She has a supporting role in the film, but Ashlee Simpson was the star attraction at the world premiere of "Undiscovered." A drama set against the backdrop of the Los Angeles music scene, the film follows two young lovers struggling to strike a balance between career and romance. Simpson marks her major feature-film acting debut as the couple‘s best friend Clea, a classically kooky but wise sidekick.

By many accounts, Simpson, 20, was a quick study.

Premiere attendees included all of the film‘s principals, as well as Simpson‘s on-again, off-again boyfriend, pop idol Ryan Cabrera .

Conspicuously absent was Simpson‘s singer-actor sister, Jessica Simpson , who, Ashlee explained, simply couldn‘t make it to Los Angeles in time following Monday night‘s London premiere of her own film, "The Dukes of Hazzard."

The event inspired Simpson to recall her own discovery.

Of course with fame comes more attention — not all of it good. Witness Simpson‘s October 2004 "Saturday Night Live" incident during which a national television audience discovered she was lip-syncing to a pre-recorded vocal.

Simpson addresses the matter on her new CD, "I Am Me," which is set for an Oct. 18 North American release. Just before the record‘s release, she‘ll sit down with Oprah Winfrey , to give her take on the "S.N.L." incident.

Ashlee reflected, "I definitely experienced so much this year: every high and every low, and I think it‘s been the most amazing year I could have possibly had, because I have learned so much."