Christopher French is speaking publicly for the first time about the controversy surrounding his wife Ashley Tisdale’s “toxic mom group” essay. In an interview with Page Six published Sept. 30, French said he and Tisdale are “doing fine” months after the actress’ essay sparked widespread discussion about her former circle of friends.
Tisdale wrote about leaving a group of fellow mothers in an essay for The Cut published in January. She described feeling increasingly excluded from gatherings and said the dynamic eventually reminded her of “high school drama.” She did not identify the women involved by name.
After the essay was published, online speculation connected the story to celebrities including Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore and Meghan Trainor. Tisdale’s representative later said the essay was not about those three women. Duff and Moore subsequently discussed the situation publicly, with both expressing that the circumstances surrounding the essay had been difficult for them.
French said he did not feel the need to intervene in the dispute. “I have no problem supporting my wife completely in her ability to deal with her own interpersonal relationships in whatever way [she] feels is right for her,” he said, adding that he did so “without getting involved or feeling like I have to speak for her.”
The composer also described Tisdale as a capable person who knows how she wants to handle her relationships. He said that understanding how much the situation mattered to her was part of what made the circumstances difficult to watch. The couple has generally kept personal matters private.
The comments come as Tisdale and French have also been discussing other personal experiences through French’s new podcast, Recovering. The first episode, released Sept. 30, features Tisdale discussing the postpartum depression she experienced after the birth of their older daughter, Jupiter.
Tisdale has also turned the experience surrounding her mom-group essay into a television project. In July, Netflix announced development of Toxic Moms, a half-hour comedy inspired by her experiences as a mother. Sabrina Jalees is attached to write the series, with Ali Wong also involved.
The series follows a new mother who becomes involved with a group of wealthy mothers whose seemingly perfect social circle eventually reveals a darker side. It remains unclear how closely the fictional storyline will follow the events described in Tisdale’s essay.
Tisdale and French married in 2014 and share two daughters, Jupiter and Emerson. French’s latest comments provide his first detailed public response to the controversy while reiterating that he has supported Tisdale without taking over her personal relationships or speaking on her behalf.
