Our favorite Disney channel female stars – where are they now?

No matter where you’re from, Disney has most likely been a part of your life. Many of us grew up watching and admiring Disney stars, and their childhoods were part of our own. However, just like us, they have changed a lot over the years. Let’s take a look at where our favorite female Disney channel stars are today.

Sabrina Carpenter as Maya Hart

Carpenter’s acting debut came in Law & Order, but it was Disney’s Girl Meets World that catapulted her to prominence. In this sequel to Boy Meets World, she played Maya Hart, best friend to Corey and Topanga’s daughter, Riley. Maya isn’t known for doing well in school, but she greatly admires Cory Matthews, who is a teacher at their school. However, despite seeing Cory as a father figure, she is still a troublemaker and rebellious. Even so, she’s dedicated to her friends, and loyal to a fault.

Sabrina Carpenter today

When the show ended, Carpenter continued working with Disney alongside other projects. She is also a successful singer, and she released her first album while still working on Girl Meets World. Two of her singles, “Thumbs” and “Why,” have been certified gold by the RIAA. Her most recent studio album was released in 2019, titled Singular: Act II. However, she plans to release another album soon, and has released the single “Honeymoon Fades” just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Debby Ryan as Jessie

Ryan may have started her career on the stage at the age of seven, but she had her major breakout on the Disney Channel. She has been in numerous hits with them, including The Suite Life on Deck, 16 Wishes, and the show Jessie as the titular character. The character Jessie is a young woman from Texas, determined to make her mark on the world. She moves to New York to find stardom, and she ends up working as a nanny for the well-to-do family, the Rosses.

Debby Ryan today

Ryan has gone on to have great success with acting, partnering with Netflix for a few projects, as well as focusing on charity work. Rock fans may have heard of her recent husband, the drummer from 21 Pilots, Josh Dun. She has also joined a band, The Never Ending, which went on to open for the hugely successful Fifth Harmony. She has starred in many television productions and movies, including playing the main character in the controversial Netflix hit, Insatiable.

Hayley Kiyoko as Stella Yamada

A singing icon now, like many other modern-day celebrities, Hayley Kiyoko got her start at Disney. The then-teen starred in both the Disney movie Lemonade Mouth, as Stella, but also in the popular show Wizards of Waverly Place as Stevie Nichols. Lemonade Mouth is about a group of kids in detention who form a band, named after the lemonade machine outside the classroom. In the movie, she plays the character Stella Yamada, a rebellious young woman who plays guitar and sings.

Hayley Kiyoko today

These days, the singer and actress is busy making alternative-pop music to a huge fanbase. Some of her biggest hits have been “Girls Like Girls,” “Sleepover,” and “Determinate.” Unfortunately, she suffered from a stint of depression after getting a concussion during her 25th birthday party. Thankfully, Kiyoko recovered from her depression, and went on to tour with Panic! At the Disco. She has also partnered with other singing powerhouses, like Taylor Swift on her LGBT-focused video, “You Need to Calm Down.”

Sierra McCormick as Olive Doyle

McCormick first came to prominence in Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, but soon transitioned to acting. Though she had a number of roles in television shows such as Supernatural, it was her role as Olive Doyle in the Disney sitcom series A.N.T. Farm that brought her wider attention. The character Olive has an eidetic memory, and because of that, is a computer whiz. This trait also makes her overly nervous, and she tends to think things through before acting.

Sierra McCormick today

Following her success with Disney, McCormick has been involved in numerous film projects, including for Lifetime. In 2015, she was nominated for a Fright Meter Award for her performance in the horror film, Some Kind of Hate. She also starred in the indie film, The Vast of Night, where she played the character Fay Crocker to critical acclaim. The film takes place in the 1950s, where a switchboard operator and radio personality discover an unidentifiable frequency that could be alien.

