Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress, singer and model. After appearing in several television roles during the late 1990s and early 2000s, she became known to young audiences for playing Madeline Fitzpatrick on the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Sharpay Evans in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical. Tisdale has also pursued a music career and released her debut album Headstrong on February 6, 2007.
Early life
Tisdale was born in West Deal, New Jersey to Lisa Morris and Mike Tisdale. Her older sister, Jennifer Tisdale, is also an actress and inspired Tisdale. Her maternal grandfather is Arnold Morris, the developer of 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. She was discovered by her current manager, Bill Perlman, at her hometown mall in Monmouth County, New Jersey when she was three. She began acting, appearing in stage productions of Gypsy: A Musical Fable and The Sound of Music at the Jewish Community Center of Monmouth County. She sang for Bill Clinton at the White House when she was twelve years old.[citation needed]
Tisdale moved with her family to Valencia, California and attended Valencia High School as a teenager. She was named "Most Likely to be an Actress" in her senior yearbook. She graduated from the school in 2003. In honor of her success Valencia High School asked her to host their 2006 Homecoming Game. During her teen years, Tisdale also worked at Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co., and Wet Seal stores located at the local mall.
Film and television
During the late 1990s, Tisdale appeared in episodes of several television series, including Smart Guy, 7th Heaven, Grounded for Life, Boston Public, Strong Medicine, Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210. She had a minor role in the 2001 film Donnie Darko and recurring roles on the sitcoms The Hughleys and Still Standing. Then, Tisdale was cast in the role of Maddie Fitzpatrick on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody after auditioning for the roles of Maddie Fitzpatrick and London Tipton. As the series became popular, Tisdale became a featured performer on the Disney Channel and performed a voice role in Whisper of the Heart. She was also cast in Disney's television film High School Musical, which became a major success for the channel after its premiere on January 20, 2006.
Ashley Tisdale originally tried out for Gabriella Montez, but was cast as Sharpay Evans. The role required her to perform several songs, including "What I've Been Looking For," "Bop to the Top," and "We're All in This Together." All three managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, Tisdale made music history by being the first female artist to ever debut with two songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 with "What I've Been Looking For" and "Bop to the Top." She has also recorded versions of the songs "Some Day My Prince Will Come" and "Kiss The Girl" (including a music video) for Disney. In addition, she recorded a version of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" with the other members of the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, and appeared in the Disney Channel Games as captain of the Green Team.
More recently, Ashley Tisdale signed a deal with Staples, Inc. to appear in the promotional campaign for the company's "Geared 4 School" sweepstakes that fall. She will star in High School Musical 2, scheduled to air in August 2007.
Music
Tisdale's first solo album, Headstrong, is distributed by Warner Bros. Records and went on release on February 6, 2007. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 album charts, selling 64,000 copies. Her first single "He Said She Said," written by Jonathan "J.R." Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart, was released on December 19, 2006. There are three versions of the song: the Radio Disney version, which is more appropriate for children; a version which Tisdale sings during the High School Musical tour; and an explicit version which is more "mature" than the other versions and has some mature content like touching and kissing. She filmed a music video on January 25, 2007 for "He Said, She Said." Her second single, "Be Good to Me," was released on iTunes on January 9, 2007, with a music video to be played on the Disney Channel and KOL. Her album was released on iTunes and Napster on February 6, 2007.
In January 2007, Tisdale was nominated the 2nd Hottest Woman of Pop/R&B by Blender Magazine, which noted that "Tisdale has a gift. Not an angelic voice or a dazzling personality, but an even rarer commodity: millions of “pre-sold” tweens eager to buy her debut album". In March of 2007, Tisdale told Blender that, unlike so many other child stars, she was drug and alcohol-free, specifying that "My mom really instilled confidence in me, so I'm not somebody who'd be under peer pressure". |
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