in the ELLE series tQueen’s eyewe check in with the iconic stars who have ruled the stage, screen, and news cycle during their reigns.

Ashley Tisdale has been acting since she was three years old. And when the actress, singer and entrepreneur, 37, gave birth to her daughter Jupiter in 2021, she vowed to only pursue her dream projects. she said in May e! News, “If I’m going to take time away from her, it should be something like this because it’s hard to take time away from your child.” We’re talking at a celebration of SHEGLAM’s first pop-up in Los Angeles, which Tisdale is hosting. Jupiter isn’t here, but perhaps most noticeably, she left her baby at home to act as producer and executive producer Brutally honesther new single-camera CBS comedy based on her life with her family.

The project resulted from “fighting with my husband [musician Christopher French]—a relatable situation that most Hollywood viewers will still be unable to hush up about. But Tisdale isn’t a celebrity—she’s a former child star, which makes her a veteran of The Bachelor, and the older she gets, the less she cares. She tells it like it is. “No one tells you how hard it will be—they prepare you for the baby, but no one prepares you for what your relationship is going to go through when you have a baby,” says Tisdale, who is a fan of shows like Dave And the Intensewhich is loosely based on the real lives of the main characters, she spent most of the pandemic wondering what about her king The life she wanted to share — and not just to her social media followers in small bits of content.

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In case you’re not a fan of the classics (High School MusicalAnd the The Suite Life of Zack and Cody)You might recognize Tisdale from one of her dozens of other projects. Not only has the CEO gone on to produce several films — she’s had two albums and become the first woman ever to debut with two songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (She even filmed the entire album recording process, hoping to later release it as a documentary. ) sang at the White House when she was twelve years old. However, she is no less ambitious than when she started. Refer to the Brutally honest.

“It’s the same with [my skincare line] FrenchTisdale says. “When you see a product, or see a show that you had a hand in developing, there’s something else about it. You’re so proud. It’s a piece of me. You have to get involved.” And she really is engaging; until Its TikTok, who has amassed nearly 10 million followers, gives viewers a comical inside look into her life — whether it’s crying and having a (self-proclaimed) mental breakdown while launching her brand, or looking nothing but red carpet ready at home in a tracksuit. tie dye. (Fun fact: Discover Tisdale SHEGLAM on TikTok, too.)

And while the precocious star is looking ahead to what’s to come, a new generation is enjoying Sharpay and Candance Flynn—as am I. (Full disclosure: I watched High School Musical Last week, I wondered if Sharpay was the real hero.) “I think Sharpay knew what she wanted in life, and she’d go get it,” says Tisdale matter-of-factly. “And I think that’s something a lot of people see now… It’s something I’ve always known about her. I think that’s a part of me: I’m a person who, when I want something, I’m going to work really hard to go out and get it.”

Amid all of SHEGLAM’s coveted beauty products, Tisdale got candid about Y2K fashion, why Disney is so upset with it, and her first celebrity crush.

Teen Queens Survey

Name a 2000s fashion trend that should never come back.

The layers were many. I think I took that to another level. I remember when layering was a real thing—it was layers of necklaces, and it was just…a bunch of layers. And I feel like it’s nice to be a little more simple now.

Are you totally done with the Y2K beauty trend?

I would never do thin eyebrows. This will never happen. Someone shouted, “But he’s coming back.” It will never happen again. I went there and did it.

Who was the first person to like you?

Ashton Kutcher [smiles]. I mean come! dutch von hats, Punk’d…This was every person [crush]I suspect.

What is the wildest rumor you have read about yourself?

there [are] too much. People are always trying to make something out of me and [my] Co-stars. I never date actors. Here’s the thing, I do this for a reason. I may be an Ashton Kutcher fan, but I was never really into actors. I was into musicians!

What are some of your fondest memories from childhood?

we will, [during] My childhood was busy with work. I have been working since I was 3 years old. But my fondest memory… I have to do a national tour Les Miserables When I was eight years old. It was great to be with my mom traveling everywhere, and my dad and sister would meet us in almost every city. It was an amazing experience. I thought this was normal for an 8 year old. Looking back, this is not normal. But it was something I absolutely loved. It was hard to get me off the tour. I was obsessed with him.

Have you ever kept anything out of its place?

Yes, I have an entire Sharpay wardrobe from the very first [High School Musical] Movie. And I know Disney was very upset about that, because for some reason the producer thought I would never want her clothes. But I was like, “I love all of my clothes! I have to have them.” We were working a lot, and I was working overtime. The producer said, “Well, you’ll have your entire Sharpay wardrobe.” I was so excited. And Disney was very upset because, obviously, for how successful it was, they had nothing to put into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They were wearing our clothes, and they didn’t have any of Sharpay’s stuff. And that’s because I have it.

episode which of The Sweet Life of Zack and Cody Was it your favorite character?

pilot Sweet life He was always really special to me. This was the first time I had ever worked so hard. I’ve been doing pilots since I was 16, and they haven’t been taken. It was the first ever chosen, so it was very special. I will always remember that moment.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Freelance writer

Danielle James is an award-winning entrepreneur, fashion and beauty journalist, and co-founder of Safe Space, a show that encourages viewers to have difficult conversations with the people in their private lives. She has lines with Allure, Essence, Nylon, The Grio, Huffington Post, and more, with expertise in retail, fashion, and beauty. Danielle enjoys writing about new trends and focuses on making beauty and fashion accessible to all. She is the founder of Model Citizen, a sustainable fashion company that encourages peer-to-peer clothing sharing and supports emerging designers. When not working, Ms. James enjoys breakfast and lunch, travel, volunteer work, and spending time with friends and family.