Hilary Duff Says She's 'Very Grateful' Not to Have Any 'Battle Wounds' from Growing Up in the Spotlight

At the Time100 Summit on April 22, 2026, Hilary Duff reflected on her early rise to fame and long career in the spotlight

NEED TO KNOW

• While speaking to Dan Macsai, senior editor at Time, the 38-year-old said she feels “really quite sad” when watching documentaries about child stardom

• Duff also emphasized that, despite those emotions, she remains grateful for her own experience growing up in the industry

Hilary Duffbecame one of the defining faces of early 2000s pop culture, rising to fame with her breakout role onLizzie McGuirebefore successfully transitioning into film and music.

Decades later, the 38-year-old remains a steady presence in entertainment, and at the Time100 Summit, Duff told Dan Macsai that recent documentaries,such asQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TVandFraming Britney Spears,have made revisiting that era feel especially emotional.

“It's such a long time ago, but it's an out-of-body experience. I think I feel really quite sad when I watch a lot of those documentaries for obvious reasons,” Duff admitted.

Documentaries likeQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which premiered in 2024, have exposed troubling conditions behind beloved children's programming, detailing allegations against producer Dan Schneider tied to shows such asThe Amanda Show,All ThatandZoey 101.

Meanwhile,Framing Britney Spears, released in 2021 on Hulu byThe New York Times Presents, revisits the intense scrutiny and pressures placed on young stars navigating fame.

Despite recognizing the darker realities some of her peers faced, Duff highlighted a sense of gratitude for her own path. “I feel very grateful that I wasn't put in too many positions that left battle wounds on me,” she shared.

Reflecting on her early start, she noted, “I have held a job as an adult since I was 9 years old. I had a very different upbringing, a lot of missed experiences, but also a lot of amazing [ones].”

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That balance between sacrifice and opportunity has shaped how Duff views her rise to fame.

“I'm a scrubby kid from Texas. I sometimes am like, ‘How did I get here? How did I end up here?'” she shared.

And while she acknowledged that some of her success may be “luck,” Duff made clear it never takes away from the fact that she “worked as an adult since such a young age.” Growing up in professional environments, she explained, meant learning quickly how to navigate adult expectations.

“I had to be able to hold my own in a room full of adults constantly, and was expected to show up and be professional. Through exhaustion or sickness or whatever, just keep grinding,” Duff told Macsai, underscoring the discipline that defined her early years.

“It's taught me a lot and it's completely formed who I am, and I'm proud of that person,” she emphasized.

Read the original article onPeople

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 04, 2026

Hilary Duff Says She's 'Very Grateful' Not to Have Any 'Battle Wounds' from Growing Up in the Spotlight

At the Time100 Summit on April 22, 2026, Hilary Duff reflected on her early rise to fame and long career in the spotlight NEED TO...

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“How Vulnerable Are You To The Mandela Effect?”: 15 Mind-Bending Questions To Test Your Memory

Will your brain pass this Mandela Effect test? The Mandela Effect is a strange phenomenon in which people seem to remember things differently from how they actually were.

In this quiz, you’ll face 15 mind-bending Mandela Effect questions designed to test how accurate your memory really is. From iconic pop culture icons like Britney Spears to famous characters like Pikachu, these examples will challenge everything you think you know. 🤯

Some of these will feel obvious, while others will completely mess with your brain.

It’s time for the real question: Will your brain pass this Mandela Effect test? Let’s find out…

In case you missed it, check out our longer versions here –Part 1,Part 2, andPart 3.

🚀 💡 Want more or looking for something else? Head over to theBored Panda Quizzesand explore our full collection of quizzes and trivia designed to test your knowledge, reveal hidden insights, and spark your curiosity.💡 🚀

Image credits:Vitaly Gariev

What is the color of Pikachu’s tail?

In this scene, what does the Evil Queen say?

In Oops!… I Did It Again, how does Britney Spears appear?

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Pick the correct logo.

Which of these is the real color of Cinderella’s dress?

Locate South America on the world map.

What is the line that Darth Vader says in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)?

What color is Uncle Sam’s hat?

🧠 Curious to see the rest? Take the full quiz here 🧠

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 04, 2026

“How Vulnerable Are You To The Mandela Effect?”: 15 Mind-Bending Questions To Test Your Memory

Will your brain pass this Mandela Effect test? The Mandela Effect is a strange phenomenon in which people seem to remember things diffe...

Read More

Alan Cumming Says He Kept in Touch with “X2 ”Costars Over the Last 20 Years Since They Were 'Bonded in Trauma' (Exclusive)

Alan Cumming says filming X2 was "miserable" but helped bond the cast, many of whom he remains close with

NEED TO KNOW

• When talking with PEOPLE at the TriBeCa Ball in New York City, he shares that the cast is "bonded in trauma"

• Avengers: Doomsday, featuring returning X-Men actors, is set to release in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026

Alan Cumminghas kept in touch with hisX2castmates despite their traumatic on-set experience.

