Hilary Duff breezes into her Cosmo cover shoot at a New York City photo studio and cheerily gives out hugs and kisses to everyone on set. You’d never know the girl hasn’t been getting much sleep lately until she makes a desperate request: “A skim latte with an extra shot of espresso — please!”

And while some young celebs require an energy boost because they’ve been hanging at nightclubs until the wee hours, Hilary’s just seeking to fuel her ambitious work agenda. It’s a schedule that entails recording new music, working on two films, raising money for kids through the Blessings in a Backpack organization, and going on a world tour. “This has been a big cleansing year for me,” the Texas native declares. “I learned a ton about myself, and I became really independent. I feel like I grew up a lot.”

And we’re not just talking emotional maturity here — at 20, with long honey-colored locks, a smokin’ bod, and killer confidence, Hilary’s looking every bit the hot Hollywood starlet. Dressed in white skinny jeans, 4-inch heels, and a sexy off-the-shoulder black top, it’s hard to believe she’s the same girl who not long ago starred in such family-friendly flicks as Cheaper by the Dozen and 2004′s A Cinderella Story.

Appearance aside, she’s making more sophisticated professional choices too. She recently finished filming War, Inc., a political satire, alongside John Cusack, and she’s now working on a drama with veteran actress Ellen Burstyn called Greta, which deals with suicide. Furthermore, her latest album, Dignity — which she’s re-releasing early this year with two new tracks — references the difficult subject of her parents’ recent divorce…

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