By Charlie Herbert

The pair go way back

Ashley Tisdale was almost moved to tears when she found out she is related to her best friend and fellow actor, Austin Butler. Tisdale, best known for her role as Sharpay in the High School Musical films, has often spoken about her strong connection with Butler - who she has known since she was 15. So understandably, it was an emotional moment when she found out she shared a relative with the ‘Elvis’ actor. When they were younger, the acting duo starred alongside each other in the 2009 sci-fi comedy, ‘Aliens in the Attic’, in which they played a brother and sister not long after they first met. Two years later, they were reunited on-screen in the High School Musical spin-off ‘Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure’. But this time, Butler played the love interest of Tisdale’s character. [caption id="attachment_580062" align="alignnone" width="1320"] Credit: Disney Channel[/caption] In November last year, Tisdale appeared on Ancestry’s YouTube series, 2 Lies & A Leaf, to learn more about her heritage. The 37-year-old was stunned to find out she’s related to the person that she has previously described on social media as her “closest friend” and “twin born 7 years later.” Butler is Tisdale’s 10^th cousin once removed and they can both trace their lineage back to a man called Richard Scruggs, who lived between 1627-1669. After the revelation, she said on the episode: “Austin and I always say that we’re like fraternal twins born very far apart because he’s much younger and we always had that connection.” “What?!” Tisdale said. “Oh my God, no wonder we have such a connection, we’ve always said we were brother and sister, that is insane.” She became visibly emotional, saying: “I’m literally going to cry. “He’s my best best friend, telling you, when we first met we were like brother and sister, from the minute we met.” In August 2021, Tisdale shared a message on Instagram to mark Butler’s 30th birthday. In the post, she wrote: “You’ve been my best friend since you were 15, so that’s 15 years strong of friendship! “I am beyond proud of you and everything you’re accomplishing but most importantly proud of the person you are.” She added: “You’ve been my closest friend through the years, you’re the type of friend that came over when I was crying on the floor from a horrible breakup and not only lifted me off the ground but brought my favorite candy.” “I honestly didn’t think anyone would ever understand me like you. “But then enter my husband, and you happily embraced him like a brother.” She finished her post: “There’s no one like you Austin, you’re my twin born 7 years later.” It turns out there was more truth to her words than she knew.

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