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Best known for her roles as Sharpay Evans in the remarkably popular Disney Channel movie High School Musical and Maddie Fitzpatrick in the series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, New Jersey-born actress/singer/model Ashley Tisdale began her career in show business at age three, and sang for President Bill Clinton at age 12. Manager Bill Perlman discovered her in a New Jersey mall and sent Tisdale on auditions for commercials; she ended up appearing in over 100 national network TV ads. She began a theatrical career as well, performing in productions of The Sound of Music and Gypsy: A Musical Fable at the Jewish Community Center of Monmouth County. A leading role in a national touring production of Les Miserables and a role in an international touring production of Annie followed. In the late '90s and early 2000s, Tisdale moved into TV and film work, appearing on shows such as Beverly Hills, 90210, The George Lopez Show, Malcolm in the Middle, and The Hughleys and the movie Donnie Darko before landing the role of babysitter Maddie Fitzpatrick on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody in 2004. The show's popularity made her a fixture on the Disney Channel, leading to appearances on Hannah Montana and her 2006 breakout role as High School Musical's Sharpay Evans. The massive popularity of the TV movie's soundtrack meant that Tisdale became the first female artist to debut with two songs, "Bop to the Top" and "What I've Been Looking For," on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time. Along with lending her voice to the animated series Phineas and Ferb, in 2006 Tisdale recorded her solo debut album and released the first single from it, He Said She Said, late that year. Early in 2007, the album Headstrong, and a second single, Be Good to Me, arrived. Tisdale appeared in the High School Musical sequel later that year. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide |
