Ashley Tisdale French raised eyebrows earlier this month when she revealed she left her friend group of “toxic” mums almost five years after bonding with the women during pregnancy and maternity.
“Here I was sitting alone one night after putting my daughter to bed, thinking, ‘Maybe I’m not cool enough?’ Ashley, who shares daughters Jupiter, 4, and Emerson, 16 months, with her husband. Christopher Frenchrecalled in an essay by New York Magazine‘s the cut published on January 1. “Suddenly, I was back in high school, feeling totally lost as to what I was doing ‘wrong’ to get left out.”
Shortly after Ashley shared her truth, in an essay titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group,” fans began to wonder which friends she had cut out of her life.
Some internet theorists wondered if Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore or Meghan Trainor were possible suspects, however TMZ reported on Jan. 5 that Ashley’s rep said there was “zero truth to what the online ‘detectives’ think they’ve uncovered” about the mothers’ group, claiming the piece was not about those three women.
Hilary Duff, Vanessa Hudgens and more former Disney stars have raised families since their young years on the Disney Channel. Hudgens confirmed via her Instagram Stories in July 2024 that she gave birth to her and husband Cole Tucker’s first child. “Mom, dad and baby are happy and healthy,” Hudgens wrote via Instagram on (…)
Scroll down to meet Ashley’s group of celebrity moms and see who she seems to still be friends with now:
Hilary Duff
Hilary DuffAshley’s friendship dates back to 2021, when her daughters Mae and Jupiter became friends shortly after they were born. Fans were made aware of the friendship that July after Duff hosted a music quote for babies and Ashley was one of the guests. (Duff shares daughters Banks, 7, Mae, 4, and Townes, 20 months, with her husband Matthew But and son Luca, 11, with ex-husband Mike Comrie.)
Duff and Ashley continued their friendship for a few years, going on a mothers trip in July 2022 and spending time as a team as recently as December 2024. Duff appeared to be on good terms with Ashley in March 2025, commenting on Ashley’s birthday tribute to daughter Jupiter with the message “Happy Birthday JuJu.”
Eagle-eyed fans noticed, however, in January 2026 that neither Duff nor Ashley are following each other on Instagram anymore. Meanwhile, Ashley’s rep denied that her friendship consequence essay was written about Duff.
Duff’s participation in the group was confirmed on January 6, but when her husband, Matthew Butpublicly weighed about French’s essay via his Instagram stories. Sharing an ironic “promotion” of his own fic the cut article, the musician wrote, “A group of moms tells it all through a dad’s eyes: When you’re the most tone-obsessed deaf person on earth, other moms tend to focus on their little ones.”
Koma joked: “Read my new interview with @thecut.”
Mandy Moore
“We had babies at the same time,” Mandy Moore he said InStyle in May 2022 of how it was incorporated Hilary Duffthe team of moms that included Ashley. “And (Hilary), being the supermom that she is, started a really cool moms club. Somehow, I got invited to join it, and it’s the best.”
Like Duff and Ashley, Moore welcomed a baby, son Gus, in 2021, bringing the women together. Even though Moore wasn’t on the 2022 mom trip that took over social media, several women have tagged her as someone who was missed. (Moore shares sons Gus, 4, and Ozzie, 3, and daughter Lou, 15 months, with her husband Taylor Goldsmith.)
Although Ashley’s rep denied her “toxic” mums’ group comments in January addressed to MooreAshley is no longer following him This is us alum in social networks. Moore, however, continues to follow the former Disney Channel star.
Ashley Tisdale ended her fairytale when she married Christopher French, and things just got sweeter. The former Disney Channel star fell for the musician soon after they were introduced by mutual friends in 2012. Eight months later, they got engaged. Tisdale married French in September 2014. Thanks! you (…)
Meghan Trainor
Meghan Trainor joined Duff’s “cool mom club” as of 2021 after welcoming her oldest child, son Riley, now 4. (Trainor also shares son Barry, 2, with her husband.) Daryl Sabara.)
“I have mommy friends🥹 and I love them💖,” the singer captioned a summer 2022 Instagram post from a parent trip, including snaps with Ashley and Duff.
according to TMZAshley’s rep denied that Trainor was one of the people Ashley was referring to in her essay for the cut. Observant fans have also learned that both Ashley and Trainor still follow each other on social media.
Janice Gott
Janice Gottfounder of breast pump company Muu, has been part of Ashley’s mom’s crew since 2022, when they were on a girls’ trip together. Gott is the mother of one child, her son Teddy.
In December 2024, they were still close, according to social networks. “I wish I had more pics with all the friends and I like…my husband LOL, but the point of this post is to say there’s nothing like mommy friends, or a husband who tells you to drop your career so you can build the other one that’s burning an idea in your brain, and then do it so you can have a pound of caviar on a Thursday morning,” Ashley’s group said. Trainor and Dalkin came to support their company’s event.
As of January, Ashley still follows Gott on Instagram.
Gaby Dalkin
chef Gaby Dalkinwhich is known for its series of cookbooks What is Gaby cookingshe was one of the mothers who took a girls’ trip in 2022. Dalkin, whose eldest child, daughter Poppy, was born in 2021, is still part of Duff’s group, according to social media. (Dalkin also shares son Finn, born in 2024, with her husband, Thomas.)
“We’re not regular moms, we’re cool moms,” Dalkin wrote via Instagram in October 2025 after another maternity trip, which neither Ashley nor Trainor attended. “Nothing beats a getaway with zero responsibilities, great friends, all the food and ALL the mahj.”
Ashley, meanwhile, doesn’t follow Dalkin on Instagram, but it’s unclear if she ever did.
Amanda Cassar
while Amanda Cassarthe founder of Amanda’s Pilates, it looks like he’s not part of Duff’s “cool mom club” but part of Ashley’s team. (Kassar is a mother of two children.)
The fitness instructor to the stars spent time with Ashley in October 2025 in support of Ashley’s wellness brand Being Frenshe, calling the actress her “dear friend” via Instagram.
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Hudgens He has been friends with Ashley since they acted in commercials as kids. Their bond grew stronger after playing rivals on the Disney Channel Musical Baccalaureate film franchise. However, as they got older, fans began to wonder where they stood.
“She’s so awesome and one of my best friends,” Ashley explained exclusively Us Weekly in 2019. “What I love about her is that she’s so talented, and I think what we share is that we’re very grounded people, and I think that’s important, especially with what we do, is to stay grounded.”
After Ashley welcomed her first baby in March 2021, Hudgens was one of her friends who bonded with the baby at their first meeting. However, in December 2023, rumors surfaced that the women were no longer close after Ashley was noticeably absent from Hudgens and Cole Tuckerthe wedding of mexico. (Hudgens shares two children with the MLB player.)
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her,” Ashley confessed in March 2024 during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohennoting that their lives as mothers played a role in their growing distance. “I think we’re just, obviously, she’s working, I’m working. I have a daughter, so it’s a full-time job.”