Ashley Tisdale, the star of High School Musical, has publicly detailed her decision to leave what she describes as a 'toxic mum group', a surprising move given her past effusive praise for the celebrity circle. The actress, 40, once celebrated the support network that included fellow stars Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore, and Meghan Trainor, formed after the birth of her daughter Jupiter in 2021.
The Dream Village That Turned Sour
For nearly four years, Tisdale was a core member of this A-list parenting village, joining a group created by her longtime friend Hilary Duff. The mothers shared holidays, baby classes, and countless playdates, with Ashley documenting a 2022 girls' trip and expressing immense gratitude for the camaraderie. As recently as January 2025, she thanked the same friends for their support during the Los Angeles wildfires, calling out the group for being there 'in the highs and lows.'
However, in a candid new article for The Cut, expanding on a November 2025 blog post, Ashley reveals a different, painful side to the dynamic. She writes of feeling 'frozen out' during vulnerable postpartum periods, noticing she was not invited to gatherings she would later see photos of on Instagram. 'It took me back to an unpleasant but familiar feeling I thought I'd left behind years ago,' she confessed, describing nights spent wondering if she was 'not cool enough' and feeling transported back to the social anxieties of high school.
A Decisive Break and Lingering Fallout
The situation culminated in Ashley sending a decisive text to the group. 'This is too high school for me and I don't want to take part in it anymore,' she wrote after being excluded from another event. While she clarifies she doesn't consider most of the mums 'bad people', she states the group dynamic had stopped being healthy and positive for her.
Fans have connected the damning article to recent social media activity, noting that Ashley has unfollowed both Hilary Duff and Mandy Moore on Instagram. This contrasts sharply with the enduring, publicly documented friendship between Duff and Moore, who recently enjoyed a Christmas lights outing with their children and have spoken glowingly for years about the support found in their mum network.
Moving Forward Alone
Ashley, who also shares a 16-month-old son, Emerson, with husband Christopher French, seems resolute. On her blog, she reflects that cutting ties has allowed her to focus on connections that genuinely fulfil her. 'The time you do spend with others will actually feel good, because you’ll be with people who see you, who include you, who want you there,' she writes. Her story highlights the complex social dynamics that can exist even within the most glamorous of 'villages', proving that celebrity status is no shield against the pain of exclusion.
