Haylie Katherine Duff, born February 19, 1985, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, television host, writer, and fashion designer. She’s perhaps most recognized for her performances in the television series 7th Heaven and the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite. Over the years, Duff has cultivated a diverse career in the entertainment industry, branching out into food blogging, cooking shows, and children’s fashion. She’s also the elder sister of actress and singer Hilary Duff.
Early Life
Haylie Duff was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in a family with ties to both business and entertainment. Her father, Robert Erhard “Bob” Duff, owns a chain of convenience stores. Her mother, Susan Duff, shifted from being a homemaker to a film producer, working on projects that featured Haylie’s younger sister, Hilary. Haylie started ballet lessons when she was little, and by the time she was eight, she was already dancing in The Nutcracker Suite with the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company. Her passion for the performing arts naturally led her to acting, often appearing alongside or supporting her sister’s burgeoning career.
Career
Duff’s acting career began in the late 1990s, with guest spots on shows like The Amanda Show and movies such as the miniseries True Women (1997). She became more widely known in the early 2000s, landing recurring roles. These included Amy Sanders on Disney’s Lizzie McGuire (which starred her sister Hilary) and Sandy Jameson on the popular family drama 7th Heaven.
Her big break in film came when she played the stuck-up Summer Wheatley in the 2004 indie sensation Napoleon Dynamite. The movie became a cult classic, and she won a Teen Choice Award for her performance.
In 2006, she shared the screen with Hilary in Material Girls, a comedy centered on affluent sisters facing financial ruin, and also made her Broadway debut, taking on the role of Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray.
Duff has also made her mark in music, co-writing songs for Hilary’s albums, such as Metamorphosis (2003) and Hilary Duff (2004), and lending her voice to various soundtracks.
During the 2010s, Duff began to explore lifestyle and culinary ventures. She started the blog Real Girl’s Kitchen in 2012, which later became a Cooking Channel series in 2014 and a cookbook in 2013. Additionally, she launched the children’s clothing line Little Moon Society in 2017.
More recently, Duff has starred in several made-for-TV movies, frequently appearing on Lifetime and Hallmark channels. These include Blending Christmas (2021), Project Baby (2023), and Pretty Hurts (2025), the latter of which aimed to raise awareness about meningitis B vaccinations.
Personal Life
Since 2012, Duff has been in a committed relationship with Matt Rosenberg, an entrepreneur; although the couple became engaged in 2014, they have characterized their union as “spiritually married,” foregoing a traditional wedding ceremony. They are the parents of two daughters: Ryan, born in 2015, and Lulu, born in 2018. The family moved from Los Angeles to Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Hilary Duff’s older sister, Haylie has frequently collaborated professionally with her, yet she maintains a less prominent public presence, concentrating on family and creative pursuits.
As of 2025, at the age of 40, Haylie Duff continues to navigate a career that includes acting, the occasional directing of projects, and her entrepreneurial activities, all while prioritizing her role as a mother.
