff's musical side, she also unveiled her "Rock and Roll" line -- dark denim skirts and jackets offset by pink T-shirts (with the with the slogans "Girlz Rock," "Awesome" and "Totally Cool") with a black-and-white tie decal. The models, says CP, sported black boxer boots, trucker hats, pink knee-high socks and chain belts accented with a "Stuff" medallion. Duff, (who sported jeans and a white tank top covered with a large, pink knitted shawl at her unveiling) is said to have fashioned her line from what she already has in her own closet. She trusts that sister teens will embrace the look, which will be sold at Target, according to New York's Daily News. "I hope that they don't wear a low-cut shirt to try and get a guy, because that definitely wouldn't be the way to go about doing it. It really wouldn't be the right kind of relationship," said Duff, who adds that her own relationship, with pop star Aaron Carter, is back on track, despite him briefly dating her rival Lindsay Lohan. The triangle sparked a feud that Duff called "the stupidest thing in the world." Meanwhile Duff is suddenly finding herself embroiled in yet another feud, this time with 17-year-old Canadian songbird Avril Lavigne, whom Duff publicly accused of not appreciating her fans. In this week's Newsweek, Lavigne responds: "Who the hell cares what she has to say about my fans? Whatever ... Hilary Duff's such a goody-goody, such a mommy's girl."

Duff and Lohan See Red on Red Carpet

It wasn't your ordinary Hollywood premiere for "Cheaper by the Dozen" on Sunday -- at least, not after teen stars Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan were through. The New York Post reports that Lohan, 17, and Duff, 16, have been at odds most of this year, ever since Lohan and Duff both once dated teen-pop pinup Aaron Carter. Things got even chillier over the summer, when Duff showed up at the premiere of Lohan's "Freaky Friday" on the arm of Lohan's onscreen boyfriend, Chad Michael Murray. As for the "Cheaper" chaffing, the Post says Duff's mother, Susan, attempted to get the teen star's bodyguard to oust the diminutive Lohan out of a post-screening party at Lucky Strike Lanes in Hollywood. The Post reports that Lohan's agent told her to stay put, which only prompted the bodyguard and Susan Duff to step up their campaign to show the young star the door. This caused Lohan to say: "I am not leaving. I was invited. Why should I leave?" Mother and daughter Duff then took their case to studio executives -- except they, too, told Lohan to stay, the paper reports. So the Duffs reportedly departed, leaving Lohan to party with Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and "Cheaper" star Steve Martin. Lohan's rep confirmed the Post's reportage, but Duff's rep said: "I did see Lindsay at the party, but their paths never crossed. Hilary was on the couch the whole time talking to Demi. She had to leave early because she had an early flight to Boston the next day for a concert."

Hilary Duff Pops 'Idol' Stars' Reign

Move over, Clay and Ruben: another TV star has taken over the pop charts. Fresh-faced teen queen Hilary Duff has the No. 1 single in America, and it's the first time in four months that the spot is being held by someone not connected with "American Idol," says Billboard magazine. Duff, 15, best known for playing Lizzie McGuire in the Disney TV and movie franchise of the same name, captured the coveted spot on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart with her track "So Yesterday," from her new album, "Metamorphosis," in stores Tuesday. "Idol" stars have held the top position since April 26, when the finalists' cover of Lee Greenwood's patriotic "God Bless the USA" knocked Kid Rock's "Picture," featuring Sheryl Crow, out of the No. 1 spot and remained there for eight weeks. Second season runner-up Clay Aiken then followed with a nine-week reign for "This is the Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water." Meanwhile, over on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (not to be confused with the 100 Hot Singles chart), Duff's single falls to No. 55. Had it not slipped, Duff would've been one of the youngest teens to top the chart since Little Peggy March -- who had a three-week run with "I Will Follow Him" in April 1963. March -- who still holds the record for being the youngest solo female artist to have a No. 1 hit on the chart -- was 15 years old and one month at the time. Duff is 15 years old and 11 months.

Duff Sharing 16th Birthday with Fans

Hilary Duff may have said goodbye to Disney and her hugely popular "Lizzie McGuire" series, but that doesn't mean she'll be estranged from her die-hard TV fans. The teen phenomenon will star in two music specials for the WB network, the Associated Press reports. One will be in connection with her 16th birthday on Sept. 28, and the other for Christmas for the 2003-2004 season. "We are thrilled to be starting a relationship with the Duff family and hope this is the beginning of a long alliance," WB Entertainment President Jordan Levin said in a statement. (The WB, like PEOPLE, is part of AOL Time Warner.) To those who caught this spring's "Lizzie McGuire Movie" -- and to the 31 million fans of the Disney Channel's highest-rated sitcom ever -- Duff needs no introduction. Duff is the force behind the TV show, the movie, the soundtrack's hit single, a forthcoming clothing line with her signature funky style and much teen-mag chronicling of her nearly two-year on-again, off-again romance with singer Aaron Carter, 15. She and Disney, however, are off permanently. The 'tween actress bolted from the studio after they failed to reach a new deal. Meanwhile, Duff has recorded a solo album and signed for a reported $2 million to do a big-screen "Cinderella." As for her fame, "It's so, like, unreal to me," Duff told PEOPLE, "'cause I'm really a normal kid."

Lizzie McGuire Star Divorces Disney

Citing creative differences, the Walt Disney Company has announced that it has split with its rising "Lizzie McGuire" star Hilary Duff, Reuters reports. A studio representative says the company and the 15-year-old 'tween sensation have "gone their separate ways" after this month's talks to renew Duff's contract with Disney broke down, amid differences over the direction of her career. "We gave them a very generous offer and unfortunately they passed. Hilary is a great girl and we truly wish her the best of luck," the Disney spokeswoman said. Reuters could not reach Duff's attorney for comment. The Texas native -- who starred in the Disney Channel's hit comedy TV series (which debuted in January 2001) and the recently released Disney movie of the same name -- will therefore not be starring in a proposed sequel to "The Lizzie McGuire Movie," the spokeswoman confirmed. It has been reported that Duff's TV salary was $15,000 per episode and that she was paid $1 million for the movie, which since its May 2 premiere has generated $34 million at the domestic box office, according to Disney. The Lizzie McGuire franchise is aimed at the same demographic group as the Olsen Twins -- that is, "'tween" audiences who are between adolescence and teen age, 9 to 14 years old. Like the Olsens, "Lizzie" also has her own line of books, clothing and music. A Disney Channel spokesman said there were no plans to produce new episodes of "Lizzie McGuire" but that reruns would air.