Born: 1 November 1972
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Best Known As: The hostess of MTV's Singled Out
Jennifer McCarthy (born November 1, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American model and actress.
She is the second oldest of four daughters. A Catholic, Jenny graduated from Mother McAuley Liberal High School and was named MVP (Most Valuable Player) of her softball and field hockey teams.
In 1992, McCarthy was studying nursing at Southern Illinois University. In an attempt to make money for college, she submitted her picture to Playboy magazine. She was chosen to be the centerfold in the October 1993 issue and was subsequently named Playmate of the Year in 1994. Ironically, her success as a model led to her quitting college and moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in show business.
n 1995, McCarthy was hired by MTV to co-host a new series Singled Out. She became a popular success on the series due to her good looks and sense of humor. McCarthy had two short-lived television series; The Jenny McCarthy Show, a variety show, and Jenny, a sitcom. She has also appeared in the movies Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), The Stupids (1996), BASEketball (1998), and Scream 3 (2000). McCarthy is the author of Jen-X (1997), an autobiography, and Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy and Childbirth (2004).
McCarthy had a relationship with Ray Manzella who was also her manager. The couple separated and McCarthy married John Mallory Asher on September , 1999. The couple have a son, Evan, who was born May 18, 2002.
McCarthy wrote and starred in the feature film "Dirty Love" which will premiere at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
In an interview in the late 1990s, Jenny stated that when it came to modeling, she was "not all that comfortable with nudity". Nonetheless, ten years after she was featured as a Playmate, she posed again for Playboy and appeared in the January 2005 issue.
Collected from Answers.com
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Jenny McCarthy
Lindsay Lohan
| Birth name | Lindsay Dee Lohan |
| Born | July 2, 1986 (age 20) New York City, New York, United States |
| Official site | www.llrocks.com www.lindsaylohanmusic.com |
| Notable roles | The Parent Trap (1998) Freaky Friday (2003) Mean Girls (2004) Speak (album, 2004) Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) A Prairie Home Companion (2006) |
Lindsay Dee Lohan (born July 2, 1986), known professionally as Lindsay Morgan Lohan, is an American actress and pop music singer. Lohan started in show business as a child fashion model for magazine ads and television commercials. At age ten, she began her acting career in a soap opera; at eleven, she made her motion picture debut by playing both twins in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. Lohan's breakout role as a leading actress came six years later with 2004's Mean Girls, which shone the media spotlight on her professional and personal lives—including her nightlife and her parents' marital and legal struggles.
As an adult, Lohan began to take on more varied roles and projects, including Robert Altman's final film, A Prairie Home Companion. While filming Herbie: Fully Loaded in 2004, Lohan launched her career in music, recording and releasing her first studio album, Speak; her second album, A Little More Personal (Raw), was released in 2005.
Biography and career
Lohan was born in New York City and grew up in Merrick and Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island in New York. She is the eldest child of Michael and Dina (née Sullivan) Lohan, both former actors. She has three younger siblings: brother Michael had a role as "Lost Boy at Camp" in The Parent Trap (1998), sister Aliana is an aspiring model and actress, and brother Dakota (Cody) has modeled fashions. Lohan is of Irish and Italian heritage and was raised Catholic. She originally pronounced her name ˈləʊhæn but later settled on ˈləʊən and, in 2005, explained to a TEENick audience that she had changed her middle name to something that sounded more professional. Lohan and her family have donated time and money to charity projects such as The Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Foundation, Save the Children, The United Cerebral Palsy Associations, and Dream Come True.
Lohan's family was financially comfortable from its inception; her father had inherited his family's pasta business, which he later sold to trade in futures (briefly becoming President of New York Futures Traders). More recently, he worked as an investment banker, securing funding for independent films. Lohan's mother, a former Rockette at Radio City Music Hall, was a Wall Street analyst before becoming her daughter's manager. Despite the family's wealth, Lohan—when she wasn't tutored on film sets—attended public schools on Long Island until just before her high school graduation, finishing her studies at home.
Like most celebrities, Lohan and her family have endured public scrutiny of their private lives. It was revealed in 2004 that Michael Lohan had spent much of his daughter's preteen years in prison for securities fraud. In 2005, he was sent back to prison for "aggravated unlicensed driving" and attempted assault. Later that year, Lohan's parents settled their divorce case; her mother's attorney said, "Dina and the children are delighted that this chapter in their lives is finally over", while her father (through his lawyer) said, "[I] look forward to the opportunity to rebuild my relationship with my children."
In 2004, Lohan shared an apartment in the Los Angeles, California, area with actress Raven-Symoné. The following year, she bought a home in West Hollywood while still spending much of her time at her family's home in New York. She has dated actor Wilmer Valderrama and Pink Taco restaurateur Harry Morton.
Early work
Lohan began her career with Ford Models at age three and, at a time when blue-eyed blondes were in highest demand, the freckle-faced, auburn-haired child found little work as a fashion model. She persisted, and eventually appeared in more than 100 print ads for Toys "R" Us. She also modeled for Calvin Klein Kids (usually with siblings Michael and Ali) and Abercrombie Kids. Through young adulthood, Lohan was featured in such diverse magazines as Vogue, Elle, Bliss (UK), Хай Клуб (High Club, Bulgaria), and Blenda (Japan).
Lohan's first auditions for television work did not go well; by the time she tried out for a Duncan Hines commercial, she told her mother that she would give up if she did not get the job. She was hired, and Lohan went on to appear in over 60 commercials, including a Jell-O pudding spot with Bill Cosby. Her ad work led to roles in soap operas, and she was already considered a show-business veteran in 1996 when she landed the role of Alexandra "Alli" Fowler on Another World, "where she delivered more dialogue than any other ten-year-old in daytime serials" of the time.
Lohan gave up Another World for the big screen when director Nancy Meyers cast her as estranged twin sisters who try to reunite their long-divorced parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) in The Parent Trap (1998). Hired in 1997 at age 10, Lohan was 11 when filming began in England and California (in Los Angeles and the Napa Valley). "I left school for eight months," she said. "When I came back, my friends [asked], 'Where'd you go?' I said, 'My family and I went on a long vacation.' Then the movie came out, and they were, like, 'Um, Lindsay? That's you in Parent Trap,' and I said, 'Oh, yeah. I also did this movie while we were gone.'" Trap was well-received for a family comedy, bringing in US$92 million worldwide. Film critic Janet Maslin found Lohan's dual performances so forceful "that she seems to have been taking shy violet lessons from Sharon Stone." Critic Kenneth Turan called Lohan "the soul of this film as much as Hayley Mills was of the original, and … she is more adept than her predecessor at creating two distinct personalities".