At the TriBeCa Ball at the New York Academy of Art on April 20, Cumming opens up to PEOPLE about reprising his role as Nightcrawler from theX-MenmovieforAvengers: Doomsday.

When asked what it was like to reconnect with past cast members, the Emmy winner notes that he has actually remained in contact with several of them over the last 20 years.

“The ones that I did reunite with, I've seen them since,” he tells PEOPLE.

“I also didn't reunite with that many because we did it all sort of separately; it was a bit of a modern way of doing things," he says. "I'm very chummy with Ian [McKellan], I've seen Rebecca [Romijn] over the years. Patrick [Stewart], I've seen quite a lot. Jimmy [Marsden], I've seen a lot of them actually."

"It's one of those films where I think we all were so traumatized we were bonded in trauma, so we stayed in touch,” Cumming adds.

Last year, Marvel announced that Cumming was one of the actors reprising their roles in the forthcomingAvengersfilm, which is set to arrive in theaters in December 2026, over two decades after Cumming's first appearance as the mutant in 2003'sX2.

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Recently, Cumming toldPEOPLEat the TIME100 Gala that it was “really lovely to go back to something all those years later that I never thought I was going to go back to and I actually think, 'Oh, I really enjoyed playing this character.' "

"It was really nice. And the people who made it, the brothers, are really lovely and very conscious of making sure everyone on set feels valued and what more could you ask for," he added.

While speaking with PEOPLE before apanel forThe Traitorsat the Televerse2025 conference last year, however, the actor noted that his experience filming the first superhero film was much different. Cumming said filmingDoomsday"was amazing" and, "in a sort of ooey, gooey way, it was really healing and really nice to go back to something that it was a terrible experience when I did it the first time."

TheTraitorshost emphasized that he was "miserable" makingX2,which was "awful for a variety of reasons that I have talked about at length" — such as having to spendup to five hours in the makeup chairand difficulties working with directorBryan Singer.

The returningDoomsdaycast is set to include the likes of Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez,Paul Rudd,Tom Hiddlestonand Simu Liu, as well as Cumming, Romijn andKelsey Grammer, who costarred with Stewart, McKellen and Marsden in theX-Menmovies released in the 2000s and 2010s.

Avengers: Doomsdayis in theaters Dec. 18, 2026.

Read the original article onPeople

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 04, 2026

Alan Cumming Says He Kept in Touch with “X2 ”Costars Over the Last 20 Years Since They Were 'Bonded in Trauma' (Exclusive)

Alan Cumming says filming X2 was "miserable" but helped bond the cast, many of whom he remains close with NEED TO KNOW...

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“$750 A Week”: ‘The Pitt’ Star’s Shocking Salary Confession Leaves Fans Absolutely Furious

The Pittmay have wrapped its second season, but the medical drama is back in the spotlight after one of its stars made a surprisingsalary revelation.

Patrick Ball, who playsDr. Frank Langdon, recently made his Broadway debut alongside Alden Ehrenreich in the dark comedyBecky Shaw. During a conversation with his co-star, he opened up about his financial struggles before landing his breakout role onThe Pitt.

However, his comments sparkedonline backlash, as some fans interpreted them very differently.

The Pittstar Patrick Ball opens up about financial struggles

Image credits:HBO Max

Patrick Ball’s Dr. Langdon is one ofThe Pitt’s most popular characters, largely due to his performance. In an interviewwithVariety, Balldiscussed his work on the show with his Broadway co-star Alden Ehrenreich.

He admitted to struggling with student loans before landing a role onthehit medical drama.Ball, who graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2022, revealed that he was $80,000 in debt at age 35.

Image credits:HBO Max

After graduating, Ball worked almost exclusively in theater, earning only $800-$900 a week, leading to financial instability that strained his personal relationships.

However, his salary fromThe Pittallowed him to pay off his debt and pursue artistic work without financial pressure.

He said, “It put me in a position to make $750 a week onHamletand not worry about it.

“Having something likeThe Pitt, which hopefully will continue to be part of my life for a long time, is really empowering.”

Patrick Ball’s confession about hissalary made some fans furious

Image credits:HBO Max

Ball’s comments drew widespread attention online, with many praising his honesty about early struggles. However, his remarks about financial freedom didn’t sit well with some viewers.

“Would be nice if brown and black actors on the show were given financial security for years too,” one user saidonX.

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Other fans pointed to the sudden departures of cast members like Tracy Ifeachor (Dr. Heather Collins) and Supriya Ganesh (Dr. Samira Mohan), questioning why only women of color were written out.

Showrunner R. Scott Gemmill explained thatthedecision was madeto accuratelyportray the reality of a teaching hospital.

Image credits:HBO Max

A second user commented, “Supriya Ganesh moved to LA for the show, only for the rug to be ripped out from under her when it wasn’t even planned. Financial security for the white actors.”

In April2026,Ganesh’s exit sparked backlashafterit was revealed she wouldn’t return for season three. At the time, many fans argued that it was unfair for Moahn to be written out despite both her and Ball’s character being 4th-year residents.

“A long time? He’d better be gone by the end of season 3. Just like Heather and Samira,” a third person said.

