The world of celebrity parenting cliques has been rocked by a very public feud, with former The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Crystal Kung Minkoff claiming intimate knowledge of the drama. The controversy stems from an essay penned by Ashley Tisdale, in which the High School Musical alum described feeling insecure and alienated by an unnamed group of mothers.
Inside Knowledge of the Feud
Crystal Kung Minkoff, 42, has now entered the fray, stating she knows about '70 percent of the mum group' referenced in Tisdale's scathing article for The Cut. Speaking on her podcast Humble Brag, Minkoff dismissed claims from Tisdale's publicist that the essay was not about this specific circle. 'I know it's the group,' Minkoff confirmed, adding, 'I just wonder, what was she thinking was gonna happen?'
The fallout has been significant. The 40-year-old Tisdale unfollowed fellow actresses Mandy Moore and Hilary Duff on Instagram before deactivating her account entirely. The situation escalated when Duff's husband publicly criticised Tisdale as 'self obsessed' and 'tone deaf.'
Minkoff's Personal Experience with Mum Groups
Minkoff speaks from a place of painful experience. The co-founder of Real Coco revealed that her own 14-member mum group 'dropped' her in 2021 after she was cast in the Bravo reality show. This personal history informed her reaction to Tisdale's essay, prompting her to message one of the mothers involved for clarity. 'They said, "It's so ironic that we're the toxic ones and she's on her own,"' Minkoff recounted.
However, Minkoff was quick to defend Hilary Duff's character, noting that the toxic mum 'can't be Hilary' because 'everyone loves Hilary Duff.' Having known Duff for a decade, Minkoff described her as 'super sweet' and said she could not envision her being a 'mean mum.' She acknowledged the complex dynamics at play, stating, 'It's dynamic. And so I feel for Ashley obviously [because I lived it].'
The High-Stakes World of Celebrity Parenting
Minkoff offered insight into the intense pressures surrounding elite parenting circles, particularly during school admissions. 'When you start heading into applications for kindergarten, all your best friends suddenly become your enemies. It's really crazy,' she advised. 'That age is so intense and it's like you're trying to create this image of yourself via your kid.'
She expressed hope that Tisdale's exposé would ultimately 'serve' her, just as her own exclusion led her to realise the stress of fitting in wasn't worthwhile. Minkoff, who shares two children with director husband Rob Minkoff, concluded that a time comes when such social pressures fade, saying, 'There's going to be a time where you don't care.'
Meanwhile, Ashley Tisdale focuses on her family life, raising her two young daughters with husband Christopher French. The Daily Mail has approached representatives for both Duff and Tisdale for further comment.