Signed by Disney to a three-film contract, Lohan was offered the role of Penny in Inspector Gadget but, after seven months' work on The Parent Trap, she turned it down. Later, she starred in two original television movies, Life-Size (2000) (with Tyra Banks) and Get a Clue (2002). She also played Bette Midler's daughter in the first episode of the short-lived series, Bette (2000), but Lohan—then 14—quit when the production moved from New York to Los Angeles. In 2001, she hosted the ABC-TV commercial series commemorating Walt Disney's 100th birthday during a rebroadcast of The Parent Trap.
Following a brief hiatus, Lohan attended her first-ever film audition and won the lead teen role in another Disney remake; Freaky Friday (2003) starred Jamie Lee Curtis and Lohan as a mother and daughter trapped in the other's body. Critic Roger Ebert praised Lohan's "Jodie Foster sort of seriousness and intent focus beneath her teenage persona," while Carrie Rickey—who panned the film—called her performance "unpredictable and inspired." Through 2005, Friday was Lohan's biggest commercial film success, earning US$160 million worldwide.
Actor/producer Ashton Kutcher considered Lohan a sufficient ratings draw in December 2003 to feature her in the second-season finale of Punk'd, his MTV series that plays practical jokes on celebrities (the episode was widely reported as the end of the series—also a practical joke). Eleven months later, Lohan appeared on That '70s Show opposite Kutcher and her then-boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama.
Breakout role
Lohan was given the lead in two films, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (her first feature that was not a remake) and Paramount's Mean Girls, both released in 2004. Drama Queen was a moderate success at the box office grossing about 30 million but was a failure with critics; "Though still a promising star," Robert K. Elder wrote, "Lohan will have to do a little penance before she's forgiven for Confessions." That "penance" came with Mean Girls, her first PG-13 (and first non-Disney) film. Her breakout lead performance pushed the critical and commercial hit to grosses of over US$86 million domestically and US$128 million worldwide, "cementing her status as the new teen movie queen," wrote Brandon Gray. "Lohan dazzles us once more," said Steve Rhodes. "The smartly written script is a perfect match for her intelligent brand of comedy."
Mean Girls was scripted by Tina Fey and featured several alumni of Saturday Night Live; Lohan was asked to host the show three times, in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Lohan returned to Disney for Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), the fifth film in the long-dormant Herbie series. Her rising popularity allowed her to choose from a wider variety of projects and, at age 19, Lohan felt Herbie would help her make the transition into more grown-up roles. "In most of my other films, I was in high school," she said. "Here, [my character is] just out of college. It's nice to be able to do something that I think will be acceptable to the fan base I've accumulated from my Disney movies, but subconsciously they'll see me getting older and maturing." Fully Loaded did well at the box office, earning more in international release than in the United States.
Her next film in wide release, Just My Luck, opened in May 2006 to poor reviews and earned only $33 million worldwide. The following month, A Prairie Home Companion—an ensemble film directed by Robert Altman—fared better, debuting at #7 in limited release and ending its run with nearly $US20 million in domestic box-office receipts. "Lohan rises to the occasion," wrote Peter Travers, "delivering a rock-the-house version of 'Frankie and Johnny'." Lohan completed filming the independent Emilio Estevez film, Bobby, opposite Elijah Wood, in December 2005; the film débuted at the Venice Film Festival on September 5, 2006, and was released in theaters on November 23, 2006. Chapter 27 with Jared Leto began filming in New York on January 9, 2006, and had wrapped by March.
Three new projects were announced in April 2006; Lohan will play a girl molested by her stepfather in Georgia Rule opposite Felicity Huffman and Jane Fonda (filming began in June), and a speech assistant to Adrien Brody in Speechless (she also was set to portray the friend of a rebellious teenage boy in the comedy Bill, but dropped out). In May, Lohan joined Annette Bening and Sean Bean as the announced stars of the film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance. MTV News announced in October that she was signed to play opposite Keira Knightley in The Best Time of Our Lives. Lohan also is set to take part in I Know Who Killed Me and The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond.
Music
Hoping to become a "triple threat" (actor/model/singer) like her idol, Ann-Margret, Lohan began by showcasing her singing talents through her films. For the Freaky Friday soundtrack, she sang the closing theme, "Ultimate"; she also recorded four songs for the Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen soundtrack.
Producer Emilio Estefan, Jr. signed Lohan to a five-album production deal in 2002. "The minute I heard her sing, I knew she was gifted," he said, "and [she] has an incredible ability to connect with her audience. I am very excited to be working with her." Lohan—who said she was "extremely excited"—added, "I am surrounded by a group of very talented people." Two years later, Lohan signed a recording contract with Casablanca Records, headed by "diva-maker" Tommy Mottola. Her début album, Speak, was released in December 2004, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. By early 2005, it was certified Platinum. Though primarily a pop-rock album, Speak was introduced with the single "Rumors", described by Rolling Stone as "a bass-heavy, angry club anthem". Its sexually suggestive video reached number one on MTV's TRL and was nominated for Best Pop Video at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. "Rumors" eventually earned a Gold certification.
"[W]ith just two hit films under her belt", wrote Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music Guide, "Lohan decided it was time to turn [herself] into a multimedia, cross-platform star ... and so Speak was recorded quickly and rushed into the stores". He called her music "a blend of old-fashioned, Britney-styled dance-pop and the anthemic, arena rock sound pioneered by fellow tween stars Hilary Duff and Ashlee Simpson. [However,] Lohan stands apart from the pack with her party-ready attitude and her husky voice".
In December 2005, her second album, A Little More Personal (Raw), débuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart, but fell under the top 100 within six weeks. Reviews were unfavorable; critics wondered why an album in which Lohan poured out her heart came across instead as a "slick pop production." Slant magazine called it "contrived ... for all the so-called weighty subject matter, there's not much meat on these bones." Still, A Little More Personal (Raw) was certified Gold on January 18, 2006. The music video for the album's first single, "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)"—directed by Lohan and featuring the acting début of her sister, Ali—was a dramatization of the pain Lohan says her family has suffered at the hands of her father. She said "It's kind of offensive" but "I hope he sees the positive side of the video rather than the negative."
Universal Music Group moved Lohan from Casablanca to Motown Records in February 2006. In March, she told OK! magazine that she was writing lyrics for her third album, which she called "a little different [from] the last one". The November 2006 edition of In Style reported a Christmas, 2006, release.
Media spotlight
Lohan became a regular subject of tabloid media after reports of a catfight with Hilary Duff in 2003 over their relationships with singer Aaron Carter. Lohan and Duff both later said there was no "feud". Lohan was 17 when she moved in with Valderrama in early 2004, and their breakup that November made the gossip columns; numerous romantic rumors followed, forcing actors such as Bruce Willis to refer to their relationships with Lohan as "purely professional." Lohan was also portrayed as a "party girl" who frequented clubs with Nicole Richie and Paris and Nicky Hilton, among others ("people [say], 'Oh, she goes out and she parties,'" Lohan said. "No, we are just going out and having fun."), while accidental exposures to paparazzi brought repeated rumors of breast enhancement ("they're real though," she asserted). Lohan later lampooned the various rumors on Saturday Night Live.
