Hilary Duff Breaks Her Silence on Ashley Tisdale’s “Toxic” Mom Group Allegations
Hilary Duff is finally addressing the viral “toxic” mom group drama sparked by Ashley Tisdale’s recent op-ed. According to the Lizzie McGuire alum, the allegations were just as shocking to her as they were to the rest of the world when the story first broke.
During a candid appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast this Wednesday, Duff opened up about the fallout from Tisdale’s January essay regarding “breaking up” with an exclusionary circle of mother friends. Online sleuths quickly deduced that the High School Musical star was likely referring to Duff’s social circle. When host Alex Cooper noted how easily fans connected the dots, Duff responded sardonically, “I don’t really think people had to connect very many dots, do you?”
Duff admitted she felt “deeply saddened” and “blindsided” by the piece, primarily because she disputes the accuracy of Tisdale’s claims. “Motherhood has brought me an incredible core group of friends who have been my ride-or-die for nearly two decades,” she told Cooper, noting that raising four children has introduced her to various social circles. “It’s disheartening to read a narrative that isn’t true, and it’s especially frustrating on behalf of the other six women involved whose lives are being scrutinized.”
The controversy stems from Tisdale’s essay for The Cut, in which she described feeling “left out” and likened the social dynamics to a high school environment. While Duff was positioned at the center of the discourse, public speculation also suggested that Mandy Moore and Meghan Trainor were part of the alleged “mean girl” group.
Shortly after the essay’s release, Duff’s husband, Matthew Koma—the father of three of her children—mocked the situation with a biting parody headline on social media: “When You’re The Most Self-Obsessed Tone-Deaf Person On Earth, Other Moms Tend To Shift Focus To Their Actual Toddlers.”
On Call Her Daddy, Duff revealed she had no prior knowledge of Koma’s satirical post. “Honestly, everything he does makes me laugh,” she shared. “I don’t censor him or dictate what he can post. He is fiercely protective of me, and I love him for that.”
When asked if she wanted to offer any clarification regarding Tisdale’s specific grievances, Duff’s answer was a pointed “Nope.”
She further implied that the timing of the article felt calculated, coming right as she was launching a major career resurgence. “The timing felt off, and honestly, I felt used,” Duff added. The actress-singer has been enjoying a wave of success following the February release of Luck… or Something, her first studio album in over a decade. She is also set to headline a massive arena tour starting this June.
Luck… or Something marks a full-circle milestone for the pop icon. Her previous effort, 2015’s Breathe In. Breathe Out., peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. You can listen to Duff’s full, unfiltered conversation with Alex Cooper on the latest episode of Call Her Daddy.
