Hilary Duff has finally addressed the controversy surrounding Ashley Tisdale’s viral essay about leaving what she described as a “toxic mom group.”
In January, the High School Musical alum published an essay in The Cut titled “Breaking Up with My Toxic Mom Group.” Though she did not name anyone, she wrote about feeling excluded, emotionally sidelined, and left out of gatherings — including one allegedly planned during her daughter’s birthday celebration. “I felt like I was back in high school,” Tisdale wrote.
Online speculation quickly followed, with social media users pointing to past photos of a close-knit celebrity mom circle that included Meghan Trainor, Mandy Moore, Gaby Dalkin and Duff.
Duff: “It Wasn’t True”
Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast on February 25, Duff told host Alex Cooper that the essay left her feeling “sad” and “used.”
“I was pretty taken aback,” Duff said, explaining that the portrayal did not reflect reality. The 38-year-old, who shares one son with her former husband and three daughters with musician Matthew Koma, said she maintains long-standing friendships while also navigating multiple parenting circles.
“I have my core ride-or-die friends of 10 to 20 years,” she explained. “I also have different groups of mom friends because I have four kids. It’s hard to read something that’s not true — especially on behalf of six women and their lives.”
“The Timing Felt Not Great”
Duff added that the essay surfaced at what she described as the “craziest” time in her own professional life. She recently released her sixth studio album and is preparing to head out on tour — her first full-length project in more than a decade.
“The timing felt not great, and I felt used,” she said.
Matthew Koma’s Response
While Duff chose not to publicly engage with speculation when the essay first went viral, her husband took a more playful approach. Days after publication, Koma shared a parody Instagram Story mimicking Tisdale’s magazine feature, complete with a satirical headline.
Duff revealed she had no prior knowledge of the post.
“Everything he does makes me laugh,” she said. “I don’t censor him. He’s very fierce for me, and I love him for that.”
Though the online conversation may have fueled rumors, Duff made it clear that she views the situation as unfortunate — but ultimately misrepresented.
Comments are closed.