Ashley Tisdale Fuels ‘Toxic’ Mom Group Drama, Picking Sides Amid Hilary Duff’s Sibling Rivalry With Haylie
By Fiyin Olowokandi on January 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM EST
The "toxic mom group" drama keeps adding new layers, this time with Ashley Tisdale's unexpected hangout with Hilary Duff's estranged sister, Haylie Duff.
What started out as Tisdale narrating her fallout from a mom group turned into a messy feud with speculations that her comments were aimed at Hilary, Meghan Trainor, and Mandy Moore.
As sides were drawn, Hilary's husband publicly backed her, while her estranged sister Haylie seemed to align with Tisdale. Now, Tisdale’s kid and Haylie’s child are hanging out, appearing to be stirring conversation once again.
Ashley Tisdale's Daughter Spotted on Playdate With Haylie Duff's Child
The “High School Musical” alum reshared on her Instagram Stories a post by Haylie Duff, showing a sweet moment from a playdate between Tisdale's daughter, Jupiter, and Haylie's 10-year-old son, Ryan.
In the photo, the girls are seen sitting beneath a table in all smiles. The caption read, “Under table shenanigans @ashleetisdalefrench.”
The hangout comes days after Hilary appeared to send a cryptic message about her strained relationship with her sibling. As The Blast previously reported, the “Lizzie McGuire” alum took the stage at London's 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire, where she delivered an emotionally raw performance of her song "We Don't Talk."
Rather than focusing on romantic heartbreak, the lyrics pointed toward familial pain. Lines like:
''Cause we come from the same home, same blood" emphasizes shared roots, while "Don't know when it happened / Not even sure what it was about" reflects lingering confusion and unresolved hurt.
Hilary’s lyrics didn't go unnoticed, with fans interpreting them as a nod to her fractured relationship with Haylie.
Inside Hilary and Haylie Duff's Long-Running Rift
As the 38-year-old’s performance revived conversations about the sisters' estrangement, fans revisited years of speculation surrounding their relationship.
A 2023 Reddit thread had users suggesting that their strained relationship may partly be linked to Haylie's alleged alignment with right-wing views.
Before their fallout, the sisters appeared inseparable, starring together in the 2006 film “Material Girls” and collaborating behind the scenes on “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
With Tisdale’s essay about mom groups casting another shadow between the siblings, Haylie has seemingly shown where she stands.
The Blast reported that Haylie showed her support for Tisdale on Instagram by liking the actor's joint post with The Cut, the outlet that published her personal essay.
The post's caption read: "LEAVE YOUR TOXIC FRIENDS BEHIND YOU IN 2026," says @ashleytisdalefrench.
How Hilary Duff’s Husband Responded To Ashley Tisdale
While Haylie appeared to side with Tisdale, Hilary's husband, Matthew Koma, took a different stance.
According to The Blast, Koma mocked Tisdale’s essay by posting a photoshopped image of himself over the former Disney star’s cover photo, while claiming she was “self-obsessed” in a scathing headline.
The headline read, "When You're The Most Self-Obsessed Tone Deaf Person On Earth, Other Moms Tend To Shift Focus To Their Actual Toddlers." He poked fun in the caption, writing, “read my new interview with @the cut.”
All About Ashley Tisdale’s Explosive Tell-All About ‘Toxic’ Mom Group
In Tisdale’s article that sparked the drama, she recounted leaving her friendship circle because she felt sidelined.
Per The Blast, the “Phineas and Ferb” star recalled “feeling frozen out of the group” and decided to leave entirely, claiming the energy wasn’t positive.
She then decided to break up with them with a phone message telling them, "This is too high school for me, and I don't want to take part in it anymore."
After her tell-all went viral, speculation swirled online about the reasons behind the fallout. Some assumed it was linked to political affiliations, but a representative for the singer denied those claims, clarifying that Tisdale is a registered Democrat.
How Mandy Moore And Hilary Duff Reportedly Feel About Ashley Tisdale’s Article
Following Tisdale’s viral essay, Hilary and Mandy Moore allegedly feel “unfairly portrayed” by it.
According to The Blast, those close to Moore and Duff claimed the moms were “blindsided and hurt” with the way Tisdale chose to speak out.
The insider added, "From their perspective, they believed the group was supportive and coming from a good place, and they never thought there was any bad intent behind how things played out."
The source shared Duff and Moore’s version of events, claiming there was no “mean girl behavior” among them.