Bailee Madison as Max Russo

Even before Disney, Madison had built up her acting credentials, being critically acclaimed for her role in the film Bridge to Terabithia. Yet, it was through the fantasy sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place that she got her first major recurring part as Maxine, the female version of main character Max Russo. She may also be familiar as the young version of Snow White during the flashback sequences in Disney’s hit television show, Once Upon a Time.

Bailee Madison today

Madison later joined The Fosters before being cast as one of the main characters in the Good Witch, as Grace Russell. The character Grace is the daughter of the main character, and both are witches who use their intuition and magical talents to help others. Grace grows through her teenage years during the show and television movies, graduating first from high school, and then college. At the end of the series, Grace ends up interning for the city Mayor, and falls in love with her fellow intern, Luke.

G. Hannelius as Avery Jennings

Not long after her acting debut, Hannelius started a long association with Disney that began with a guest appearance on Hannah Montana in 2009. Soon, she had recurring roles in Sonny with a Chance and Good Luck Charlie. Her breakout Disney show was Dog with a Blog, in which her character (Avery Jennings) was the lead during its three-year run. She has also voiced characters in the Air Bud series, Sofia the First, and has had roles in Den Brother, Wander Over Yonder, and Future-Worm!

G. Hannelius today

Hannelius has since featured in Roots and the web series, American Vandal. Outside of acting, she is an activist and maintains a social media channel full of nail art tutorials. This channel is called Make Me Nails. She has won a Young Artist Award for her role in Spooky Buddies, a Halloween special that also is an Air Bud spin off. Hannelius is set to appear in a new movie titled Sid Is Dead, where a boy in high school decides to complete his bucket list of life goals in two weeks.

Selena Gomez as Alex Russo

Many of us know Selena Gomez as a singer, but before that, she was a child actress. She starred in the show Wizards of Waverly Place as Alex Russo. However, she wasn’t playing the hero, but rather a minor antagonist who eventually becomes a protagonist. Her character was known for being mean-spirited, stubborn, and as mischievous as she is clever and quick-witted. She competes with her brother to become the family wizard, and at the end of the franchise, she is given the title when her brother forfeits to her.

Selena Gomez today

Of course, Selena has had a thriving career outside of her time at Disney. Known for both her on-again-off-again relationship with Justin Bieber and her melodious voice, she’s a very successful young woman. No stranger to hardship, the young woman suffers from Lupus. But since her kidney replacement surgery, her health has greatly improved. She also hasn’t given up acting, even though singing is her main career, and the actress has starred in several films as an adult, including Monte Carlo and Hotel Transylvania.

Bella Thorne as CeCe Jones

Bella Thorne has been acting and modeling since she was a baby. However, her first role on Disney was as CeCe Jones, in the sitcom Shake It Up!. The show centered around a dance show for teens, and CeCe was the main character. She’s a gregarious teen, one who hopes to become a star. In the show, CeCe stars in a teen dancing show, after overcoming her stage fright in order to audition. There, she is able to dance spotlight to become a star.

Bella Thorne today

Since leaving Disney, Bella has done quite a bit. She’s been in multiple TV shows, like Robot Chicken and The Masked Singer, as well as a few movies, such as Infamous, Ride, and I Still See You. Currently, she has starred in movies like Babysitter 2, Masquerade, and Girl. She has shown a wide range in her acting skills, playing parts in every genre, from comedy to thrillers. She also maintains an active music career, periodically releasing songs.

Amanda Bynes as Penelope Taynt

Amanda Bynes was one of the brightest stars on Nickelodeon in the late '90s and early 2000s. She gained fame as a cast member on the sketch comedy show *All That,* where her comedic timing and charm made her a fan favorite. Bynes later starred in her own series, *The Amanda Show,* where her memorable characters, most famously including Penelope Taynt, and hilarious sketches solidified her as a teen icon. She also starred in iconic teen comedies like *What a Girl Wants* and *She's the Man,* and there was nothing she couldn’t do.