In July 2005, she participated in the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an effort to help prevent teenagers from smoking cigarettes and to help current smokers quit. Lohan, who began smoking in 2004, was also trying to break the habit as of early 2006.
Lohan's three car accidents in 2005 made headlines. The first was a minor rear-ender, though the victims later threatened to sue her. She suffered minor injuries when a paparazzo who was following her for a photograph hit her car (police called the crash intentional, but prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges). Lohan also struck a van in West Hollywood; police ruled that the van's driver made an illegal U-turn. When VH1 named Lohan "Big 'It' Girl" for its 'Big' in '05 Awards in December, it was, Lohan quipped, "because being Big in '05 means getting in three car crashes in one year, people!"
Lindsay Lohan was the first living person to have a "My Scene Goes Hollywood" doll released by Mattel (in 2005). She also voiced herself in the direct-to-DVD feature film based on the dolls.
That same year, Lohan exhibited dramatic weight loss, which she attributed to "old-school working out." Later, Lohan admitted that she "nearly died" and said, "I'm working out with a trainer and eating healthily. I want my boobs back." Lohan spent about two days at a Miami, Florida, hospital after suffering a serious asthma attack in January 2006. That same week, Vanity Fair released an interview in which Lohan admitted using drugs "a little" (she denied ever using cocaine, calling it a "sore subject"). The article said she had recovered from "bulimic episodes", and that her 2005 hospitalization was for "a swollen liver and kidney infection". Lohan later said she was "appalled" that her words were "misused and misconstrued" for the article; the magazine replied, "Every word [was recorded] on tape. Vanity Fair stands by the story."
Lohan was interviewed for the March 2006 issue of Allure magazine; she said she hoped to be taken seriously as an actress, adding, "I hate it when people call me a teen queen." She addressed the numerous romantic rumors ("I know now that I don't need a boyfriend.") and her weight loss ("I will say that I went through a phase. I lost weight when I was in the hospital, and then I wanted to keep it off."). Lohan says 2005 "felt like five lifetimes because I've grown up a lot".
In July 2006, Lohan was taken to a hospital while shooting Georgia Rule, complaining that she was "overheated and dehydrated"; Morgan Creek Productions CEO James G. Robinson had a letter delivered to Lohan in which he accused her of "all night heavy partying" and making up "bogus excuses", and threatened to take action to recover any "monetary damages". Her mother later appeared on Access Hollywood to refute the accusation, saying her asthmatic daughter was working in 105-degree heat. Calling Robinson's letter "way out of line", Dina Lohan said, "I don't know him. I can't judge him. I don't think it was a smart thing to do to a young girl."
The death in 2006 of A Prairie Home Companion director Robert Altman hit Lohan hard, according to a condolence letter she sent to his family. The letter drew widespread criticism for being incoherent and laden with grammatical errors; publicist Leslie Sloane said journalists were wrong to criticize a note "from the heart" that was composed on her Blackberry.
According to court documents published in August 2006, Lohan's mother was sued for fraud by two men who claim they helped cut half of the songs for the Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen soundtrack. The documents outline a claim filed in Nevada and a request "to take a deposition outside the State of Nevada of Lindsey [sic] Lohan, who resides in the State of California."
Lohan was voted #10 on the list of "100 Sexiest Women" by readers of FHM. All of the top ten—except Paris Hilton—gained fame as actresses, including Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry.
By December, People reported that Lohan was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Los Angeles. Sloane called it a "positive" step and added, "[l]et's hope that the press doesn't turn it into a negative."
Filmography
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Parent Trap | Hallie Parker/Annie James | |
| 2000 | Life-Size (TV) | Casey Mitchell | |
| 2002 | Get a Clue (TV) | Lexy Gold | |
| 2003 | Freaky Friday | Anna Coleman | |
| 2004 | Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen | Mary Elizabeth "Lola" Cep | |
| Mean Girls | Cady Heron | ||
| 2005 | Herbie: Fully Loaded | Margaret "Maggie" Peyton | |
| 2006 | Just My Luck | Ashley Albright | |
| A Prairie Home Companion | Lola Johnson | ||
| Bobby | Diane Huber | ||
| 2007 | Chapter 27 | Jude | Release: Spring 2007 |
| Georgia Rule | Rachel | Release: Summer 2007 | |
| Speechless | Sara | In active development | |
| A Woman of No Importance | Filming scheduled Fall 2006 | ||
| 2008 | The Best Time of Our Lives | Caitlin Thomas | Filming scheduled Spring 2007 |
| I Know Who Killed Me | Aubrey Fleming/Dakota Jordan | Filming Starts December 2006 | |
| The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond | Fisher Willow | Filming Starts April 2007 |
Television
- Another World - 1996–1997
- Bette (2000–2001) (appeared October 11, 2000, in pilot episode only)
- Punk'd - one episode, December 14, 2003 (see above)
- Saturday Night Live - Host, May 1, 2004
- 2004 MTV Movie Awards - Host, June 10, 2004
- That '70s Show - "Mother's Little Helper" episode, November 10, 2004
- Saturday Night Live - Cameo for Weekend Update, December 11, 2004
- Saturday Night Live - Host of the season finale, May 21, 2005
- Saturday Night Live - Host, April 15, 2006
- 2006 World Music Awards - Host, November 2006
Discography
Albums and singles
| Album information |
|---|
Speak
|
A Little More Personal (Raw)
|
Soundtracks
- 2003: Freaky Friday
- 2003: Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
- 2004: Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
- 2004: That's So Raven
- 2005: Herbie: Fully Loaded
- 2006: A Prairie Home Companion
Further reading
- Boone, Mary (2004). Lindsay Lohan: A Star on the Rise. Triumph. ISBN 1-57243-689-1.
- Wheeler, Jill C. (2004). Lindsay Lohan (Young Profiles). Checkerboard. ISBN 1-59197-878-5.
- Brown, Lauren (2004). Lindsay Lohan: The "It" Girl Next Door. Simon Spotlight. ISBN 0-689-87888-5.
Jennifer Lopez
| Birth name | Jennifer Lynn Lopez |
| Also known as | J.Lo, Jenny |
| Born | July 24, 1969 (age 37) |
| Origin | The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Latin pop, R&B, dance |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, (HUGE ASS) singer, songwriter, dancer, fashion designer |
| Years active | 1987–present (acting) 1998–present (singing) 2001–present (fashion design) |
| Label(s) | Epic Records Work Records |
| Website | JenniferLopez.com |
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), popularly nicknamed J.Lo, is an American Golden Globe Award-nominated actress, Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, dancer, and fashion designer. She is the richest Latin American in Hollywood according to Forbes magazine.
