Ashley Tisdale, star of “High School Musical,” ignited online drama with a January 1 essay in The Cut titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group.” While she didn’t name specific individuals, fans quickly speculated the piece targeted a celebrity mom circle including Mandy Moore, Hilary Duff, and Meghan Trainor—women Tisdale had frequently appeared with in social media posts.
In the essay, Tisdale described joining the group after the 2021 birth of her first daughter, Jupiter, seeking camaraderie. Though she initially enjoyed group texts and playdates, she soon felt excluded after noticing private chats and Instagram photos of gatherings she wasn’t invited to. “It felt like I wasn’t really part of the group after all,” she wrote, comparing the dynamic to high school cliques. Tisdale, who also has a 1-year-old daughter, Emerson, ultimately left the group, citing toxicity.
The fallout spilled onto social media, with clothing designer Samii Ryan—believed to be part of the group—posting a clip of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Her,” lyrics including: “I don’t care if these bitches don’t like me.” Tisdale’s husband, Christopher French, shared a cryptic message: “It’s your choice whether or not to engage.” Hilary Duff’s husband, Matthew Koma, mockingly reposted a fake Cut article titled: “When You’re the Most Self-Obsessed Tone Deaf Person on Earth…”
While Duff and Moore have publicly praised their mom group in past interviews, neither directly addressed Tisdale’s essay. Duff’s sister, Haylie Duff, appeared to support Tisdale by liking the article’s promotional post. Chelsea Handler defended Moore on Page Six Radio: “She’s a wonderful, sweet person.”
Notably, Tisdale was absent from fall 2023 Instagram photos of a group trip to Ojai’s Hotel El Roblar—highlighted by entrepreneur Janice Gott’s poolside snap of Duff, Moore, and others. Though Tisdale’s representative denied the speculation, her essay concluded: “If you have to wonder if they [like you]… it’s not the right group for you. Even if it looks like they’re having the best time on Instagram.”