Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress, singer and television producer. Tisdale's first major acting role was as
Maddie Fitzpatrick in Disney's
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She went on to star in the
High School Musical film series as the female antagonist
Sharpay Evans. She became the first female artist to debut two songs simultaneously on the
Billboard Hot 100 with "What I've Been Looking For" and "Bop to the Top", both songs from the first film's soundtrack.
After her first
High School Musical appearance, she launchd a solo music career. Her debut album,
Headstrong was released in February 2007 and debuted at number five in the U.S. chart, selling 64,000 copies,
and was later
certified Gold.
Tisdale has a prominent voice role as
Candace Flynn in Disney Channel's
Phineas and Ferb. Her second studio album,
Guilty Pleasure was first released in June 2009.
She also starred in the 2009 feature film,
Aliens in the Attic as Bethany Pearson.
Early life and career beginnings
Tisdale was born in
West Deal,
Monmouth County,
New Jersey on July 2, 1985,
to Lisa (née Morris) and Mike Tisdale, who run a construction company. She grew up in
Ocean Township. While her elder sister,
Jennifer Tisdale, is also an actress, her maternal grandfather, Arnold Morris, developed the
Ginsu Knives; through her grandfather, she is also related to businessman
Ron Popeil.
Tisdale is
Jewish on her mother's side and considers herself Jewish.