Amanda Bynes today

After her rise to fame, Amanda Bynes faced personal challenges that led her to step away from the spotlight. She dealt with mental health issues and legal troubles, spending time in a psychiatric ward, but in recent years, she’s been on a journey to focus on her well-being. While we haven’t seen her acting in a while, Bynes originally began hosting a podcast, but later in 2024, enrolled in cosmetology school to get her manicurist license.

Demi Lovato as Mitchie Torres

A famous singer now, Demi Lovato started her career on the Disney channel. She played Sonny Monroe on the show many of us watched, Sonny with a Chance. She was also in the Disney classic, Camp Rock, as Mitchie Torres. She’s the protagonist, and wants to become the best singer she can be. She can’t afford the camp initially, until her mother takes a job there. Mitchie is allowed to attend, so long as she helps out in the kitchen. When she ends up participating in the final camp production, she rocks the final jam.

Demi Lovato today

Since her time at Disney, Lovato has become an international pop singer. Some of her biggest hits are, “I Love Me,” “Heart Attack,” and “Cool for the Summer.” She has faced some adversity in her personal life, but has since overcome her issues. Lovato has continued acting, appearing in the hit television show Glee as the character Dani, a musician who befriends the main cast in New York. Lovato has also released an ebook, aptly titled Demi.

Michelle Trachtenberg as Harriet the Spy

Michelle Trachtenberg became a household name in the '90s with her starring role in the Nickelodeon film *Harriet the Spy.* Her portrayal of the curious young detective earned her widespread recognition. Trachtenberg then took on the role of Dawn Summers in the iconic series *Buffy the Vampire Slayer,* where she played Buffy’s younger sister. Her performance in this supernatural drama showcased her ability to handle more mature, complex roles, cementing her place in Hollywood.

Michelle Trachtenberg today

After her success in the '90s, Michelle Trachtenberg had a strong career, acting in all kinds of projects including *Gossip Girl*, *17 Again*, and a fan-favorite episode of *Criminal Minds*. In recent years, she has expanded her career by stepping behind the camera, working as a producer on several projects. Trachtenberg remains active in the entertainment industry, balancing her work in front of and behind the camera. She also hosted the true crime series *Meet, Marry, Murder" and returned as Georgina in the 2021 *Gossip Girl* reboot.

Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana

Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are almost interchangeable. When many of us think of one, the other automatically springs to mind. That’s because the character was so iconic, and the show lasted for as long as it did. If you haven’t seen it, it’s about a pop star with a secret identity. The young star must balance her school life with both her social life and her hidden identity as a pop idol. The show was a star-studded success, featuring such actors as Brooke Shields, Dolly Parton, and Cyrus’s own father, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Miley Cyrus today

After her stint at Disney, Miley went on to become a famous singer in her own right. Some of her most popular songs are “Wrecking Ball,” “Mother’s Daughter,” “Malibu,” and “Party in the U.S.A.” While her adult life has been speckled with controversy, no one can doubt her great successes both musically and as an actress. She has been nominated for many awards, and has won a Bambi award, Billboard Music Award, Billboard Touring Award, Bravo Otto, Gracie Allen Award, Kids Choice Awards, and many more.

Zendaya as Rocky Blue

Zendaya is known by just about everyone these days. However, before she was starring in movies, she was on Disney. She appeared in two notable shows, Shake It Up! and K.C. Undercover. In the former, she played Rocky Blue, the main protagonist alongside Bella Thorne’s CeCe. In the latter, she plays K.C., a math genius who helps her spy parents to save the world. K.C., short for Katrina Charlotte, is skilled at martial arts, and is passionate about technology. She uses these skills to help fight crime and make the world safer.

Zendaya today

Now, most of us associate Zendaya as a fashion figure, as well as Spider-Man’s love interest in Marvel’s latest adaptation of the comic book hero. She also has her own clothing line, called Daya, and has appeared in a music video by Bruno Mars, “Versace on the Floor.” Further, her role in The Greatest Showman was hailed by critics, and her chemistry with her co-star, Zac Efron, was widely lauded as excellent. More recently, she appeared in an HBO adaptation of the hit Israeli show, Euphoria.

