Ashley Tisdale is back in the spotlight after her viral essay. The former Disney star is now at the center of escalating celebrity mom group drama after spending time with Haylie Duff, the estranged sister of Hilary Duff. The unexpected hangout has fans and insiders watching closely as tensions among Hollywood moms continue to simmer.
Earlier this week, Haylie Duff shared a low-key Instagram photo showing her youngest daughter, Lulu, 7, playing under a table with Tisdale’s daughter Jupiter, 4. The moment looked innocent and playful, but the timing raised eyebrows. Tisdale quickly reposted the image to her Instagram Stories, subtly confirming the playdate and fueling speculation about where loyalties now lie.
The Essay That Set Everything Off
The drama traces back to Ashley Tisdale’s recent personal essay that struck a nerve across celebrity circles. In the piece, the Suite Life of Zack and Cody alum opened up about feeling excluded from a once tight-knit mom group that allegedly included Hilary Duff, Meghan Trainor, and Mandy Moore.
Tisdale wrote candidly about feeling out of place and not cool enough after repeatedly noticing group outings on social media that she was not invited to. “I realized that there were group text chains that didn’t include everyone, which led to cliques forming within the larger group,” she wrote. “And after the third or fourth time of seeing social media photos of everyone else at a hangout that I didn’t get invited to, it felt like I wasn’t really part of the group after all.”
Subtle and Not So Subtle Responses
Not everyone stayed quiet. Hilary Duff’s husband, musician Matthew Koma, delivered one of the sharpest reactions when he labeled Tisdale “most self-obsessed tone deaf person on earth,” in a now widely circulated comment. His words instantly amplified the controversy and drew even more attention to the fractured friendships.
Mandy Moore also weighed in, though in a far more restrained way. The singer and actress shared that she has “had to mourn” how some friendships have changed, a statement many interpreted as a response to Tisdale’s claims without directly naming her. The mix of public and cryptic reactions made it clear that emotions were running high behind the scenes.
Haylie Duff Enters the Picture
Haylie Duff’s involvement added a fresh twist. Earlier this month, the “One In This World” singer, now 40, liked an Instagram post from The Cut promoting Tisdale’s essay. The move did not go unnoticed, especially given Haylie’s reportedly strained relationship with her younger sister Hilary.
By spending time with Tisdale and publicly sharing their kids’ playdate, Haylie appeared to quietly align herself with the “High School Musical” actress. While neither woman has directly addressed the situation, the message felt clear to fans following the drama closely.
As of now, none of the key players has directly addressed the Haylie Duff playdate itself. The silence only adds to the intrigue. For Ashley Tisdale, the moment signals a possible new chapter.