Early years
Lopez was born and raised in the Castle Hill neighborhood in the Bronx, New York City, New York to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe (aka Gabby) Rodríguez and David Lopez. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools. She also financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of nineteen. After leaving a one semester-long career at Baruch College, Lopez divided her time between working in a legal office, dance classes, and dance performances in Manhattan clubs at night. After months of auditioning for dance roles, Lopez was selected as a dancer for various rap artists' music videos, and was given a guest spot on the American Music Awards. After being rejected for the gig twice,Ms.Lopez gained her first regular high-profile gig as a "Fly Girl" dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1991. Soon after, Jennifer Lopez became a back-up dancer for famed singer Janet Jackson and made an appearance in her 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes". Scheduled and contracted to go on Janet's world tour, she asked the superstar to be let out of her contract to pursue her acting career.
Acting
Lopez has appeared on the short-lived television programs South Central, Second Chances, and Hotel Malibu, and the television movie Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7. Lopez broke into the big screen in 1995, in the drama My Family and then appeared opposite Wesley Snipes in the action film Money Train. Lopez has also played roles in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy Jack starring Robin Williams, and the 1997 thriller Blood and Wine with Jack Nicholson. Lopez played the lead role in the 1997 film Selena for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy". She also became the first Latina actress to get paid $1 million or more for one film, the role. Some of her critically-acclaimed films include Selena, Out of Sight, The Cell, and An Unfinished Life. Lopez's not so critically-acclaimed (but successful) films include The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan, and Monster-in-Law.
Lopez has finished shooting two new independent films, Bordertown and El Cantante. El Cantante was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival where it got positive to mixed reviews. Bordertown was shown at the Brussels Film Festival.
Lopez also guest-starred in the sixth season finale of Will & Grace in 2004. That episode made history for getting the highest audience numbers during the series' running.
In May 2006, MTV gave the greenlight on her executively produced reality show, Moves. The show will follow the lives of six aspiring dancers as they struggle to make it in the competitive world of professional dance. Lopez, who took an active role in selecting the show's participants, is also slated to make cameo appearances over the course of the season and the show's eight-episode run is scheduled to begin this winter.
Music
Lopez' debut album On the 6, a reference to the 6 subway line she used to take growing up in Castle Hill, was released on June 1, 1999, and reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. The album featured the multi-week Billboard Hot 100 number-one lead single, "If You Had My Love", as well as the top ten hit "Waiting for Tonight". It also contained the Spanish-language, Latin-flavored duet "No Me Ames" with Marc Anthony. Though "No Me Ames" never had a commercial release, the tropical remix was included on the "If You Had My Love" CD single as a B-side. Despite this, the music video for "No Me Ames" received moderate airplay on the U.S. music channels VH1 and The Box. On the 6 also featured guest artists such as Big Pun and Fat Joe on the track "Feelin' So Good". It failed to make the top fifty of the Billboard Hot 100. "Let's Get Loud", the final single, earned Lopez a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Dance Recording" category in 2001. "Waiting for Tonight" was nominated for the same category the previous year.
Lopez' second album, J. Lo, was released in January 23, 2001 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The lead single, "Love Don't Cost a Thing", was her first number-one single in the United Kingdom and took her into the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her next two singles were "I'm Real" and "Ain't It Funny" which were quickly rising up the charts. To capitalize on this, Lopez asked The Inc. Records (then known as Murder Inc.) to remix both songs, which featured rap artists Ja Rule (on both) and Caddillac Tah (on the "Ain't It Funny" remix). Both remixes reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks. She re-released J. Lo on her thirty-second birthday with the remix of "I'm Real" as a bonus track. Following the success of the album re-release, Lopez decided to devote an entire album to the remixing effort, releasing J to tha L-O!: The Remixes, on February 5, 2002. This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first remix album in history to debut at the top on the chart. Featured artists on J to tha L-O!: The Remixes included P. Diddy, Fat Joe, and Nas, and the album also included rare dance and hip-hop remixes of past singles. On November 26, 2002, Lopez released her third studio album, This Is Me... Then, which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and spawned four singles: "Jenny from the Block" (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P), which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100; "All I Have" (featuring LL Cool J), which spent multiple weeks at number one; "I'm Glad"; and "Baby I Love U!". This album included a cover of Carly Simon's 1978 "You Belong to Me". In 2004, Lopez once again participated in a duet with Marc Anthony, called "Escapémonos", this time on his 2004 albums Amar Sin Mentiras and Valió La Pena.
After a year away from the music scene, Lopez released her fourth studio album, Rebirth, on March 1, 2005, at age of thirty-five. Debuting and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 to decent sales success, the album quickly fell off the charts. The album spawned one hit in "Get Right", which reached the top fifteen in the U.S. and became her second Platinum hit, after "If You Had My Love". "Get Right" was also a huge hit in the UK, becoming her second number-one single there. The second single, "Hold You Down", which featured Fat Joe, made it into the top seventy-five in the U.S., peaking at number sixty-four. It reached number seventeen in Australia with little promotion and peaked at number six in the UK. Later in 2005, Rebirth was certified Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.
Lopez was later featured in the LL Cool J's song, "Control Myself", which was released on February 1, 2006. It reached number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Top 75 Singles.
Lopez is to release her first full Spanish-language album, titled Como Ama Una Mujer, in February 2007. The lead single, the ballad "Qué Hiciste" (Spanish for "What Did You Do"), is scheduled to be released to radio stations sometime in 2006. It is said to be rock-tinged.
She is also working on her fifth English studio album, in which she is working with producer Swizz Beats. "It's coming out incredible", he said. "We're putting together some great things, and not what everyone's expecting. Think a little Jamiroquai, a little Sade. It's real feel-good music". Other producers are Timbaland, Cory Rooney, and Jermaine Dupri. There is no year or date set for this album.
Business
Lopez owns a clothing line, JLO by Jennifer Lopez, whose brand has been licensed for a term by Warnaco Group. Her line includes different types of clothing for young women, including jeans, T-shirts, coats, belts, purses, and lingerie. In 2005, she launched a new clothing line called Sweetface. She is planning to launch a jewelry line, as well as an accessory line that includes hats, gloves, and scarves. Lopez has also done photoshoots to represent the Louis Vuitton Winter 2003 campaign.
Lopez's frequent use of animal fur in her clothing lines and personal wardrobe has brought the scorn of people concerned with animal rights. At the Los Angeles première of Monster-in-Law, more than one hundred protestors from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) held a demonstration to highlight their concerns. Lopez told a radio DJ she was open to being educated on the topic.
