Ashley Tisdale

Biography

Ashley Michelle Tisdale-French (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress and singer. During her childhood, she was featured in over 100 advertisements and had minor roles on-screen and in theatre. She achieved mainstream success as Maddie Fitzpatrick in the Disney Channel teen sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005–2008). This success was heightened when she starred as Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical film series (2006–2011). The success of the films led to Tisdale's signing with Warner Bros. Records and subsequently releasing her debut studio album, Headstrong (2007), which was a commercial success, earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Tisdale also provides the voice of Candace Flynn in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb (2007–2015; 2025–present). Tisdale's second studio album, Guilty Pleasure (2009), was released to less commercial success than its predecessor. Tisdale would part ways with Warner Bros. Records following the release of the album. During this time, she began appearing in more films and returned to television with shows such as Hellcats (2010). Tisdale's production company Blondie Girl Productions, first formed in 2008, signed a multi-year production deal with Relativity Media in 2010; Tisdale would produce shows such as Miss Advised (2012) as part of the deal. Tisdale starred in the High School Musical spin-off film Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011), also releasing a soundtrack to promote the film. In 2013, Tisdale announced work on her third studio album, releasing the promotional single "You're Always Here", and starred in the horror comedy film Scary Movie 5. She has continued to appear in television roles, joining the main cast of Clipped (2015). She also served as executive producer of the ABC Family television series Young & Hungry (2014–2018). In 2018, Tisdale returned to music with the release of the singles "Voices in My Head" and "Love Me & Let Me Go". Her third studio album and first in a decade, Symptoms, was released in 2019. Recently, Tisdale starred as Jenny Kenney in the CBS sitcom Carol's Second Act (2019–2020), served as a panelist on the reality competition show The Masked Dancer (2020–2021), and led the interactive video game The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes (2021).

== Early life == Ashley Michelle Tisdale was born on July 2, 1985, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, to Lisa Morris and contractor Michael Tisdale. Her father is Christian and her mother is Jewish; she was raised with "a little bit of both" religions. Tisdale's elder sister Jennifer is an actress and producer. She is also related to businessman Ron Popeil through her maternal grandfather Arnold Morris who was best known for being a pitchman for the Ginsu knife. Despite working in film and television at a young age, Tisdale worked retail jobs and attended public school, stating "I was always in regular school and I worked in clothing stores growing up. I didn't 'make it' until I was 18, so I had already graduated public school. I definitely feel like I had the best of both worlds."

== Career ==

=== 1985–2004: Childhood and career beginnings === At the age of three, Tisdale met her manager, Bill Perlman, at a talent search held at Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, New Jersey. He sent her to various auditions for commercials, and she was placed in more than one hundred national network TV advertisements as a child. She began her theatrical career by appearing in Gypsy: A Musical Fable and The Sound of Music at Monmouth County's Jewish Community Center. Tisdale was eight years old when she was cast to play the part of Cosette in the musical Les Misérables, and only recalled taking a single singing lesson before landing the role. In 2007, Tisdale told Newsday, "When I was little, I saw the play Les Misérables on Broadway. I thought it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen, so I went to my manager and told him I wanted to be in it". Tisdale toured for two years with Les Misérables before landing a role in a touring production of Annie in Korea. When Tisdale was twelve, she sang for then-President Bill Clinton during an event at the White House as part of a troupe. Hoping to expand her career, Tisdale and her family moved to Los Angeles, California. She landed her first role in 1997, guest starring on episodes of both Smart Guy and 7th Heaven. During this time, she also began doing modeling work for Ford Models. The following year, Tisdale appeared as a voice actor in both An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998) and A Bug's Life (1998). She guest starred in an episode of Boston Public in 2000, earning a 2000 Young Artist Award nomination for "Best Guest Performance in a TV Drama". Tisdale continued to make guest appearances on television shows and appear in minor film roles throughout the following years, with roles in films such as the cult film Donnie Darko (2001) and The Mayor of Oyster Bay (2002).

