Austin Butler ‘Always’ Makes Time for My Daughter

Best friends forever. Ashley Tisdale gushed over Austin Butler’s ability to be a great uncle amid his whirlwind journey as an actor.

“He has always taken the time, which I think is like the most important thing to me, to FaceTime to be a part of her life in ways,” Tisdale, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, March 22, of Butler’s relationship with her daughter, Jupiter. “He’s always been able to do that and I think that’s something that has been really sweet.”

The High School Musical actress, who was promoting her partnership with Sweet Earth, revealed: “Basically, like, the day after I had her, he was, like, FaceTiming us in the hospital. Even with his crazy schedule, he’s always making the time. And I think that’s just respectable.”

The former Disney Channel star — who shares her 2-year-old daughter with husband Christopher French — explained that she hasn’t seen Butler, 31, in some time because of his “crazy train” of press events surrounding Elvis.

“He is such an amazing actor and he’s worked really, really hard over years to get to where he is,” Tisdale told Us of her pal’s career evolution. “I’ve seen it. I’ve seen his journey and his process and I think that he is so deserving of it.”

Butler won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA in February for his performance as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He was also nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Academy Award for the role.

“It’s great to see someone set [a goal saying], ‘This is what I wanna do. This is the type of work I wanna do.’ And to see him do it, it’s just really inspiring,” Tisdale continued. “I’m so happy for him. I think he’s just amazing at what he does and he’s a good person. So I’m really happy for him.”

The Carol’s Second Act alum joked that her love for Butler grew even deeper after they learned through Ancestry’s 2 Lies and a Leaf in November 2022 that they are cousins.

“He was like, ‘What?’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, it makes so much sense now,’” she told Us of the pair’s reaction to the news. “[If] I can’t get a hold of him. I’m like, ‘Hello, it’s your cousin. You can’t ignore me, I’m family.’”

While Butler has been promoting Elvis since last year, Tisdale has been balancing her home life and her passion for a healthy lifestyle. The Frenshe founder’s latest step in eating well is partnering with plant-based brand Sweet Earth for their “Veggie, Come Back” sweepstakes. (Winners can join the Merry Happy Whatever actress as she hosts an exclusive “plant-forward” dining experience in Los Angeles.)

“I’ve always loved plant-based eating because of what it stands for. I love being cruelty-free. I’ve had a journey through my life where I have been vegetarian and vegan at times because of dietary restrictions I can’t fully commit, but it’s important for me to have plant-based meals throughout the week,” she explained to Us. “I was excited to team up with Sweet Earth because I love their foods and it’s so easy.”

The Young & Hungry producer continued: “I’m a busy person and a busy mom and I’m not, like, a humongous cook, so it’s just nice to have them in my freezer whenever I need it.”

The “He Said She Said” singer noted that her choice to be plant forward is something she’s already instilling in her “sassy” toddler.

“I think that it’s important to choose one meal maybe a day or even just, like, throughout the week, sprinkling in plant-based meals. That’s just important to do, I think for [the] environment,” Tisdale added. “And so, I definitely do that with Ju bear.”

For more details on Tisdale’s partnership with Sweet Earth — and details on the sweepstakes — click here.

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With reporting by Christina Garibaldi