On April 12, 2002, Lopez opened an elegant Cuban restaurant in the South Lake district of Pasadena, California named Madre's. A media sensation was creating when during a press shoot for the fancy restaurant, a mysterious man appeared out of the sidelines and gave Lopez a floral arrangement from Ben Affleck, even as then-husband Cris Judd stood next to her. Lopez was widely criticised for what appeared to be infidelity on her part.
Lopez has also dabbled in the perfume industry, with her debut "Glow by J.Lo" which broke numerous records in sales. In October 2003, Lopez introduced a perfume called "Still". Before launching another completely new fragrance, she revisited 2002 "Glow" by creating a limited edition spin-off entitled "Miami Glow by J.Lo", in homage to her adopted hometown of Miami. Around the same time, Lopez came up with a "Glow" body line, which featured different body lotions and bronzers. For the Christmas season of 2005, she launched another fragrance, "Live by Jennifer Lopez". Most recently, for 2006 Valentine's Day, "Miami Glow" was replaced by yet another "Glow" spinoff – "Love at First Glow by J.Lo". Her latest fragrance is called "Live Luxe" and was released August 2006, with "Glow After Dark" following its release in January 2007. "Glow After Dark" will be her first unisex fragrance. Her fragance line enjoys global sales of more than $500 million.
Lopez is also a spokesperson for Lux shampoo in Japan, appearing in the product's television commercials.
Personal life
She lost her virginity to Juan Xavier Noboa. It is thought that Lopez has been married three times. However, she may have had a brief marriage to long-term boyfriend Ricky Velte. Her first publicized marriage was to Cuban-born Ojani Noa on February 22, 1997. Lopez met Noa while he worked as a waiter at a Miami restaurant. They divorced in March 1998. They remained on such good terms that Lopez employed Noa as the manager of her Pasadena restaurant Madre's in April 2002. However, their friendship soured in October 2002 when Lopez fired Noa from the role.
She then had a two-and-a-half year, stormy relationship with Sean Combs. On December 27, 1999, Lopez and Combs were at Club New York, a midtown Manhattan nightclub, when gunfire erupted between Combs' entourage and another group. Lopez and Combs were being driven away from the scene when they were chased and stopped by the police. A stolen gun was found in the front seat of their vehicle. Lopez was charged with felony gun possession, but the charges were dropped, as she was riding in the back seat at the time. He would eventually completely reconcile with model Kim Porter, mother of his two children and terminate his involvement with Lopez. Lopez had hoped to begin a family with Combs; but they split due to his alleged infidelity.
Her second marriage was to her former backup dancer, Cris Judd. She met Judd while filming the music video for her single "Love Don't Cost a Thing". The two were married on September 29, 2001, at a home in a Los Angeles suburb. Their marriage ended in June 2002, during which time she had reportedly started dating actor Ben Affleck.
Lopez and Affleck's relationship was highly publicized, with the media dubbing them "Bennifer". Lopez announced her engagement to Affleck in November 2002, after Affleck gave her a 6-carat pink diamond ring worth a reported $1,2 million. Lopez promised interviewers that Affleck was indeed "the one", and that they would soon have a family. The marriage, planned for September 14, 2003 in Santa Barbara, California, was called off just hours before the event. During the week before the sceduled nuptials Affleck had been seen by press carousing at a strip club with friends. The media blitz intensified when it was Lopez' own sister who called in live-radio to tell Jennifer where her fiancé had been the previous night. Lopez would only respond by saying it was a terrible way to begin the day, finding out about Affleck's behavior in that manner. Publicists announced a permanent split on January 20, 2004. Affleck has refused to speak of his relationship with Lopez, only giving intense media attention as the cause of the breakup. It has been suggested by Affleck's friends, however, that Affleck was very uncomfortable with Lopez, and that his mother had strongly disapproved of her. Lopez was reportedly heartbroken, while Affleck appeared to recover quickly. Their relationship was parodied on the South Park episode, "Fat Butt and Pancake Head" that aired in April 16, 2003. In this incredible episode Hennifer Lopez recorded her best song ever, "Taco Flavored Kisses". She also essentially had a threesome with Ben Affleck and a fat little eight year old boy. There was a media furor as to whether Lopez would give Affleck back his ring after the breakup. Lopez did belatedly return it, though not eagerly. Ben Affleck has since married and has a daughter, Violet, with actress Jennifer Garner. A former casino buff and playboy, Affleck has become a very devoted husband and father.
Shortly after her breakup with Affleck, Lopez was seen out with singer Marc Anthony, who at that time was still married to his wife, former Miss Universe, Dayanara Torres, with whom he had a toddler and infant. Lopez and Anthony married in a secret wedding on June 5, 2004, less than a week after his divorce from Torres was finalized on June 1. It was reported that Dayanara discovered her ex-husband's new marriage while reading online news reports. Dayanara described a period of severe depression after her divorce from which she has since recovered.
Lopez' guests had been invited to an "afternoon party" at Lopez' house unknown to them that they were actually going to her wedding. Days after the wedding, Anthony refused to comment on it during interviews. Lopez confirmed the marriage in February 2005, but admitted that "everyone knows. It's not a secret". Marc's daughter, Ariana, appeared in Jennifer's music video "Get Right" as her little sister. Marc would not admit to his marriage with Lopez for a very extended period. He maintains a very defensive and private stance regarding his marriage to Lopez. Almost immediately after the surprise wedding, Lopez was dubbed an extremely unflattering nickname by the American as well as Latin American press. Cindy Adams had written in her gossip column that Jennifer Lopez was a "sick pig". The Spanish term for pig, "La Puerca", was used to refer to Lopez. Marc soon issued a statement saying that Jennifer was in no way to blame for the dissolution of his marriage to Dayanara Torres.
Marc himself had been the target of intense media gossip and sensational reports. A Miami woman had sued him with a paternity lawsuit, while he was still married to Torres. However, three separate DNA tests were conducted, all of which showed Marc was not the father.
Throughout her career, she has also been known for her most famous physical attribute, her shapely rear-end which has been reported to be insured for millions.
Accomplishments
- Lopez is the first actress and singer to have a film (The Wedding Planner) and an album (J. Lo) at number one in the same week.
- Lopez' perfume, "Glow", made history in 2001, by being the number-one perfume in more than nine countries in less than four months.
- Lopez is the first woman who has been placed number one two years in a row for FHM magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Females in the World and the 100 Sexiest Females in the U.S.
- Lopez was on the The Hollywood Reporter's list of the top ten actress salaries in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
- Lopez made the 2004 Fortune list of the wealthiest entertainers under the age of forty. Her wealth is estimated at $255 million.
