Hilary Duff has been awarded $1.25 million in damages in judgement against Naturalena — a female hygiene company — the the actress has been battling since 2021 over unpaid endorsement fees.
The founder and CEO of Naturalena, Adrian M. Forsyth, signed a confession of judgment in favor of Duff. This request is a written agreement that willingly accepts the liability and amount of damages agreed upon.
In her 2021 lawsuit, Duff accused Naturalena of continuing to use her image and likeness to promote their products after failing to pay her endorsement fees. She explained that she is owed money for advertising their Happy Little Campers baby diapers, flushable wipes, natural cotton wipes, and their Veeda feminine hygiene products.
She first opened up about the endorsement deal in 2019, raving about how hard it was to find a brand that offered natural and sustainable products without sacrificing its efficiency, saying: "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 we use."
"I'm so excited to take on this role and help further our mission to provide clean, plant-based products that are safe and accessible for babies and moms," Duff said about her endorsement gig. However, her joy faded when Naturalena failed to keep their end of the bargain.
In her lawsuit, she alleged the brand avoided paying her by using an "unforeseeable circumstances" clause in the contract. They claimed the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the company. But Duff refuted their claims, noting "various press reports indicate that Naturalena experienced an increase in demand for its products during the COVID-19 pandemic."
"It's nothing more than a bad-faith attempt to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic to evade their clear contractual obligations," the lawsuit stressed. In retaliation, Duff requested an injunction prohibiting the company from further use of her publicity rights and asked to be compensated for damages.