Former Disney star Ashley Tisdale has announced a significant personal and professional rebrand, revealing she will now be known publicly as Ashley French after using her married name privately for years.
Embracing a New Identity
The High School Musical alum, who turned 40 recently, shared her decision in a candid TikTok video that quickly garnered attention from fans and followers. Tisdale explained that while she's been Ashley French at home for over a decade, she finally felt ready to make the change public.
"I've been Ashley French for so long at home," she revealed in the emotional video. "But I've never really changed [my name] publicly because everybody knows me as Ashley Tisdale. I just felt like it was time for people to know me for me, and not just for a character or a celebrity."
The actress has been married to musician Christopher French for 11 years, and the couple share two daughters - Jupiter, aged 4, and 13-month-old Emerson.
Creating Authentic Connections
Tisdale described the name change as part of a broader desire to step into a more authentic version of herself, particularly as she navigates her 40s and life as a mother. She expressed excitement about having "so much to talk about" beyond her early Disney fame.
"I've never really been this intimate before, but I have so much to talk about, especially now in my 40s, having my kids, being a parent, running a company," she shared.
The evolving nature of social media has prompted her to create a more intentional space for connection through her wellness brand, which has been renamed By Ashley French. She described the platform as a safe space to document her motherhood journey and explore topics close to her heart.
"I just think Instagram has changed a lot," Tisdale explained. "At this point, you don't know what's real and what's a bot. Everyone always has something to say, and it might not be positive... I felt like in order to protect my peace, I didn't want to keep sharing that way."
Fan Support and Recent Reflections
Fans quickly flooded the comments with overwhelming support for her decision to reclaim her identity. Many applauded her courage to step outside the shadow of her iconic roles as Sharpay Evans in High School Musical and Candace in Phineas and Ferb.
The name change announcement comes just weeks after Tisdale opened up about her complicated feelings towards diet culture and weight loss drugs like Ozempic. In a candid essay on her website, she voiced frustration about body image trends while maintaining she has "zero judgment" toward those who choose different paths.
"People pick apart bodies on the internet in ways they'd never dare say to someone's face," she wrote, noting that since having her second child, she's "worked hard to accept my body as it's evolved through two pregnancies."
While admitting she's been tempted to use weight loss medications, Tisdale ultimately decided against it, preferring a holistic approach that includes yoga, Pilates, and walking 12,000 steps daily.
The reception to both her name change and her honest discussions about body image demonstrates Tisdale's successful transition from child star to authentic content creator and business owner, with fans celebrating her personal growth and entrepreneurial journey.