- Lopez has five number-one hits in the U.S. and a combined 40 weeks at number one.
- Lopez' album J to tha L-O!: The Remixes is the first remix album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It is also the third all-time biggest-selling remix album in the world, after Madonna's 1987 You Can Dance and Michael Jackson's 1997 Blood on the Dance Floor/HIStory in the Mix.
Discography
- Further information: Jennifer Lopez discography
Albums
Release dates and sales certifications are from United States data.
| June 1, 1999 3x Platinum | January 23, 2001 | February 5, 2002 | November 19, 2002 |
| March 1, 2005 | February 2007 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. dance | U.S. Latin | UK | AUS | CAN | MEX | GER | ||
| 1999 | "If You Had My Love" | 1 | 5 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| "No Me Ames" (with Marc Anthony) | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Waiting for Tonight" | 8 | 1 | — | 5 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 8 | |
| 2000 | "Feelin' So Good" (featuring Big Pun and Fat Joe) | 51 | 1 | — | 15 | 11 | 17 | 5 | 39 |
| 2001 | "Love Don't Cost a Thing" | 3 | 9 | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| "Play" | 18 | 2 | — | 3 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 19 | |
| "Ain't It Funny" | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | 12 | — | 13 | |
| "I'm Real" | 1 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 11 | |
| "I'm Real" (Murder Remix) (featuring Ja Rule) | 1 | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 11 | |
| 2002 | "Ain't It Funny" (Murder Remix) (featuring Ja Rule and Caddillac Tah) | 1 | 8 | — | 4 | — | 12 | 1 | 18 |
| "Jenny from the Block" (featuring Styles P and Jadakiss) | 3 | — | — | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2003 | "All I Have" (featuring LL Cool J) | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 2005 | "Get Right" | 12 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Awards and nominations
Selected filmography
Film
Year || Title || Role
| 1986 | My Little Girl | Myra |
| 1990 | Lambada | Booker |
| 1995 | My Family/Mi Familia | María Sánchez, in the '20s |
| Money Train | Grace Santiago | |
| 1996 | Jack | Miss Márquez |
| 1997 | Blood and Wine | Gabriela "Gabby" |
| Selena | Selena Quintanilla-Pérez | |
| Anaconda | Terri Flores | |
| U Turn | Grace McKenna | |
| 1998 | Out of Sight | Karen Sisco |
| Antz | Azteca | |
| 2000 | The Cell | Catherine Deane |
| 2001 | The Wedding Planner | Mary Fiore |
| Angel Eyes | Sharon Pogue | |
| 2002 | Enough | Slim Hiller |
| Maid in Manhattan | Marisa Ventura | |
| 2003 | Gigli | Ricki |
| 2004 | Jersey Girl | Gertrude Steiney |
| Shall We Dance? | Paulina | |
| 2005 | Monster-in-Law | Charlotte "Charlie" Cantilini |
| An Unfinished Life | Jean Gilkyson | |
| 2006 | Bordertown | Lauren Fredericks |
| El Cantante | Puchi |
Upcoming films:
- Bridge & Tunnel (2006) playing Sidney Farris [pre-production]
- America's Darlings (2006) [in production]
- The Governess (2008) [announced]
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | In Living Color | "Fly Girl" |
|
| Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7 | Rosie Romero | Made-for-television film | |
| Second Chances | Melinda Lopez | Episodes "Pilot", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Coincidence or Conspiracy", and "I Can't Get No Satisfaxion" | |
| 1994 | Second Chances | Melinda Lopez | Episodes "Swimming Through Mud" and "Living in Between" |
| South Central | Lucille | "Co-op" (episode 4) | |
| Hotel Malibu | Melinda Lopez | "The Bed, the Bribe and the Body" (episode 1) |
Hilary Duff
| Birth name | Hilary Erhard Duff |
| Born | September 28, 1987 (age 19) |
| Origin | Houston, Texas, U.S.A. |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Pop Rock, Electronic, Dance |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, spokesperson, fashion designer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Label(s) | Hollywood, Buena Vista, Walt Disney |
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. After gaining fame for her starring role on the television show Lizzie McGuire, she went on to have a film career, and her most commercially successful pictures include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), and A Cinderella Story (2004). The 19 year old has expanded her repertoire into pop music, with four successful studio albums and launched a clothing line and exclusive perfume with Elizabeth Arden, "With Love... Hilary Duff". Duff is currently shooting the 2007 action film Brand Hauser: Stuff Happens with John Cusack and recording her fifth album, scheduled for release in April 2007.
Early life and career
Hilary Duff was born in Houston, Texas, the second child of Bob Erhard Duff, owner of a chain of convenience stores, and Susan Colleen Cobb, a homemaker. After Duff's mother encouraged her to take an acting class alongside her older sister, Haylie Katherine Duff, both girls won parts in various local theatre productions. At the age of six, the Duff sisters participated in the ballet The Nutcracker Suite with Columbus Ballet Met in San Antonio. The siblings became more enthusiastic about the idea of acting professionally, and eventually relocated to California with their mother. Bob Erhard Duff stayed at the family home in Houston to maintain their business. After several years of auditions and meetings, the Duff sisters were cast in several television commercials.
Television and film career
Most of Duff's first few acting roles were small, starting off with an uncredited appearance in Hallmark Entertainment's western miniseries True Women (1997). She also served as an extra, again uncredited, in writer-director Willard Carroll's ensemble dramedy Playing by Heart (1998). Her first major part was as the star of the 1998 film Casper Meets Wendy, playing the young witch, Wendy, who encounters the animated character Casper. Like Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997), the second sequel to the successful Casper (1995), the film was released direct-to-video with generally unenthusiastic reviews.
Duff later appeared in a supporting role in the television film The Soul Collector (1999), which was based on a Kathleen Kane novel and starred Bruce Greenwood as an angel who helps out a female farmer (Melissa Gilbert) whose husband has recently died. Duff ended up winning a Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot (Supporting Young Actress)".
Duff's first serious shot at fame came when she was cast as one of the children in the pilot episode of the NBC sitcom Daddio (2000). Actor Michael Chiklis, co-star of Daddio stated, "After working with her the first day, I remember saying to my wife, 'This young girl is going to be a movie star'. She was completely at ease with herself and comfortable in her own skin". Before the show had aired, Duff was dropped from its cast lineup and became reluctant to continue her acting career. Her manager and mother spurred her on, and a week later she successfully auditioned for the family comedy show Lizzie McGuire.