Amid the backlash, several fans defended Ball, arguing that he couldn’t be held responsible for the unplanned exits of other cast members.

Patrick Ball reveals financial advice he received from Noah Wyle

Image credits:HBO Max

In the same interview, Ball discussed receiving financial advice fromThe Pittco-star, Noah Wyle, who plays his on-screen mentor, Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch.

He recalled Wyle told him, “Save your money. Stay cheap. Keep your overhead low.”

Wyle also advised him to keep his cost of living low, despite earning far more than he did in his theater days.

Ball admitted to following Wyle’s advice, revealing that he had moved in with his old roommate in Brooklyn during his stint on Broadway.

Meanwhile,The Pitthasbeenrenewed for a third seasonwith Ball expectedto reprise his role as Langdon.

The Pittis currently streaming on HBO Max.

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 04, 2026

“$750 A Week”: ‘The Pitt’ Star’s Shocking Salary Confession Leaves Fans Absolutely Furious

The Pittmay have wrapped its second season, but the medical drama is back in the spotlight after one of its stars made a surprisingsala...

Read More

“Saturday Night Live” recap: Olivia Rodrigo doubles as host and musical guest

We are in the home stretch! It’sSNLin Review, for the first of the final three episodes of season 51. Olivia Rodrigo isback at 8Hand this time she’s hosting! She’s been the musical guest twice before, includingduring season 46.

Double duty can be tricky, and that’s why tonight I’m glad to be joined again by formerSNLcast member John Milhiser. His season had a few examples of this — including,as previously discussed, Lady Gaga. Milhiser offers tonight that “if you're a big enough star and personality, of course, you can do double duty. It's rare, and it's about the moment. Olivia is having her moment. Let her cook.”

Besides Gaga, Milhiser saw two other cases of hosts pulling double duty. The second episode of the season, in fact, was Miley Cyrus. Milhiser recalls really enjoying his time with Cyrus, and “she visitedSNLa few times that season. She was young, having fun, in her "wild" days. I never thought she was that wild, to be honest. ‘Wrecking Ball’ was the best song. Her performance of ‘Wrecking Ball’  is legendary. From her, when she did double duty. I still have herBangerzCD she signed for me. I've never played it because I didn't have a CD player. Another fun fact, for some reason, I kept herBangerzCD in my sock drawer for years.”

Then, months later, was Drake. He “was HUGE when he hosted. It was the era of DRAKE,” says Milhiser. “Everyone was obsessed. My cousin Keith and his son Morgan came as my guests to that show. Morgan was a big fan of Drake. I wanted to be the cool uncle, so I made it a priority to introduce Morgan to Drake.  Luckily, Drake was sitting at a table by himself, a few tables away from us. The stars were aligned. I said to Morgan, ‘You ready to go meet Drake?’ We walked over to Drake's table, and just when I was about to open my mouth to say ‘Hi!’ Drake's bodyguard steps in front and PUSHES me away. Very embarrassing. Drake stepped in and said, ‘No! It's okay. He's on the cast.’ The bodyguard didn't recognize me. Can you blame him? Anytoot, Drake was very nice to my cousin's son. Morgan got a great picture with him. I became a cool uncle that night thanks to Drake. He'll always hold a special place in my heart.”

Scroll below for more insights —hopefully we get some memories out of tonight that rival John’s!

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Cold Open

You’re watching a span of your life watching C-Span. We join Karoline Leavitt (Ashley Padilla), who is four, five seconds from wilding — or actually, introducing a very cringe Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost). “Is it true you suck?” he asks the press. He proceeds to call them virgins and theater kids. Hegseth just clashed for a few days with Democrats in Congress over the Iran war.

Ah, time for some stunt casting: Aziz Ansari comes out as the under siege FBI Director Kash Patel. This is precedent-setting. He’s the first Indian person to suck at their job. We touch on recent headlines, Ansari does a commendable job, given the obviousness of the casting. (He hosted back in season 42 FYI!)

Monologue

Rodrigo’s favorite cast is from when she was in high school —so, Sarah Sherman, Mikey Day, Kenan Thompson, and Chloe Fineman were cast members! Ha.

When she was 6, she began acting in Old Navy commercials, even joining a Disney Channel show opposite Jake Paul. We get a fake outtake from the ad, and she lands a nice joke about Netflix. She mentions the time she fell off stage at a concert.

Mentioning “Drivers License,” she performs a spoof sequel. This time, she’s going to the DMV. Pretty entertaining! John Milhiser comments, “Love O-Rod. For a young artist, she brings a remarkable blend of self-assuredness, vulnerability, and musical reverence. Her kind of sugar-coated pop punk with just rough-enough edges is the perfect vehicle for her Gen Z blasé confessionalism, and humor is all throughout her songwriting.”

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAnio Baumeister

in

May 03, 2026

“Saturday Night Live” recap: Olivia Rodrigo doubles as host and musical guest

We are in the home stretch! It’sSNLin Review, for the first of the final three episodes of season 51. Olivia Rodrigo isback at 8Hand th...

Read More