Ashley Tisdale will soon be returning to the small screen, as the High School Musical star is set to helm the comedy series Brutally Honest for CBS, a semi-autobiographical depiction of the actress and singer's life that will reunite her with two all-star screenwriters. According to Deadline, Tisdale will star in the show, and also serve as an executive producer. The single-camera show, which is set to be helmed by CBS Studios, "is a comedy about how having a baby can ruin, save, change, destroy and inspire your marriage…all before lunch," according to a logline for Brutally Honest.
While Tisdale will topline the series, she will also have starpower help behind the camera. The show will be written and executive produced by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern, best known for their prior collaboration on the hit series Carol's Second Act, which also co-starred Tisdale. The pair, who have an overall deal with CBS Studios, are also known for helming ABC's smash-hit comedy Trophy Wife, and also penned 2019's wildly successful teen comedy film Booksmart. In addition to Brutally Honest, Haskins and Halpern also have Paramount Pictures' upcoming feature 80 For Brady starring Tom Brady, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field on the docket.
Brutally Honest is described as "inspired by" Tisdale's life. However, beyond Tisdale herself, no other casting for the show has been announced. However, given that the logline describes the central character having a baby, it can be assumed that Brutally Honest will be based on Tisdale's own child, whom she gave birth to in 2021.
The show marks a return to television for Tisdale, who first rose to prominence as a child actress on The Suite Life of Zach & Cody in the early 2000s. However, it was her starring role in the High School Musical film series that catapulted her to mainstream success, and made her a star for the Disney Channel. She would go onto have roles in a number of feature films, including Picture This, Aliens in the Attic, Scary Movie 5, Birds of Paradise, and Amateur Night.
Beyond her television role on Carol's Second Act, Tisdale was also seen on Netflix's short-lived Christmas series Merry Happy Whatever, and also provided her voice acting skills in main roles on Disney Television Animation's Phineas and Ferb and Hub Network's Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch. Beyond her acting roles, Tisdale is also a gifted musician, first spreading her vocal chops on High School Musical. That led to a number of recording deals, and Tisdale has released three studio albums to date.
No release window for Brutally Honest has been announced.