'It must be a really tough struggle!' Hilary Duff is full of praise for Selena Gomez and how she deals with fame 

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They both know what it is like to go from child star to teen queen to fully fledged star.

Hilary Duff is no stranger to having people whisper about her private life, but the star has revealed she feels for those who stepped out into the spotlight after her - like Selena Gomez.

The 29-year-old former Lizzie McGuire star told Jennifer Koppelman Hutt on the Just Jenny Sirius XM show that she cannot imagine what her younger Disney Channel alums go through.

'I think it's so hard': Hilary Duff is no stranger to having people whisper about her private life, but the star has revealed she feels for those who stepped out into the spotlight after her - like Selena Gomez (pictured 2008)

After Jenny said Hilary managed to navigate growing up in the public eye unscathed, the star shared her thoughts on how young stars like Selena navigate fame.

Hilary said: 'I think it's hard. I just feel for them.'

As to how she made it through, the Younger star said: 'God, how do I answer that? It was just a different time for me. When I was just coming onto the scene, it was when all the gossip and stuff started. 

'But now it's such an extreme level and there's such a focus on personal life. It must really be a tough struggle. I feel it, and I'm not dealing with it on the level they're dealing with it on.'

'It's such an extreme level and there's such a focus on personal life': Hilary said when she went from child actress to a star she did not feel under as much scrutiny as the Wizards Of Waverly Place actress 

Selena has currently taken time off to recover from lupus and seek treatment for the anxiety, panic attacks and depression she has experienced as a side effect.

Hillary says she thinks it is Selena's talents that get her through the tough focus of being a public figure.

'I think the saving grace is that she makes great music and so people love her. People read it and it falls out of their heads so fast now. The public is smart [about] gossip magazines and that they're just trying to make money. I'm sure people gossip about it with their friends for a second, but at the end of the day, they love those people and they love their music.'

People love her: The Younger actress said Selena's 'saving grace' was her mazing musical talent (pictured August)

Hilary has just signed with mega-manager Scooter Braun but she ruled out doing any duets with his famous client - and Selena's ex - Justin Bieber.

'I think that he believes in me. I love what he does. He thinks outside the box and he likes a good challenge, and I'm a little bit of a challenge. Music for me, it fits in somewhere. It's just a part of my life. 

'But I don't have like, ''I've got to get an album at this time.'' I have a child and so I get to go to the studio when I have time.'

Not a Belieber: The mom of one (pictured last month) has just signed with mega-manager Scooter Braun but she ruled out doing any duets with his famous client - and Selena's ex - Justin Bieber