Haylie Duff

Haylie Katherine Duff (born February 19, 1985) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the older sister of actress and singer-songwriter Hilary Duff. She is best known on her role as Sandy Jameson in the television series 7th Heaven, and as Annie Nelson in the made for television films Love Takes Wing and its sequel Love Finds a Home.

Early life

Duff was born in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She is two and a half years older than her sister, Hilary. Duff's mother, Susan Colleen (née Cobb) is a homemaker and film producer (co-executive producer of A Cinderella Story (2004) and producer of The Perfect Man (2005) and Material Girls (2006), as well as the manager of her sister Hilary). Her father, Robert Erhard 'Bob' Duff, is a partner and owner in a chain of convenience stores with father John B. Duff and who resides at the family home in Houston to maintain the family's business. She began her acting career as an offshoot of her early dance training. Growing up in Texas, Duff began ballet at an early age. By age ten, Duff landed a role in the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company’s production of The Nutcracker.

Career

Acting

Duff's early career started by making guest appearances on made for television films such as Hope and True Women and on TV series such as The Amanda Show. In addition to guest-starring roles on Chicago Hope, Boston Public, and Third Watch, Duff became a familiar face starting in late 2002 as Amy Saunders/Sanders on the children's television series, Lizzie McGuire, which starred her sister Hilary.

Haylie and Hilary Duff at the premiere of War, Inc. at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2008.

In 2004, Duff made a guest appearances on That's So Raven as Katina Jones. After making guest appearances on television, Duff received her first role in a feature film when she was cast as Summer Wheatley in Napoleon Dynamite. The film earned her first Teen Choice Award win. She then continued acting by making guest appearances, which include Joan of Arcadia and American Dreams. She also lent her voice talent to the Christmas animation film In Search of Santa which also featured sister Hilary. In 2005, Duff joined the cast of the television series 7th Heaven, playing Sandy Jameson, best friend to Simon's girlfriend Rose, who ended up getting pregnant by Martin Brewer (Tyler Hoechlin).

In summer 2006, Duff joined the Broadway cast of Hairspray, portraying mean girl Amber Von Tussle, and playing the part through the beginning of October 2006. Duff has also starred in Material Girls with her sister Hilary, where she is credited as co-producer and her mother and sister are credited as producers.

Following Material Girls, Duff appeared in various made-for-television or straight-to-DVD films including Nightmare, My Sexiest Year, Legacy, Backwoods (with Ryan Merriman), Love Takes Wing, Love Finds a Home and My Nanny's Secret.

Throughout 2009 and 2010 she appeared in Fear Island, Tug and Slightly Single in L.A.. She lent her voice in the animated film Foodfight! alongside Charlie Sheen, Hilary Duff and Eva Longoria but due to distribution issues the film is yet to have an official release. She also completed work on the independent film Video Girl in which she will be starring alongside Meagan Good and Ruby Dee.^[1]

Duff hosted the reality show Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods, which searched for the next actress to take over the lead role in Legally Blonde: The Musical where she was previously in the chorus.^[2] She is also an executive producer of the show.

Duff in Hairspray performing "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now".

As of 2011, Duff has completed work on A Holiday Engagement in which she will be starring alongside Bonnie Somerville and Jordan Bridges. She has also completed work on Pennhurst, Home Invasion,^[3] and recently according to her twitter she has recently finished filming a pilot for a thriller television show entitled Blackout.

Music

Duff has recorded numerous singles for various soundtracks with her sister, with most of them appearing on the Disneymania discs. Notable soundtracks are: In Search of Santa, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, A Cinderella Story, and Material Girls. She was featured on rapper Kool G Rap's album Half a Klip, providing the background vocals on the track "On the Rise Again" produced by DJ Premier. Duff also sang "A Whatever Life" for the Stuck In The Suburbs soundtrack and "Sweetest Pain" for the Raising Helen soundtrack. She is also featured on song "Babysitting Is a Bum Deal" on the album Family Guy: Live in Las Vegas, singing a duet with Seth MacFarlane (as his character Stewie).

In addition to singing, Duff has also wrote and co-wrote several songs for her sister Hilary's studio albums, Metamorphosis and Hilary Duff, as well as the song "Gypsy Woman", on Hilary's fourth studio album, Dignity.

Duff also co-wrote the song "Holiday" on her sister Hilary's Best of Hilary Duff album with Hilary and Ryan Tedder.

Public image and personal life

Duff appeared on the cover of Maxim in January 2006 and is featured in their Girls of Maxim gallery.^[4] Duff and sister Hilary Duff are ranked number two on E!'s "Favorite Famous Sisters". Duff is a Christian. "I am a Christian, but I also don't really see myself as a religious person. I see myself as more of a spiritual person. There are things that I do agree with in Christianity and things that I don't agree with. I'm not a regular churchgoer, but I do think that I have my own beliefs that I feel strongly about."^[5] Haylie started her own blog called "Real Girl's Kitchen".^[6]

Filmography

Broadway

• 2006: Hairspray
• 2010: Love, Loss and What I Wore

Discography

Singles

Soundtracks

Other singles

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Haylie Duff

• Haylie Duff at the Internet Movie Database
• Haylie Duff on Twitter
• Real Girl's Kitchen