Lizzie McGuire, which first aired on the Disney Channel in January 2001, was a ratings hit, drawing in 2.3 million viewers per episode, and became the career breakthrough Duff had been waiting for. Her participation in the show led to her becoming highly popular among children between the ages of seven and fourteen, with critic Richard Huff of the New York Daily News calling her "a 2002 version of Annette Funicello". After Duff fulfilled her entire sixty-five episode contract with Lizzie McGuire, Disney toyed with the idea of continuing the franchise in further films and a prime-time television series to be broadcast on ABC, but the plans deteriorated. A successful feature film spin-off, The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), was produced.
Duff's first role in a theatrical motion picture was in Human Nature (2002), an independent film shot before Lizzie McGuire and first shown at the Cannes and Sundance film festivals. Written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry, the film follows a female naturalist, played by Patricia Arquette. Duff played the younger version of Arquette's character.
Duff subsequently starred opposite Christy Carlson Romano and Gary Cole in the Disney Channel television film Cadet Kelly (2002), which became the network's most watched program in its nineteen-year history. Her first major role in a feature film was in Agent Cody Banks with Frankie Muniz in 2003. The film was successful enough to spawn a sequel, in which Duff did not participate. Later that year Duff played one of the twelve children of Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt in the family film Cheaper by the Dozen, which remains her highest grossing film. She reprised her role in the sequel, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005), which failed to repeat the financial success of the original film and was panned by critics.
In 2004 Duff starred in the romantic comedy A Cinderella Story, an update of Charles Perrault's fairy tale Cinderella. The film became a moderate box office hit, and though reviews were mostly negative, some critics were impressed by Duff's performance and her chemistry with co-star Chad Michael Murray. A Cinderella Story earned a total of $66,068,046 worldwide and was a commercial success. Later that year she starred in the film Raise Your Voice. Some critics praised Duff for appearing in a more dramatic role than previously, but the film was heavily panned, with the Las Vegas Weekly writing: "Effortlessly combining Duff's bad acting and bad singing with bad writing and bad direction, Raise Your Voice is an insulting waste of time that begs to be silenced". Reviews were, by and large, negative to Duff's vocals (several critics pointed out what appears to be her digitally enhanced voice ) and indifferent towards her acting performance. Duff received a Razzie Award nomination for "Worst Actress" (in addition to her work in A Cinderella Story). The film received a muted reception at the box office, where it became Duff's least commercially successful film at the time.
In The Perfect Man (2005) she played the oldest daughter of a divorced woman that was played by Heather Locklear, who later moves to New York City as she desperately searches for a man to settle down with. Reviews mostly negative, and the film disappointed at the box office, grossing a mere $16,535,005. That year, Duff was again nominated for a Razzie Award, for both The Perfect Man and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. The 2006 satirical comedy Material Girls was her least commercially successful film to date, earning $11,449,638; the Martha Coolidge-directed film, co-produced by Madonna's independent film production company Maverick Entertainment, starred Duff and her real-life sister Haylie Duff as wealthy siblings who must fight to reclaim their fortune following a scandal.
The Duff sisters are due to lend their voices to the computer animated comedy Foodfight!, which Lions Gate Films is to distribute in 2007. The film's director, Larry Kasanoff, said that he is "absolutely thrilled to have the Duff sisters as part of the cast." Duff is currently slated to star opposite John Cusack in Brand Hauser, due for release in late 2007. The film is set in a futuristic country and Duff and Cusack are currently filiming it in Bulgaria. Duff proved her commitment by pushing back her much anticipated fifth studio album so that she had ample time to work on the movie.
Music career
Duff recorded a cover of Brooke McClymont's "I Can't Wait" for the original television soundtrack for Lizzie McGuire in 2002 (see Lizzie McGuire (soundtrack)), and "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" for the first Disneymania compilation album. Her first album was Santa Claus Lane (2002), a collection of Christmas songs which included duets with Lil' Romeo, Christina Milian, and her sister Haylie. Accompanied by the Disney Channel-only single "Tell Me a Story", it peaked well outside of the top 100 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart, but eventually received a gold certification. The album's title track was included on the soundtrack to The Santa Clause 2 and another song, "What Christmas Should Be" was used in Cheaper by the Dozen.
Duff sang several tracks for the soundtrack to The Lizzie McGuire Movie (see The Lizzie McGuire Movie (soundtrack)), including "Why Not", which became a modest top twenty hit in Australia. Duff's second studio album, Metamorphosis (2003), included contributions by songwriter-producers such as The Matrix and reached number one on the U.S. and Canadian charts. It became one of the biggest selling albums of the year in the U.S. and has since gone to sell over 3.7 million copies. The lead single, "So Yesterday", was a top ten hit in several countries and its music video received heavy airplay on MTV, while "Come Clean" became Duff's first top forty U.S. hit and reached the top twenty elsewhere. The third single, "Little Voice", was not released in the U.S. and was a minor hit in Canada and Australia. In late 2003 Duff embarked on her first concert tour, the Metamorphosis Club Tour and later the Most Wanted tour.
The second Disneymania disc was released in January 2004 and contained a duet with her sister, "The Siamese Cat Song". Another song, "Circle of Life", featured Duff and other Disney Channel Stars. Duff and her sister recorded a cover of The Go-Gos' "Our Lips Are Sealed" for the soundtrack to A Cinderella Story, which included two other songs by Duff. The video for "Our Lips Are Sealed" was popular on MTV's TRL but the song itself failed to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Duff co-wrote several of the tracks on her third album, the self-titled Hilary Duff, which she had an edgier, rock feel than Metamorphosis. It was released on her seventeenth birthday (in September 2004) and debuted at number two in the U.S. and number one in Canada. The album has sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. to date, but the single "Fly" failed to chart in the U.S. despite a popular video. It and "Someone's Watching over Me" reached the Australian top forty, but because the album was less successful than Metamorphosis, no other singles were released commercially. Duff then continued nine more months of the Most Wanted Tour.
Duff's fourth album, Most Wanted (2005), comprised her favorite tracks from her previous two albums, remixes, and new songs inspired by pop-rock musicians such as The Killers and Muse. Duff stated that it was not a greatest hits album, but that her label told her it was time to release a new album. She had more creative control over Most Wanted compared to her previous releases, co-writing and co-producing all of the new material with boyfriend Joel Madden and his brother Benji, both of the band Good Charlotte. The lead single, "Wake Up", became Duff's highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and her highest peaking single in the U.S., and its video received heavy rotation on MTV. The video for the second single, "Beat of My Heart", was also popular, but the single itself did not chart in the U.S. The album itself debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became her third number-one debut in Canada. By March 2006, it had sold 1.3 million copies in the U.S. An Italy-only compilation, 4Ever, was released in 2006.
