Hilary Duff is returning to TV with a new show, set and filmed in Brooklyn and Manhattan. We talked to Duff about being back in the spotlight on TV Land’s upcoming show, “Younger.”
What’s the show about, and what was filming in Brooklyn like?
My character Kelsey is super relatable, and reminds me of why people fell in love with “Lizzie McGuire.” She’s a normal girl, works in New York City in publishing, and is very driven. Her personal life is a hot mess, dating a jerk with all the money, and you’re cringing for her but you also love her. I never spent time in Brooklyn but I’d been hearing about it always, and so I got an apartment there.
That’s awesome! How long did you live in Brooklyn for?
Almost four months. I lived in Park Slope, and we filmed in Williamsburg. It was really fun! The cast is amazing. It’s such a good time to be in New York. Living in Los Angeles, I really missed having seasons. Living and filming in Brooklyn was just awesome. I miss it!
The show is so highly anticipated, obviously because it’s your return to television, but also because Darren Starr, who infamously created “Sex and the City,” created “Younger.” Where does “Younger” fit in with “Sex and the City?”
Whereas “Sex and the City” was really about Manhattan, “Younger” is about our world in Brooklyn. The city is an invisible character in the show, which makes it have a lot of energy, so it’s similar. The fashion is awesome. Costumer designer Patricia Field, who did all the wardrobe in “Sex and the City,” also does the fashion in “Younger,” except we’re not as “fashionable” as the women on “Sex.” The fashion is a little more reachable and normal in “Younger.” We’re not as glamorous as they are. But the fashion is still cool. It’s all about reinventing yourself, and this show is about doing that. This show pushes the limits and hopefully inspires people to know that age is just a number and anything is possible at anytime.
Let’s talk about your music endeavors. Any plans for future music releases?
I’ve been working on my new record, but it’s been seven years since my last record. It’s taken a lot of turns, as music has, since it’s changed a lot when I first started singing. It’s taken me a minute to find myself again, but the record is pretty much finished and it’s really exciting. There’s no release date yet, but I’m coming out with another single soon and an album quickly after that. It’s hard to keep up in the music game when you’re not giving it all your attention, and shooting the show, I had no time off for music.
Would you consider acting or being a singer your greater passion?
That’s so hard for me to answer because I started out acting, and long-term, that’ s what I want to do. But touring at such a young age and feeling that rush of being on stage and having people sing your songs, watching your songs climb the charts is so exhilarating. You don’t get that from being on set. I love both. I feel like a more natural actress than singer.
Going back to your “Lizzie McGuire” character, what do you think Lizzie would be doing in 2015? And do you think her future 20-something self has similarities with your character on “Younger?”
God only knows what Lizzie would be doing! It’s so weird to me because when I was filming, Lizzie was basically me, and I was basically her. The writers of that show would write things also based on what was happening with my life and my friends. I think our characters would be very similar. I’m sure she’d be doing well. She’s just such a normal girl, I feel like she’d have the same struggles and still be a loveable klutz. Or she might have a really rad job and be a sous chef, screwing up in the kitchen, but you’d still love her!
