Ashley Tisdale French sparked a viral conversation when she announced that she broke up with her 'toxic mom group.' The 40-year-old actress and Frenshe founder revealed her decision in a deeply personal essay published in The Cut on Thursday, January 1.
Ashley, who married her husband Christopher French in 2014, is a mom-of-two. She welcomed her first daughter, Jupiter Irish French, in March 2021. Three years later, their second daughter, Emerson Clover, was born in September 2024.
While the village it takes to raise a child is often romanticized in celebrity circles, Ashley's essay pulled back the curtains on how sometimes, these friendships can shift from supportive to exclusionary.
Shortly after her oldest was born, Ashley became close friends with a group of moms. For a while, she thought of the women as her village. But soon, the group turned toxic. In her essay – which was an adaptation of a shorter piece she published to her own website in 2025, Ashley wrote: "I remember being left out of a couple of group hangs, and I knew about them because Instagram made sure it fed me every single photo and Instagram Story."
She continued: "Another time, at one of the mom's dinner parties, I realized where I sat with her — which was at the end of the table, far from the rest of the women. I was starting to feel frozen out of the group, noticing every way that they seemed to exclude me."
Ashley ended up texting the friend group: "This is too high school for me and I don’t want to take part in it anymore," and explained in the essay that she is much happier after leaving.
As she told HELLO! in 2023: "You can do small little things that can go a long way," she said. "A happy mom is so good for the baby and for the family. It's something you shouldn't feel bad about."
The response to Ashley's revelation was mainly positive, with many moms coming clean about their own toxic groups. However, it also triggered a forensic-lever investigation by fans on TikTok and Instagram, who began cross-referencing photos, unfollows, and more to find out who Ashley was leaving behind.
So, join HELLO! as we take a look at who the High School Musical star may have been referring to when she penned the essay.
© InstagramHilary Duff
Another former Disney star, Hilary Duff, 38, has four children – Luca, 12, Banks, seven, Mae, three, and Townes, one. There are many photos over the years of Hilary and Ashley together, dating back to their teen years. Although Ashley didn't mention any mom by name, many fans pointed to the Disney connection as a possible reason to assume tension.
On Monday, January 5, Ashley's rep told TMZ that there is no truth to the speculation that the essay was about Hilary, effectively clearing the Lizzie McGuire star and suggesting that the "toxic" behavior originated elsewhere in the larger group.
© InstagramMandy Moore
Famous mom Mandy Moore, 41, is a mom-of-three. She married her husband, Taylor Goldsmith, in 2018. They welcomed their first child, August "Gus" in 2021. 18-months later, Mandy gave birth to her second son, Oscar "Ozzie." And in September 2024, she welcomed her daughter, Louise "Lou."
Mandy, who is a child star like Hilary and Ashley, was quickly welcomed into the group – posing for many photos with the moms. While the This Is Us actress has not commented on Ashley's essay, she and Ashley were once fixtures on each other's social media feeds and have not been seen together in months, marking a notable shift in their previously close dynamic.
© InstagramMeghan Trainor
The "All About That Bass" singer is no stranger to headlines – anyone remember her very unique bathroom setup? Meghan Trainor, 32, is married to child star Daryl Sabara, 33. The two are parents to sons Riley, four, and Barry, two.
She and Hilary have been friends for years, with the Disney star telling People in December 2024: "I feel like our big connection to one another, even though we're pop stars or on TV, is we love our kids."
© InstagramGaby Dalkin
No, Gaby Dalkin is not a famous actress or pop star, but she is a very popular food and lifestyle creator part of the now infamous mom group. Gaby, who has one million Instagram followers, launched her food platform in 2009 and has published five cook books. The chef has two children – Poppy, five, and Finn, one.
She appeared in a photo posted to Meghan's Instagram in which the singer captioned: "I have mom friends and I love them."
© InstagramSamii Ryan
Another member of the mom group is fashion designer Samii Ryan. She launched her brand, Samii Ryan, in 2009. Samii has two sons and is one of the few moms to comment on Ashley's essay. While not explicit, she reposted a video to her Instagram story of a man mouthing the words to Megan Thee Stallion's song "Her."
"I don't care if these *expletive* don't like me, 'cause, like, I'm pretty as *expletive*," the track begins. "Just the other day, I heard a ho say. Matter of fact, what could a ho say? With a face like this and a *expletive* this paid, *expletive*, what could a ho say?"
Written atop the video was: "2026 mood."
