Why did Hilary Duff sue Naturalena? Actress receives $1.25 million after winning lawsuit against the eco-friendly brand

Actress Hilary Duff was awarded $1.25 million in damages after winning a legal dispute with eco-friendly company Naturalena. On Tuesday, the brand's founder and CEO, Adrian M. Forsyth, signed a confession of judgment in favor of the Lizzie McGuire actress.

As per Business Debt Group, a confession of judgment is a legal filing where the defendants accept liability for their debt without undergoing a trial.

Duff had filed the suit against the Irvine-based company in 2021 for wrongfully using the pandemic as an excuse for failing to pay her endorsement fees.

In addition to paying damages, Forsyth consented to cover her post-judgment interest, attorney's fees, and costs incurred concerning the enforcement of the judgment.

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Hilary Duff partnered with Naturalena and its brands back in November 2019

Hilary Duff, who is big on endorsing sustainable and natural products, entered into a partnership with Naturalena and its two brands, Happy Little Camper and Veeda, back in October 2019. Both brands are associated with the Naturalena Foundation, a charitable organization that strives to uplift women and children globally by providing them with sanitation items.

Happy Little Camper offers all-natural and earth-friendly diapers and flushable wipes, whereas Veeda offers plant-based feminine hygiene products.

The news was announced at a celebratory launch event hosted by Duff in Los Angeles on November 10, 2019. At the time, Duff remarked that the brand offered products that were "natural and sustainable without sacrificing functionality," adding:

"As parents, we want what’s best for our kids and as a woman it’s important to think about my own health when it comes to what I put in my body. Happy Little Camper and Veeda are changing the way we think about the products."

The actress granted the brand the right to use her image and likeness to promote their products. This included Duff attending photo shoots, news conferences, and other promotional events. Additionally, she wrote blog posts and shared posts and videos on social media.

However, the partnership soon soured, and Hilary Duff filed her lawsuit against the brand. The lawsuit stated Naturalena avoided paying her, citing "unforeseeable circumstances" stated in their contract, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, and terminating their contract.

However, the actress claimed the company "experienced an increase in demand" for its products during the pandemic. The lawsuit stressed:

"It's nothing more than a bad-faith attempt to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to evade their clear contractual obligations."

As per a report by CBS News, the lawsuit claims that despite refusing to pay the actress and ending their contractual deal, the company continued to use Hilary Duff's name and likeness to promote its products. The suit was filed for a million dollars in July 2021 and alleged breach of a written contract and misappropriation of the right to publicity. They settled in April 2022, but details of the agreement were not released.

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According to Naturalena's CEO, he signed the confession of judgment after reviewing the information and documents he believed were true.

Hilary Duff or Naturalena had not released a statement at the time of writing this article.