Dancing To Her Own Beat

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Credit: HDuffWorld.com

HILARY DUFF may have sexed up her image, but she's definitely no Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton.The popular singer/actor doesn't understand the troubles of many of her contemporaries.
Hilton and Lohan recently spent time in jail for driving under the influence, while Spears has battled her own drug woes and undergone rehabilitation treatment. Spears also faces jail time for a hit-and-run incident earlier this year.

"I don't know why they are running into those kinds of problems, like getting DUI (driving under the influence) and that,'' Duff told Insider.
"If someone is 20 or 21 and they want to go out to a club and dance and drink or do whatever, that is normal. "They are just acting their age, but (if) everyone is paying attention to you because you are who you are ... like, it just seems like it is so easy to avoid. "Getting a DUI or even getting in a car after you've been drinking ... like, hire a driver.''

Duff, 20, went from girl next door to all grown up for the release of her latest album, Dignity. Known the world over as the blonde cutie film and television character Lizzie McGuire, Duff dyed her hair dark and unashamedly sexed up her image. Like many Hollywood actors and pop starlets, there is a lot of attention on her private life.

She is photographed by paparazzi wherever she goes, although she tries to stay away from the regular celebrity hangouts.
Duff is filming her latest movie, Greta, in New Jersey with Evan Ross, the youngest son of soul diva Diana Ross.
Attention from paparazzi photographers keen to catch a shot of her on set has been hard to handle.
"It has been crazy. I expect to be followed around in LA or New York, but in Jersey I had no idea that it was going to be like that,'' she said.
Asked how she has maintained normalcy in her life, Duff, who has sold 13 million albums, is quick to answer.
"You have to have rules and boundaries,'' she said.
"A lot of people love that (media) attention and that is where they lose their minds, getting eaten up with constantly being the centre of attention or wanting to be seen wherever they go.''
Despite having dated singer Aaron Carter and Good Charlotte's Joel Madden, who is now with Nicole Richie, Duff said she tried to hang around normal people.
"I have a lot of semi-acquaintances in the business, but they are not my everyday friends I call when I want to have a chat.
"I have a really great support system in my sister and my mum and don't think they would ever let me lose track of reality like that. And I am glad for it.''

Duff is at Sydney's Acer Arena on February 2. Tickets on sale through Ticketek.
She plays Brisbane Entertainment Centre on January 31 and Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on February 3.