The National Society of Leadership and Success hosted multi-faceted celebrity, Hilary Duff on Oct. 16 in a live broadcast called, “A Conversation with Hilary Duff.”
The broadcast was web-streamed live to more than 320 colleges nationwide. This was the second broadcast for the 2012-13 series sponsored by the group.
Set up like a live interview, these broadcasts are meant to inspire and build leaders who make the world a better place.
The broadcast was brought to IU Southeast through the NSLC.
“The purpose of these broadcasts is to give everyone a chance to hear from successful people and to find out some of their secrets to success,” Brian Smith, elementary education junior and vice president of the NSLS IUS Chapter, said, “and to find something you can take away with you to help you in your own life.”
Born and raised in Houston, Duff said she grew up interested in becoming an actress.
She caught her big break in March 2000 after landing the lead role in Disney Channel’s children’s television series “Lizzie McGuire.”
“I got the part by showing them I could walk on my hands in the audition,” Duff said. “I’m so thankful for ‘Lizzie McGuire,’ but I was ready to try some more challenging roles. I was tired of being Lizzie, and I was ready to be Hilary.”
After deciding she also had an interest in pop music, Duff released her debut album Metamorphosis in 2003.
Since then, she has performed around the world on four concert tours and sold more than 13 million albums.
“There is no greater feeling than being in front of 25 thousand people singing your lyrics back to you, sometimes even in another language,” Duff said. “It’s the greatest rush.”
Duff also has her own clothing lines, Stuff by Hilary Duff and Femme for DKNY Jeans. She’s released two perfume collections with Elizabeth Arden, as well.
“I like to daydream a lot,” Duff said. “I couldn’t get this one dream out of my head.”
That dream was the basis of her first novel, “Elixir.”
As if being an actress, pop artist, and owning her clothing and perfume collections were not enough, Duff is a New York Times bestselling author of “Elixir,” its sequel “Devoted,” and her third, “True,” available in 2013.
On top of everything else, Duff is also a growing philanthropist.
In 2009, Duff was named an Ambassador to the Youth of Bogota, Columbia, where she spent five days in the country dispersing backpacks filled with food to deprived children.
“We are all very selfish people, I’m still struggling with that,” Duff said.
Duff said she has achieved many things for a 25-year-old, but she said her biggest achievement is family.
Duff married NHL player Mike Comrie on Aug. 14, 2010 and gave birth to their son, Luca Cruz Comrie on March 20, 2012.
“Motherhood is the best job,” Duff said. “I have never had more confidence.”
Students watching the broadcast were asked to send in questions for the Q&A section of the interview. Katherine Clark, accounting sophomore, had a question appear on the broadcast.
Clark asked if Duff had any regrets in life.
“I was proud and excited when my name and school was announced on the live broadcast,” Clark said. “I yelled, ‘That’s me.’”
However, Duff could not think of any regrets and did not answer the question.
Even though Clark said she was excited about participating in the live broadcast of Duff, she was not impressed by the interview.
“I thought the interview was interesting; however, it was not very motivational, which is one of the main purposes of the series of broadcasts,” Clark said. “As a child, I was a fan of Hilary Duff. Unfortunately, I was let down by her speaking abilities.”
By TAYLOR FERGUSON
Staff
tayfergu@ius.edu
