Hilary Duff Reflects on Child Stardom's Dark Side

Hilary Duff has shared her feelings of sadness upon viewing recent documentaries that expose the challenging realities of child stardom. The actress, who achieved early fame with "Lizzie McGuire" and a subsequent music career, described the experience of watching these films as an "out-of-body" and deeply upsetting one.

Reflecting on her own trajectory from Texas to global recognition, Duff, who began working professionally at age nine, feels a sense of gratitude for not being subjected to numerous harmful situations. She noted that while she missed certain typical childhood experiences, she also gained many invaluable ones.

Duff highlighted the significant expectations placed upon her from a young age, requiring constant professionalism in adult environments. Despite exhaustion or illness, she had to maintain her performance, a demanding aspect of her upbringing that has undeniably shaped her into the person she is today, a fact she expresses pride in.