Ashley Tisdale is once again under public scrutiny after publishing a pointed essay about her alleged "toxic" mom group, a move that has reignited old disputes and resurfaced past legal controversies.

The former Disney Channel star, 40, sparked online criticism hours after her essay for The Cut went live. Matthew Koma, the husband of Hilary Duff — one of the moms referenced in the article — called Tisdale "self-obsessed" and "tone deaf" in a satirical Instagram post responding to the essay.

Soon after, a podcast clip featuring Anneliese van der Pol, another former Disney alum, emerged.

Per Buzzfeed, Van der Pol recalled an "uncomfortable" interaction with Tisdale while she was working as a waitress, stating, "I want to say she was lovely, but ..." before pausing and taking a sip of her drink. The moment added fuel to the growing perception that Tisdale's relationships with peers have sometimes been fraught.

Meanwhile, Lawyer Michael Parker, who represented Lina Gonzales in a 2023 lawsuit against Tisdale stemming from a 2022 car accident, told the Daily Mail he was "absolutely not shocked" by the actress's recent fallout with her former friends. He described Tisdale's alleged conduct toward his client as "extremely rude," noting that Gonzales did not even realize she was dealing with a celebrity at the time.

Gonzales had claimed she sustained injuries to her shoulders, neck, back and left wrist after a September 6, 2022, collision on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. She alleged that Tisdale initially dismissed her concerns at the scene, telling her that "her manager" would be in contact to discuss the incident.

Legal And Social Media Fallout

According to Parker, Gonzales's posts on social media about the accident prompted a harsh response from Tisdale's husband, Christopher French. Gonzales alleged in her complaint that French doxxed her, sharing personal information with his followers. Parker told the outlet that this made his client feel "very unsafe," adding, per Page Six, "When you're just a regular person and a celebrity has it out for you, it's really scary — especially when they're posting on social media and they have millions of followers."

He also noted the practical risks.

"There are so many psychos on the internet. Once someone's name is out there and where they work, it's easy to get their phone number, email, their home [address]." Gonzales's restraining order request against Tisdale was ultimately denied, and the lawsuit reached a confidential settlement in December 2024.

Past Conflicts And Public Grievances

The resurfaced legal drama is reminiscent of other incidents in Tisdale's career where she aired grievances publicly. In 2019, according to People, she called out her neighbor Kevin Smith for a minor fender bender, tweeting, "Thanks @ThatKevinSmith for scratching my mirror on my car and not stopping. Classy move neighbor!"

Smith, 55, quickly issued a public apology and on social media, he explained that he had made a courtesy stop, after that Tisdale had pulled away first. The argument was settled on friendly terms, with Smith joking that he felt like he was reliving a scene from "High School Musical."

In the same way, Tisdale's piece for The Cut elaborated on how she was left on the sidelines at social events, prompting her to declare, "This is too high school for me and I don't want to take part in it anymore." Although her representatives pointed out that the essay was about a completely different group of friends, the dispute exposed the friction that still exists with celebrity peers.

Posts on Instagram by Duff's husband and later on by Tisdale, who unfollowed Duff and Mandy Moore, portraying the Disney alums relationship with some colleagues as still being rather strained, were the last of the references to the matter.

Tags
Ashley Tisdale, Controversy