Duff hurt by casting directors

Hilary Duff is appealing to directors to cast her in a gritty, challenging role after she was turned down for a series of meaty parts.

The Cheaper by the Dozen actress, 19, said she recently fell for a juicy script, but was told the studio weren't interested in auditioning her.

She says: "It always shocks me the lack of openness, the lack of imagination that some casting directors have.

"I would read a script and be so in love with that, and someone would be like: 'Hilary Duff? Oh no, we don't want her for that.'"