=== 2005–2009: Breakthrough with films and music ===

Tisdale joined the main cast of the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in 2005, and would continue to star in the series until its conclusion in 2008. The show proved to be a hit for the network, and earned Tisdale a Nickelodeon UK Kids' Choice Awards. Tisdale had her breakout role as Sharpay Evans in the Disney Channel film High School Musical (2006). The film was the network's most successful film of 2006, receiving 7.7 million viewers upon its premiere. The soundtrack for the film, featuring numerous contributions from Tisdale, went on to sell over three million copies in the United States alone. The song "What I've Been Looking For" (2006), a duet with Lucas Grabeel, became her first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Tisdale, along with the rest of the cast, embarked on the High School Musical: The Concert (2006–2007) tour to promote the film. She met dancer Jared Murillo while working on High School Musical, and the two later dated for two years; they split up in 2009. During this time, Tisdale began appearing on soundtracks for the Disney Channel, and released a cover of "Kiss the Girl" (2006) to promote The Little Mermaid. With the success of High School Musical, Tisdale was offered a recording contract from Warner Bros. Records; she began working on her debut studio album in 2006. "Be Good to Me" (2006) was released as the album's lead single, with "He Said She Said" (2007) being released shortly afterwards as the second single. Tisdale's debut album, Headstrong (2007), was released in February; the album featured elements of dance-pop and hip-hop music. The album sold 64,000 copies in its first week of release in the United States, debuting at number five on the Billboard 200. The project was a commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies in the country. "He Said She Said" was later re-released as the album's second single to promote the album, and went on to earn a gold certification from the RIAA. The album's final two singles were released exclusively in select European territories. Tisdale embarked on her Headstrong Tour Across America to promote the album. She also co-executive produced a documentary, There's Something About Ashley (2007), documenting the recording of the album and the production of her music videos. Tisdale reprised her role as Sharpay Evans in High School Musical 2 (2007). The film was viewed by seventeen million people during its premiere, making it the most-watched movie on cable television. She received positive reviews for her performance in the film, which earned two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. The film's soundtrack topped the Billboard 200, selling 615,000 copies in its first week of release. Tisdale was later cast in the animated Disney Channel series Phineas and Ferb, which debuted immediately after High School Musical 2, as the voice of Candace Flynn. The series debuted to ten million viewers and became the most-watched animated series among kids and tweens in 2010. Phineas and Ferb has also received acclaim by critics and has won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Tisdale remained on the series until its conclusion in 2015, appearing in various television films in the role as well. In 2008, Tisdale formed her own production company, Blondie Girl Productions. The television film Picture This (2008) marked Tisdale's debut as an executive producer and as an actress in a leading role; she played Mandy Gilbert, an unpopular and bullied teenager. The film premiered on ABC Family in 2008 to 4.3 million viewers. Tisdale again appeared as Sharpay Evans in High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which was released in October 2008. It earned $42 million in its domestic opening weekend, and grossed a total of $255 million worldwide. Her performance in the film earned her critical acclaim, earning an MTV Movie Award for "Breakthrough Performance Female" in 2009. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly labeled her one of film's breakout stars, and Mark Kermode said Tisdale was 2008's "best supporting actress".

Tisdale began working on her second studio album in 2008, taking more creative control over the record than with her last. The album served as a musical departure from her prior record, with Tisdale hoping to attain a more "rock-oriented" and "edgier" sound. The project was preceded by the release of "It's Alright, It's OK" (2009), which went on to have some success in countries such as Austria and Germany. Her second studio album, Guilty Pleasure (2009), was released in select territories on June 11, 2009; it would not receive a release in the United States until July 28. The album sold an estimated 25,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number twelve on the Billboard 200. The album's second and final single, "Crank It Up" (2009), was released in select European territories. Tisdale parted ways with the label following the release of the record. During this time, Tisdale began dating director Scott Speer, who had directed her previous music videos; the couple would break up in 2011. Tisdale also starred in the film Aliens in the Attic (2009) as teenager Bethany Pearson. Although she is credited as one of the main characters, The New York Times said Tisdale "spends much of the film off-screen". The film was a minor success in box offices, grossing $60 million worldwide.

=== 2010–2015: Television roles and expansion === Tisdale announced her return to television in 2010, starring as head-cheerleader Savannah Monroe in The CW drama Hellcats. Tisdale was reported to be the highest paid cast member on the series, earning $30,000 per episode. The show ran for one season, and was cancelled by the network in 2011. Blondie Girl Productions signed a production deal in 2010 to create, develop, and produce both films and television shows. During this time, Tisdale did voice work for the adult animated series Family Guy and The Cleveland Show; she appeared in two episodes of the former. In 2010, Disney Channel announced its intention to produce a High School Musical spin-off focusing on the life of Sharpay Evans in New York after she concluded high school. Tisdale was confirmed to return as Evans for the spin-off and serve as the executive producer of the project. Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure premiered on Disney Channel to five million viewers in August 2011. In 2012, she made a guest appearance in an episode of Raising Hope and had a starring role in a CBS pilot produced by Louis C.K., which was not picked up by the channel. Tisdale also portrayed a desirable and high-priced escort in a two-episode arc in the fifth season of FX's Sons of Anarchy. She served as the executive producer of the reality-television series Miss Advised in 2012. In 2013, E! aired a television special produced by Tisdale named Inner Circle that focused on her friendship with actress Vanessa Hudgens. The next year, Tisdale teamed again with Disney Channel on the film Cloud 9, on which she worked as an executive producer. ABC Family's comedy series Young & Hungry is also produced by Tisdale; it stars Emily Osment and premiered in June 2014. In June 2012, The Weinstein Company announced that Tisdale had been given the leading role in Dimension Films' Scary Movie 5. She portrayed Jody, a dancer in her late-20s. The film was released in April 2013, and grossed $15 million on its first weekend, making it the lowest-grossing weekend for a Scary Movie film; it was also panned by critics. Tisdale had a recurring role in ABC's sitcom Super Fun Night as Jazmine, the sister of Rebel Wilson's character, and guest starred on CBS's The Crazy Ones in 2013. That same year, Tisdale was cast to voice the title character of Hub Network's animated series Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch. For her performance as Sabrina, Tisdale was nominated for "Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program" in the 41st Daytime Emmy Awards. Tisdale told MTV in 2013 that she had begun working on her third studio album. She said she was inspired to make music again and that she hoped to "surprise people a little bit, something different from what I've done before". Tisdale announced to MTV that she opted to pursue a dance-pop sound on the album, which was expected to be released in 2014. In December 2013, Tisdale teased on her Twitter account about a "special project" related to music. She confirmed that the project was a single titled "You're Always Here", which was written about her late grandfather. The song was eventually released independently to digital stores that same month. In December 2014, The Hollywood Reporter announced Tisdale was cast as a prostitute in the comedy Amateur Night alongside Jason Biggs. In 2014, Tisdale auditioned for TBS's workplace comedy series Clipped, on which she was eventually cast in a main role as Danni. The series ran from June to August 2015, and was canceled in October after one season.