Noah Cyrus as Ponyo

Noah Cyrus is well-known as being Miley Cyrus’ little sister. If you weren’t aware of this fact based on their names, the moment you look at the two, you can see the familial resemblance. However, Noah has had her own career with Disney, first as Ponyo in the adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, Ponyo. Unlike The Little Mermaid, Ponyo is a very young child, but wants to live with her human friend, Sosuke. She also guest-starred on Hannah Montana, where she played several different characters over the years.

Noah Cyrus today

As an adult, she’s had a few musical hits of her own. These include “Again,” “Stay Together,” and “July.” She has been the opening act for Katy Perry on the hit singer’s Witness tour. Cyrus is also outspoken about some of the challenges she has faced in her life, including her experiences with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. She has said that she uses her music and therapy to deal with her struggles. She is a vocal advocate for animal rights, and has worked with organizations such as PETA.

Josie Totah as Stuart Wooten

Totah started acting at the age of 11, with her breakout role in Disney’s Original Series *Jessie*. She played Stuart, a nerdy boy with a crush on series regular Zuri. Since then, she also had one-episode guest appearances *New Girl*, *2 Broke Girls*, and *Liv and Maddie*, among other small roles. As a teen, she appeared in the critically acclaimed film *Other People*, and opposite Mindy Kaling as Michael Patel in the comedy series *Champions*.

Josie Totah today

If you haven’t seen Totah around in a while, there’s a good reason why. In 2018, Totah notably took a break from social media, before reappearing by publishing an article with *TIME*, coming out as a transgender woman. Since 2020, she’s starred as popular cheerleader Lexi in the new revival of *Saved by the Bell*. She graduated from Chapman University in 2022, and most recently started a podcast called *Dare We Say*, with her best friend Yasmine and Co-star Alycia.

Zoey Deutch as Maya Bennett

Zoey Deutch started her Disney career in the third season of The Suite Life on Deck, the spinoff of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. In the show, she plays Maya Bennett, a new student and waitress at Zack and Cody’s ship-based high school, and immediately attracts the notice of Zack. However, she quickly learns about his reputation on board the ship, and so he has to take time to befriend her before she finally agrees to date the main character.

Zoey Deutch today

Deutch has had a lot of success as an actress since her days as a Disney star, with a steady supply of roles in both film and television. Notably, she appeared in the 2019 sequel to Zombieland as survivor Madison, who had escaped the zombie outbreak by hiding in a store’s freezer. Later that year, Deutch joined the main cast of the Netflix comedy drama series, The Politician. There she plays Infinity Jackson, a student who runs for student body vice president before becoming an environmentalist.

Dove Cameron as Mal

Dove Cameron had an illustrious career with Disney, starring in both Liv and Maddie, and in one of their biggest successes yet, The Descendants. In the latter, Cameron played the character Mal, daughter of Maleficent and Hades. She starred in all the sequels and spinoffs, including Descendants: Wicked World. In the storyline, Mal is given the chance to become good with the other children of villains. Meanwhile, their evil parents are stuck on the Isle of the Lost.

Dove Cameron today

Cameron has gone on to release her own music since leaving Disney, including the EP Bloodshot/Waste. She’s also collaborated and designed a range of sunglasses with Privé Revaux. Cameron has also taken to the stage, starring in different musicals to much acclaim. In the remake of Hairspray Live!, she played the role of Amber von Tussle. In Mama Mia!, Cameron scored the lead role of Sophie, and got the lead role of Cher in the off-Broadway musical, Clueless.

Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott

The younger sister of Haley Joel Osment (star of the famous movie The Sixth Sense), Emily Osment co-starred in the show Hannah Montana. In the show, she plays Hannah’s best friend, Lilly Truscott, the first person to learn of Hannah’s double identity. Truscott herself eventually takes on a dual persona, to be able to appear in public with the famous singer without compromising her identity. Even before Lilly knew that her best friend was Hannah Montana, she was a huge fan of the singer, and was ecstatic to learn her identity.

Emily Osment today

She maintains various roles with Disney, Osment but has gone on to act in different movies and television shows. These include Almost Family and Young & Hungry. Osment also has frequently engaged in various forms of philanthropy, from singing shirts to be auctioned to charity to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation, to raising awareness of the importance of the environment. She is also vocal about being anti-bullying, especially cyber bullying, and has partnered with the organization STOMP Out Bullying.

Grace Phipps as Lela

Grace Phipps started her Disney career in the aptly named teen movie, Teen Beach Movie. She played the character Lela, who is actually a character in a movie. However, when a real person is transported into the movie through a giant wave washing him to this other world, she falls in love with him. The central conflict revolves around a battle of territory between two groups, the surfers and the bikers. At the end of the movie, Lela is then taken to the real world.

Grace Phipps today

Today, she also goes by Gracie Gillam. She has since appeared in several popular series, including The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and Scream Queens. Among her diverse repertoire, she currently stars in the SyFy network hit, Z Nation, as the character Sgt. Lilly. The show focuses on a global pandemic that has turned many humans into zombies. However, humanity’s one hope is an ex-prisoner, who received an experimental vaccine that allows him to survive exposure to this deadly disease.

Olivia Holt as Kim Crawford

Holt got her break in the Disney XD comedy series Kickin’ It, and went on to receive subsequent roles in other Disney projects like Girl vs. Monster and I Didn’t Do It. She is most known for her role in Kickin’ It, playing as Kim Crawford. Kim is the only young woman at her dojo, where she learns martial arts. She struggles with people underestimating her because of her gender, has a short fuse and is unafraid of demonstrating her skills with martial arts.

Olivia Holt today

She has since been cast as the superhero Tandy Bowen, appearing as the character in Cloak & Dagger, Spider-Man, and Runaways. She has worked with some big names on her feature films, including Renee Zellweger and Greg Kinnear. Besides her acting career, Holt has built on a musical career that started during her time with Disney. She signed to Hollywood Records in 2015, and released her first album, Olivia, the following year. She has also worked with different companies doing endorsements, like Neutrogena and the game makers, PlayMG.

Bridgit Mendler as Teddy Duncan

Mendler began her career in an Indian animated film titled, The Legend of Buddha. However, she was quickly picked up by Disney, and has since appeared in a few of their more popular sitcoms, including Wizards of Waverly Place, Violetta, and Good Luck Charlie. She was also in their hit movie, Lemonade Mouth. However, she is most known for her role as Teddy Duncan in Good Luck Charlie. In the show, she creates a video diary to help the titular character, Charlie, fit in with her family’s antics.

Bridgit Mendler today

While she is still active in acting and singing, one of Mendler’s passions has been philanthropic work. She has partnered with a few charities, especially those that help improve literacy in children. In recent years, she has made a name for herself in television, appearing in shows like Merry Happy Whatever, Nashville, and Undateable. She has also made a series of shorts, published on YouTube, that delve into her artistic career, as well as a series of music videos.

Ryan Newman as Ginger Falcone

Originally a child model, Newman started acting when she was six, but a starring role didn’t come until she was cast as Ginger Falcone in Zeke & Luther. As one of the show’s main characters, she received critical acclaim in 2010, when she won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series by a Leading Actress. Zeke & Luther is a show about two friends trying to become famous skateboarders. The show takes place in a small town in Gilroy, California, known for its annual garlic festival.

