“High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale officially changes name, reveals new one she’ll use

Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett

Ashley Tisdale in ‘High School Musical 3’

Key Points

• Ashley Tisdale announced a professional name change.

• The High School Musical and Suite Life star announced the “life update” on social media.

• Tisdale revealed her new name 11 years after marrying husband Christopher French.

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody actress Ashley Tisdale is checking in to a new era of life.

After turning 40 earlier this year, the High School Musical performer announced Monday on Instagram that, as she enters her next chapter, she’s officially changing her public-facing name to the one she’s used in private for 11 years.

“I’ve never really been this intimate before, but I have so much to talk about, especially now in my 40s, having my kids, being a parent, running a company,” the entertainer said, before telling fans about her new name.

“I’ve been Ashley French for so long at home, but I really never changed publicly, because everyone knows me as Ashley Tisdale,” she said. “But I felt like it was time for people to know me for me, and not just a character or a celebrity.”

The name French comes from the star’s husband, Christopher French, whom she married in 2014. Together, the couple have two daughters, born in 2021 and 2024.

The Disney star continued, telling people that “for so long I’ve shared so much of my life on social media,” but lamented that “Instagram has changed a lot” in recent years.

“We should be honest, at this point, you don’t know what’s real, what’s a bot, and everyone has something to say, and it might not be positive,” she said. “Not that I want to block out the negativity, it felt like to protect my peace, I didn’t want to keep sharing in that way.”

She additionally pointed fans to her newly rebranded website, By Ashley French, to keep up with her.

French has long been open about her personal life on social media. In May, she even revealed that she hates a particular High School Musical song that her daughter can’t stop singing.

Everett

Dylan Sprouse and Ashley Tisdale in ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’

“When she’s seen [High School Musical] in the past, she never really cared about it, but I think seeing my niece in the play, play me, has just changed her, so she had to watch all three movies,” French said in a TikTok video of daughter Jupiter watching her cousin portray French’s role of Sharpay Evans. “She will not stop listening to the music. It’s playing in the house right now.”

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French continued, “Specifically, High School Musical 2. Her favorite song is ‘Humuhumunukunukuapua’a,'” Tisdale said, before revealing her feelings on the song Sharpay performs with Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) in the film. “I hate that song. I’m having to listen to it over and over.”

Watch Tisdale French discuss her name change in the video above.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly