OFF THE CUFF WITH THE DUFF

Hilary Duff is ready to show her true self.

Duff has continuously listened to the input of others during her young career. In front of the cameras there has been a script to guide her, and in the recording studio there has been a producer to share his or her thoughts, but Duff finds ease in the opportunity to be herself when performing her music live.

"When I'm touring, I'm the one on stage and I'm performing the way I want to perform and talking to the crowd the way I want to talk," says Duff from her home in Los Angeles. "I'm being myself and that's what's comforting about it."

Duff is an up-and-coming media mogul who became a teen icon when she stared in the Disney Channel's "Lizzie McGuire," a ratings hit chronicling the life of a typical teenage girl. Duff parlayed her TV fame into further success in family-friendly movies (most recently "The Perfect Man"), pop music (her new album is "Most Wanted," to be released August 16), and young women's fashion (at Target).

When Duff performs at Coors Am- phitheater in Denver on Saturday, the venue will likely brim with preteens.

"I think a lot of it had to do with 'Lizzie McGuire' because the Disney Channel is a safe place for parents to let their kids watch TV," Duff says. "I think I'm really relatable to young girls. I think it's cool to be someone they can relate to."

And the young girls agree.

"She sings about things and feelings in my life," says 12- yearold Katherine Babbit. "It just seems like she knows what's going on."

Babbit's mother is comfortable with her daughter being a Duff fan.

"She seems very innocent and wholesome," Diane Babbit says. "I've never heard anything inappropriate in her music or about her, and I wouldn't expect to -- it's Lizzie."

Does the squeaky clean image ever bother Duff?

"Some people think I'm too clean or whatever," Duff says with equal hints of irritation and pride in her voice. "If you look at somebody like Natalie Portman, she is so classy and she's so beautiful and you never read anything bad about her. She tries to stay out of the press and I think that is such a cool thing because she wants everybody to focus on her career. I want people to do that, too."

Although she wants people less concerned with her image than her career, Duff hopes this image and her young success will provide a model for youth.

"I want to be an inspiration to them," Duff says. "If they want to be a singer or an actress or have a clothing line or rather they want to be a doctor or a teacher or anything, I just want them to see that I had something I wanted to do in my life, and I accomplished it, and everybody can do that."

Duff's 33-date tour, "Still Most Wanted," is in support of her third album, "Most Wanted." The album features three new songs in addition to a compilation of Duff's most popular songs remixed and remastered.

WHAT EVERY 12-YEAR-OLD OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT HILARY DUFF

Her pet: Duff has a Blue Fawn Chihuahua named Lola, which she describes as a "little chunker." Duff recently purchased her pooch a $50 Lucille Ball-inspired dress.

What she's been listening to lately: It appears the pop star is on a bit of a punk fling; AFI, The Postal Service, Green Day and The Killers have most recently been in her CD player. Don't worry, pop fans, Duff has been listening to some Top 40 music such as Britney Spears as well.

Her favorite brand of jeans: Who could choose one? Duff lists Stitchs, True Religion and Edun Jeans.

What makes Hilary and sister, Haylie, bicker: Clothes! "We both have a huge collection of clothes," Duff says. "I'll come home from tour and my closet will be empty and I'll have to go into her room and, literally, I'll find everything."

Duff accuses Haylie of not taking care of her clothes as well as Duff would like. But Duff is not completely innocent.

"It drives me crazy when she steals my stuff, but I'll steal hers, too, and it drives her crazy," she says.

Snack food of choice: Duff keeps her snacks simple and would prefer to munch on chips and dip over most anything else.

What Duff looks for in a man: "It's all about that feeling when you first meet them, that feeling you get in your stomach deep down," she says.

A few key traits: being able to have a great time with the person, being able to relate to him, feeling comfortable telling him anything, and always being able to be yourself around him.

Blondes don't have all the fun: Duff has some interest in a change of hairstyle. In her video shoot for her latest single, "Wake Up," Duff wore a short black wig that has almost convinced her to go short and dark after her tour.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to convince people," Duff says. "I'm glad I'm going to be 18; I'm just going to go do it."

On still living with mom: While many teens are eager to leave home after high school, Duff is no rush to separate from momma (not to mention her mom lives in her home). In Duff's home she says she has plenty of privacy but still has all the benefits of having mom around.

details

Hilary Duff in concert

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Coors Amphitheater, Denver

Tickets: $25-$47.50; 520-9090

Copyright 2005
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