Mandy Moore is publicly showing love to her close friend Hilary Duff weeks after the two found themselves caught up in online drama.
Duff, who had stepped back from performing while raising her kids, recently made her return to the stage with her Small Rooms, Big Nerves tour. The run sold out, and the former Disney star wrapped up the tour with a final show on Thursday, January 29, at The Wiltern in Los Angeles.
Moore was in the crowd cheering her on and later shared a clip from the concert on her Instagram Story, writing, “Broke my brick time to say that my bud is a sensational icon queen giving us all what we needed. You are forever a superstar, @hilaryduff!!!!”
Moore’s public support follows controversy involving both her and Duff after their former friend Ashley Tisdale published an essay in The Cut. In the piece, Tisdale opened up about leaving what she described as a “toxic mom group” that negatively impacted her mental health.
Although Tisdale didn’t name anyone directly in the essay, many readers were quick to connect the dots. She had previously been seen regularly spending time with a tight-knit circle of Hollywood moms that included Meghan Trainor, Duff, and Moore.
Tisdale also appears to have distanced herself from the group entirely, as she has since unfollowed both Duff and Moore on social media. Because of this, many believe the essay was referring to that specific trio.
Tisdale shared that she chose to step away from the group after feeling pressured to fit in, saying she often felt she was “not cool enough.”
The actress and singer also opened up about feeling excluded at times, noting that she would frequently come across social media posts showing the group hanging out without her.
Eventually, Tisdale said she officially bowed out by sending a direct message in their group chat.
“This is too high school for me, and I don’t want to take part in it anymore,” she wrote.
