Hilary Duff Breaks Silence On Ashley Tisdale’s Toxic Mom Group

Hilary Duffis done letting the negative narrative about her fly! 

After Ashley Tisdale published a candid essay about being part of a parenting circle she described as toxic, fans speculated that the “Lizzie McGuire” alum was among those involved.

More than two months after the controversy went viral, drawing attention even from Duff’s estranged sister, the actress is finally setting the record straight.

The “How I Met Your Father” star addressed the controversy directly, making it clear that she’s no stranger to public scrutiny and that the rumors were unfounded.

“I mean, this is not new for me,” the 38-year-old told the Los Angeles Times in a new interview. “I’ve had this since I was maybe 15 and starting to get followed around by paparazzi.”

Duff explained that being in the spotlight meant every detail of her life was documented and dissected. As a result, stories about her often gain attention in ways most normal people never experience.

The singer added that social media escalated the story with clickbait spreading half-truths and lies.

“It’s hard because you’re like, ‘Wait, whoa, that person kind of got it right,’ and ‘Whoa, that person doesn’t know what they’re talking about,’” Duff said before recalling a narrative she saw that shocked her. 

“I saw something that was like, ‘None of the moms at school actually like her and neither do the teachers,’ and I was like, ‘First of all…’” Duff dismissed before praising the women at school.

When asked how she shuts out the noise, Duff replied that it “depends on the day,” but she would normally do something relaxing, like take a hot tub. 

Before Duff confronted the claims, those close to her already revealed that she felt she was wrongly represented in the “High School Musical” alum’s article. 

According to The Blast, the source revealed that Duff and the other suspected moms felt hurt and shocked at the revelation, as their perspectives were not told in Tisdale’s story. 

“The moms insist there was no ‘mean girl’ behavior and say they were genuinely trying to be there for one another during a really vulnerable time in all of their lives,” the insider shared. 

The source added that the members of the group felt hurt by Tisdale going public, as whatever issue they had could have been settled privately. 

Duff has since been candid about how she makes friends and maintains relationships with them.

Last November, in an appearance on the “Therapuss” podcast, the “Mature” singer confessed that her approach in her circles is to sort things out while avoiding conflict. 

She went on to reflect on communication, acknowledging that having honest conversations about expectations after a rough patch could be overwhelming. Duff admitted to being in such situations but had to do them to avoid lingering tensions. 

“I don’t want to make anyone feel bad by my actions. I’d rather have a conversation about it,” she shared, per The Blast. 

As past interviews of Duff discussing how she handles difficult conversations resurfaced, speculation grew about what might have led to tension between her and Tisdale.

Per The Blast, a source close to the circle revealed that the rift was caused by “misalignment of values that Ashley decided to make public.”

Another claimed that Tisdale had long felt disconnected from them, adding that her speaking out was to encourage people to leave toxic relationships.

When fans rumored the conflict was a result of the “Phineas and Ferb” actress’ MAGA beliefs, her rep was quick to shut it down, stating she is a registered Democrat. 

Duff and Tisdale’s alleged rift took a new twist when, unexpectedly, Duff’s estranged sister appeared to side with Tisdale. As The Blast previously reported, Tisdale and Haylie’s kids had a playdate, which the mothers excitedly shared on Instagram.

Following Haylie’s show of support for Tisdale, Hilary got candid about their strained relationship, which she referenced in her song “We Don’t Talk.”

The “Gossip Girl” alum described their strained bond as the “most lonely part of my existence.” The sisters have not been seen together publicly since 2019, and their social media trail has noticeably faded.