HILARY DUFF ON MARRIAGE: I'LL NEVER RUSH UP THE AISLE
By Mickey Mcmonagle
MOVIE star Hilary Duff yesterday revealed she'll never become a teenage bride.
Although the 18-year-old star of Lizzie McGuire and Cheaper By The Dozen is happy with rock star boyfriend Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, she insists they won't be getting hitched any time soon.
And clean-cut Hilary thinks already-married young stars like Britney and Jessica Simpson are crazy for tying the knot.
She said: "Marriage? No! No way, I'm far too young. There's this trend in Hollywood for people to get married so young.
"I really don't know what it's about, whether it's wanting a ring on your finger or just getting in the press"I'm definitely not planning on anything like that any time soon. And if I did, I would not make a huge thing about it, sing about it.
"It's something sacred and private. It's just awful when people make a big thing of it and get lots of press and do it all in public. It's awful - Joel feels the same way, too."
The pair have been dating for almost 18 months and while Hilary admits things were difficult at first, she now feels their similar careers actually help their relationship.
"We have to spend a lot of time apart because of work - for the first couple of months our relationship was just on the phone"Then it was weird because we got to spend time together and almost had to get used to that instead.
"You get used to one thing then all of a sudden get forced together for a couple of months.
"It's weird because you're not used to sharing your life. I feel lucky that he understands my life and I understand his.We make it work and we see each other a lot more these days.
"It's been a year and five months now - it's weird, the other day he was telling me how long it has been and it has gone by so fast it's unreal. It's going really well."
The pair have even survived working together - three new songs from Hilary's new album Most Wanted were written and produced by Joel and his brother Benji.
"Joel did these songs with Benji then I heard them and wanted them," said Hilary.
"I changed the lyrics to suit my personality and made the music more kind of 80s dancey.
"I would love to keep working with Joel. I think he was excited to have me as part of the process of doing my own music and recording it. I got to be kind of bossy which was very cool.
"I'd love to work with them again, they are very talented - but we would never tour together or have me do something with his band.
"I love Good Charlotte but I really don't think that would happen. I visit them on tour and stuff but I don't think I could deal with them. We have a very different fan base."
Hilary says she definitely won't follow Simpson and turn her romance into a reality TV show - although she does admit there is already footage that would be perfect.
"I don't think you will ever see us do a show like that. We joke about it, though.
"Joel is here in the UK with me and we bought video cameras so we were joking around, acting like we were on Newlyweds.
"I can't say I don't like shows like that because I find them so entertaining. I like them, they are so stupid they are funny.
"I don't see Jessica as a role model, I don't look up to her but I think she is cool.
"She has her thing going on but I don't want to be like her."
For now, Hilary has enough on her plate , with her album and first single, Wake Up, hitting the top 10 today.
Then there are a couple of movies set to hit cinemas in the next few months - including Material Girls, which sees her cover the Madonna hit with her sister Haylie.
And then the seemingly endless touring schedule that brings her back to the UK in Spring.
And, of course, there's the perfume, clothing line and usual celebrity add-ons - the poor girl hardly has time to grow up! People forget I'm so young - so do I sometimes," she said.
"I've been working adult hours since I started the Lizzie TV show when I was 13 so I have missed out on a lot of normal stuff.
"But I think of myself as lucky and don't regret any of it - even though it can be tough.
"I feel I have missed out on some things a little bit - I found it hard growing up in the public eye.
"If I lose five pounds I'm on drugs or not eating, if I go outside without a big smile I'm depressed or I've split up with my boyfriend.
"I try to be normal and private - I don't want to make a spectacle of my life.
"But they make me seem crazy for not wanting the press stuff - like Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz, they want freedom but the press make them seem crazy"If young people see me as a role model that is flattering but I have to live my own life."
And while her weight has been the subject of some pretty intense speculation recently, Hilary insists she is fine - and it's her business, not ours.
"I'm not too skinny. If you look at pictures of me you can see I'm healthy and I do eat!
"It's just because there are a bunch of other people out there who are way too skinny and they want to tag me with that same thing.
"I have made a decision to be healthy and happy. I'm getting older so I look older but people want to try to make a story out of it."
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