hilary duff

Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, Duff gained fame for playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She subsequently ventured into motion pictures and has many successful films to her credit including The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Cheaper by the Dozen, A Cinderella Story and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. She has most recently appeared in According to Greta and Stay Cool. As of December 2010, her upcoming films include, Bloodworth, The Story of Bonnie and Clyde and She Wants Me.

Life and career

1987–99: Early life and career beginnings

Duff, the second of two daughters to Susan Colleen (née Cobb), a homemaker, and Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in a chain of convenience stores,^[4] was born in Houston, Texas^[5] and grew up with elder sister Haylie Duff, who is also an actress and singer. She was encouraged by her mother to take up acting classes alongside Haylie, resulting in both girls winning roles in various local theatre productions.^[6] At the ages of six and eight, the two sisters participated in a BalletMet Columbus production of The Nutcracker Suite in San Antonio.^[5] After becoming more enthused at the idea of choosing acting as a profession, the siblings eventually relocated to California with their mother while their father continued to reside at the family home in Houston to take care of their business.^[4][6] The pursuit of an acting career from an early age resolved in Duff being home-schooled.^[7] After several years of auditions and meetings, the sisters were cast in various television commercials.^[4]

2000–03: Lizzie McGuire, rise to fame and Metamorphosis

 

jessica simpson

Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, television personality and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and beauty products, and designed fragrances, shoes, and handbags for women. She has devoted time to philanthropic efforts including Operation Smile and a USO-hosted tour for troops stationed overseas.

She has achieved seven Billboard Top 40 hits, three gold and two Multi- Platinum RIAA certified studio albums, four of which have reached the top 10 on the US Billboard 200.^[1][2] Simpson starred with her then-husband Nick Lachey in the MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. She ventured into the country music market in 2008 and released Do You Know.

Early life

Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas, the daughter of Tina Ann (née Drew) and Joe Truett Simpson, who was a minister and psychologist.^[6][7] Her younger sister is singer Ashlee Simpson. As a child, she began singing at her local Baptist church. At age twelve, Simpson unsuccessfully auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club.^[8] While attending J.J. Pearce High School, she signed to Proclaim Records, a minor Gospel music record label. She recorded an album, self-titled, "Jessica", but Proclaim went bankrupt and the album was never officially released except for a small pressing funded by her grandmother. However, this small pressing gained her minor attention and she gave concerts with other acts such as Kirk Franklin, God's Property, and CeCe Winans. Simpson left high school at age sixteen (she later earned her GED), and after Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola heard "Jessica", she was signed to the label.^[9][10]