Duff recorded new songs for her film Material Girls, including a Timbaland-produced cover version of Madonna's "Material Girl" with her sister. According to Total Request Live, Duff's fourth studio album was to be released in the United States in February 2007 because of her commitment to the film Brand Hauser; it was later pushed back to April. It is preceded by the single "Play with Fire", which was released to U.S. radio stations in August 2006. Duff has co-written material for the album with Kara DioGuardi, and she also worked with producer-songwriter Rhett Lawrence in Toronto, Canada. She said that compared to her previous music it would be "more dancey" and make use of more real instruments. "I don't know exactly how to explain what we're doing, but it's fun and funky and different, something new for me. It's really cool", she said. She has also described the album's sound as "a little less pop-rock and more electronic-sounding". A commercial for Duff's fragrance, "With Love... Hilary Duff", features the song "With Love".
Personal life
Duff began dating singer Aaron Carter in 2002. They met on the set of Lizzie McGuire, when Carter had a cameo role on a Christmas episode. The relationship lasted a year and a half. It was reported that Carter left actress Lindsay Lohan for Duff. Carter said he also cheated on Duff with her best friend, that Duff "got her heart broken" and that he is "sorry" for his actions. Duff and Lindsay Lohan were later reported to have been involved in a "feud" with each other, over their relationship with Carter. As of 2006, the two have reportedly still not reconciled.
Duff dated Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden for 2 years but the couple split mid November 2006 due to the difference in age between the couple (8 years). Madden claimed that Duff dumped him. However, the breakup has yet to be confirmed by Duff's publicists. Duff's mother Susan announced their relationship in the June 2005 interview for Seventeen magazine, after a long period of tabloid speculation. In a June 2006 interview with ELLE magazine, Duff was quoted as saying "(virginity) is definitely something I like about myself. It doesn't mean I haven't thought about sex, because everyone I know has had it and you want to fit in." Duff later told MuchMusic that she didn't say the quotes attributed to her in the article and that the subject was "definitely not something that I would talk about..."
In late 2006 Duff took legal action against an alleged stalker and the stalker's roommate. The police are currently investigating. On November 3, 2006, Duff's stalker, Maksim Miakovsky, was arrested for threatening to kill her that weekend. He was booked on charges of making criminal threats and stalking. He came to the U.S. "for the sole purpose of meeting and becoming romantically involved with Ms. Duff." Miakovsky is currently being held on $200,000 bail at the Manhattan Beach jail. He was arraigned on November 7, 2006.
Duff is involved with several charities, is an animal rights enthusiast, a member of "Kids with a Cause," and has donated US$250,000 to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. She launched a clothing line, "Stuff by Duff", on March 12, 2004, with clothes distributed through Target in the United States, Kmart in Australia, Zellers in Canada and Edgars in South Africa. Playmates Toys released a celebrity doll of her that year.
In August 2005 Duff said she received veneers because she chipped off one of her front teeth on a microphone during a concert. In late 2005 Duff took a month off from work as a belated eighteenth birthday present. She said that she wanted to take a short break after releasing Most Wanted and writing three new songs for it, shooting three films, and embarking on her U.S. "Still Most Wanted Tour". By 2005 Duff appeared to have lost weight, leading the media to speculate that she had developed an eating disorder, although Duff has denied this claim. Duff was interviewed on the Australian current affair show Today Tonight and stated that she lost weight by living a more active lifestyle.
In late August 2006 Duff traveled to a New Orleans elementary school and worked with USA Harvest to distribute meals. In 2005, she donated more than 2.5 million meals to Hurricane Katrina victims in the south. In September 2006 Duff released her perfume, "With Love... Hilary Duff", which she premiered on The View.
Duff and her pet dog Lola made an appearance in the Electronic Arts game The Sims 2: Pets, which was released on October 2006. In console versions of the game Duff's character will visit public areas and players will be able to let their sims socialise with her and Lola, the dog. However, in the PC expansion pack, players must download the Duff sim from the Maxis website before December 31 she and her dog will be fully playable characters, rather than a non-player character.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | High School Musical 2 | Emily Evans | TV movie |
| 2007 | Brand Hauser: Stuff Happens | TBA | Filming |
| 2007 | Foodfight! | Sunshine Goodness | U.S. release November 2007 |
| 2006 | Material Girls | Tanzie Marchetta | |
| 2005 | Cheaper by the Dozen 2 | Lorraine Baker | |
| 2005 | The Perfect Man | Holly Hamilton | |
| 2004 | In Search of Santa | Crystal | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Raise Your Voice | Terri Fletcher | |
| 2004 | A Cinderella Story | Samantha Montgomery | |
| 2004 | Cheaper by the Dozen | Lorraine Baker | |
| 2004 | The Lizzie McGuire Movie | Lizzie McGuire/Isabella Parigi | |
| 2003 | Agent Cody Banks | Natalie Connors | |
| 2002 | Cadet Kelly | Kelly Collins | Made-for-television |
| 2001 | Human Nature | Young Lila Jute | Theatrical release in 2002 |
| 1999 | The Soul Collector | Ellie | Made-for-television |
| 1999 | Playing by Heart | Bit part; uncredited | |
| 1998 | Casper Meets Wendy | Wendy | Direct-to-video |
Other roles
Duff has made several guest appearances in television shows, her first as a sick child in the medical drama Chicago Hope in March 2000. In a 2003 episode of George Lopez she had a role as a makeup salesperson, and she later reappeared in the show in 2005 as a feminist poet friend of Carmen (Masiela Lusha), a character whose poetry had roots in the work of Simone de Beauvoir, Toril Moi, and Ranjit Hakim. She acted opposite her sister Haylie as the 1960s pop group The Shangri-Las in American Dreams in 2003, and played a classmate and idolizer of the title character of Joan of Arcadia in a 2005 episode. During her Most Wanted tour, she performed in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she filmed a brief appearance on the soap opera Rebelde.
Discography
Albums
Santa Claus Lane
|
Metamorphosis
|
Hilary Duff
|
Most Wanted
|
TBA
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Album | Chart positions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | UK | CAN | AUS | BRA | SUI | FR | |||
| 2003 | "Why Not" | The Lizzie McGuire Movie: Soundtrack | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — |
| "So Yesterday" | Metamorphosis | 42 | 9 | 2 | 8 | — | 28 | 8 | |
| "Come Clean" | 35 | 18 | 7 | 17 | — | 78 | 29 | ||
| 2004 | "Little Voice" | — | — | 29 | 29 | — | — | — | |
| "Our Lips Are Sealed" (with Haylie Duff) | A Cinderella Story: Soundtrack | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | |
| "Fly" | Hilary Duff | — | 20 | 17 | 21 | — | — | — | |
| 2005 | "Someone's Watching over Me" | — | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | |
| "Wake Up" | Most Wanted | 29 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 24 | |
| "Beat of My Heart" | — | — | — | 13 | — | 89 | — | ||
| 2006 | "Play with Fire" | TBA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
