Hilary Duff Breaks Silence on Ashley Tisdale's 'Toxic Mom Group' Essay Controversy
In a candid interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Hilary Duff has publicly addressed the fallout from Ashley Tisdale's viral essay titled 'Breaking Up with My Toxic Mom Group,' published in The Cut last month. The 40-year-old actress and singer expressed deep sadness and a sense of being used in light of the essay's revelations, which sparked widespread speculation among fans and online sleuths.
Emotional Reaction to the Essay
Duff, known for her role in Lizzie McGuire, admitted to feeling profoundly affected by Tisdale's piece. 'I felt really sad. I honestly felt really sad,' she confessed during the podcast hosted by Alex Cooper. 'I was pretty, pretty taken aback and felt just, like, sad.' The essay, which reflected on Tisdale's experiences of exclusion from a group of mothers she likened to high school cliques, did not name specific individuals. However, internet investigators quickly linked Tisdale to Duff, Mandy Moore, Meghan Trainor, and other celebrities she had associated with as a new mother.
Notably, Tisdale now only follows Trainor on Instagram, fueling rumors of strained relationships within the group. Duff, a mother of four, emphasized that she has diverse circles of mom friends and found the essay's implications disheartening. 'It sucks to read something that's, like, not true,' she stated, adding her concern for the other women involved.
Timing and Personal Impact
The publication of Tisdale's essay coincided with Duff's return to music, marking the release of her first album in a decade, 'luck...or something.' Duff highlighted the poor timing, saying, 'I think it came at like the craziest time where I was like, the timing felt not great and I felt used.' This added layer of personal and professional stress compounded her emotional response to the situation.
Family Dynamics and Husband's Response
Duff also touched on her husband Matthew Koma's reaction to the essay. Koma created a satirical post mocking Tisdale's piece, titled 'A mom group tell-all through a father's eyes,' which included jabs at self-obsessed behavior. Duff claimed she was unaware of the post initially but expressed amusement, noting, 'Honestly, everything he does makes me laugh.' She affirmed her support for Koma's independence, stating, 'I don't censor him, and I don't tell him what he can and can't post. He is so, like, fierce for me, and, like, I love him for that.'
Ongoing Family Feud and Sister's Involvement
In the weeks following the essay, tensions seemed to extend to Duff's family. Her sister, Haylie Duff, shared a playful Instagram Stories post with Tisdale's daughter, captioning it 'Under table shenanigans,' which Tisdale reposted. This interaction hinted at possible reconciliation or ongoing complexities within their relationships.
Moreover, in a separate interview on CBS Mornings, Hilary Duff revealed that a track from her new album, 'We Don't Talk,' is about her strained relationship with Haylie. 'It's definitely about my sister and just absolutely the most lonely part of my existence,' she explained, underscoring the personal struggles intertwined with the public drama.
The controversy sheds light on the challenges of celebrity motherhood and the intense scrutiny faced by public figures in their personal lives. As Duff navigates this sensitive issue, her openness offers a glimpse into the emotional toll of viral narratives and family dynamics in the spotlight.
