Mandy Moore Addresses ‘Toxic Mom Group’ Drama, Talks Possible Music Comeback & Touring With NSYNC

Mandy Moore is opening up about “toxic mom” drama, and a potential return to music.

The 42-year-old This Is Us alum joined Andy Cohen on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live to promote her new movie The Breadwinner.

During the conversation on Monday (May 18), she addressed friendship following Ashley Tisdale‘s “toxic mom group,” a potential return to music following Hilary Duff‘s comeback, touring with NSYNC back in the day, and her kids’ reaction to her song “Candy.”

Find out what she had to say…

Mandy Moore on the importance of kindness and supporting other moms

Andy Cohen: I just want to know when you first read the article, were you all in the mom group having to be like, “OMG.” I mean, this is wild.

Mandy Moore: It’s wild to have anybody talk about your life and I know Hilary has sort of mentioned this too. It’s like we both have grown up in this business and had people dissect who we are and the choices we make and all of that, but this was something altogether different and decidedly way more upsetting. You know what I mean?

Because it just cuts to the core of I think the most important thing in my life is being a kind person and like that legacy of kindness and anyone even insinuating that that might not be the case and with the company that I choose to keep is very upsetting, so I’d say that was the biggest takeaway was sort of the shock of like, “Wow.”

I’m someone who is really scared by confrontation, but also when it’s important, like I am a huge proponent and like having a conversation if my feelings are hurt or there’s something I need to get off my chest face-to-face. You know, it’s not always like the most comfortable of situations, but I think that’s where I sort of differed in feeling like I wouldn’t have handled the situation this way and I think the biggest takeaway from that whole ridiculous debacle of like, “Wow, so it’s a real slow news day,” is that I feel like it just sort of it perpetuates this silly trope that women can’t be supportive of one another and that we’re inherently petty and that we’re inherently out to one-up each other and I have not felt that one iota since becoming a parent.

I’ve actually been so surprised by the meaningful relationships I found with other moms and other parents just in general. That has always been my takeaway, and you need that. You need community. You need to find that support wherever you can get it. You need to be able to talk about all of that.

Could Mandy Moore follow Hilary Duff and make a pop music comeback?

Andy Cohen: Now, Mandy.

Mandy Moore: Yes, sir.

Andy Cohen: We have seen Hilary Duff have a huge celebration of her early hits.

Mandy Moore: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Andy Cohen: Music. I feel like you’re up. The time is up.

Mandy Moore: I’m up to bat? I feel like that would be fun, perhaps. I just feel like Hilary is so incredible. She’s made to be a pop star. That is just not my bag. I’m 42.

Andy Cohen: You look 32.

Mandy Moore: You’re very sweet. I’ve made a couple of records, like the last one was four years ago, but my husband’s a musician and I make music with him and it’s just decidedly a smaller audience, like theaters and clubs.

Andy Cohen: You do perform with him.

Mandy Moore: I do. I haven’t—again, the last record was four years ago—but I feel like when I do make music again, it’ll probably be in that vein and I’ll let Hil just take over the world for all of us. 

Mandy Moore’s kids have been introduced to “Candy”

Mandy Moore: My husband introduced them to “Candy” one day, the song “Candy.”

Andy Cohen: Yes.

Mandy Moore: And so now we get in the car and my five-year-old—

Andy Cohen: The song “Candy.” You’re a humble queen, aren’t you?

Mandy Moore: My five-year-old’s like, “Mom, can I hear the song that you made when you were my age?” I’m like, “Well, I wasn’t five. I was a little older,” but I remember, we played it in the car the other day, and I look back and even my daughter who’s 18 months is going, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.” She’s just bopping her little head to it. I’m like, if you would have told me at 15 that I’d have three kids and one day at 42, I’d be looking in the rearview mirror at all three of them singing along to this silly pop song, I would have thought you were crazy.

Andy Cohen: That’s amazing. 

Mandy Moore: It’s so cute. 

Mandy Moore reminisces about touring with NSYNC

Andy Cohen: What was your actual first-

Mandy Moore: Job? Was “Candy.” 15.

Andy Cohen: Really?

Mandy Moore: 15.

Andy Cohen: Wow. So, you signed a record like that right out of the gate and you were living where?

Mandy Moore: In LA. Well, I was from Orlando, but I got this record deal, made this first record, went out to LA, made my music video for “Candy,” and then immediately got on a flight and flew back across the country to Virginia Beach where I started opening for NSYNC on their summer amphitheater tour in the summer of 1999.

Andy Cohen: Wow.

Mandy Moore: I know. It was strange.

Andy Cohen: Did you have any vibes with anyone in NSYNC?

Mandy Moore: No. I was like the kid sister if they even knew that I was on the road with them.

Andy Cohen: But you were in love with Justin [Timberlake].

Mandy Moore: Who wasn’t? And then I went on tour with the Backstreet Boys and I was in love with Nick Carter. I mean, it was, yeah.

Andy Cohen: Any feelings for Kevin [Richardson] or he was too old?

Mandy Moore: Too old. He was like a grownup.

Andy Cohen: And when you were opening for NSYNC, did you know Lance [Bass] was gay? Were you like, “Oh, he’s gay”?

Mandy Moore: No. No. I wish I would have been like, “Let’s hang.” Right? You know?

Via: Just Jared