Ryan Newman today

While the show ended in 2011, Newman’s acting career has only thrived, with regular appearances in television shows, like See Dad Run and The Thundermans. She has also had a recurring role in the famous — or perhaps infamous — comedy-horror series, Sharknado. The premise of the show is that a “sharknado” forms when a shark fin smuggler gets caught in a cyclone, and the sharks he has caught are sucked up into the storm. This sharknado destroys everyone on board, and then hits the mainland to continue its path of destruction.

Allisyn Ashley Arm as Zora

Before she even started working with Disney, Arm had a successful acting career doing commercials and making appearances in sitcoms, like Friends and Judging Amy. However, she is most widely known for her role as Zora Lancaster in Disney’s Sonny with a Chance. Zora has an eidetic memory, and she is labelled a genius by the other members of the show. Zora is quirky and weird, but loved by all the others. Arm has appeared in numerous other Disney productions, including So Random!

Allisyn Ashley Arm today

Since her work with Disney, Arm has guest starred in a music video with fellow Disney alum, Demi Lovato. She also has a recurring role on the sitcom A.P. Bio as the character Heather. The show revolves around a philosopher-turned-teacher who is forced to return to his hometown to teach for a living. Depressed by the idea, he instead uses his classroom to conduct experiments to find information that he can use to publish in a book.

Paris Berelc as Skylar Storm

Disney’s superheroes aren’t just limited to Marvel; there’s also Mighty Med and Lab Rats: Extreme Force. They followed a group of comic book superheroes and supervillains come to life. Berelc starred in both shows as Skylar Storm, a superhero who is actually from another planet and has a dazzling array of powers, who loses them after she is briefly brainwashed into being a villain. While powerless, she tries to live an average life, under the fake name Connie Valentine.

Paris Berelc today

Since putting away her hero costume, Berelc has been the lead in the Netflix sitcom, Alexa & Katie. In the show, she stars as Alexa, a basketball player who learns that she has cancer. Continuing to work with Netflix, Berelc also stars in their original film, Tall Girl, as the character Liz. It’s a teen romcom that focuses on a teenage girl who is over six feet tall. She is insecure because of her height, and the plot revolves around her struggles with dating and self-esteem.

Alyson Stoner as Maxine

Stoner may have gotten started by appearing in a Missy Elliott video, but Disney is what gave this actress her career. She has been in Phineas and Ferb, the Kingdom Hearts video game series, That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Mike’s Super Short Show. She is most known for her role as Maxine on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, as well as her roles voicing characters in Phineas and Ferb.

Alyson Stoner today

As an adult, she’s released her own music, focusing on soulful pop with alternative overtones. Her singles include “Flying Forward,” “Make History,” and “Dragon (That’s What You Wanted).” Throughout her career, she has been nominated for countless awards, and has won four for her roles in Cheaper by the Dozen, Voltron: Legendary Defender, and for her dance performances in the Streamy Awards. Much of her most recent work has been voice work in various cartoons and video games, including Young Justice, Kingdom Hearts, and The Loud House.

Skai Jackson as Zuri Ross

At the age of five, Skai Jackson started her acting career with the movie Liberty Kid. She then moved on to Disney, where she played Zuri Ross in the show Jessie, and its sequel, Bunk’d. The show is about a young woman from a small town in Texas who moves to New York, to work as a nanny to follow her dreams. Zuri is a young girl whom everyone loves, and often has conversations with her imaginary friends, a mermaid and a bear.

Skai Jackson today

Since her time at Disney, Jackson has become a novelist, and has been nominated for a few awards. Her novel is titled Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback. One of Jackson’s most notable roles post-Disney is her appearance on the hit music video, Panini by Lil Nas X. In the video, Jackson is trying to escape Lil Nas X, who appears to be an android, but he is everywhere she goes — including her apartment, restaurants, and an airplane.

Meaghan Martin as Tess Tyler

As Camp Rock’s main antagonist, Tess Tyler, Meaghan Martin rocked her role. Her character leads her own clique, who torment their fellow musical campmates with mean behavior. She eventually apologizes for her actions, but still reappears in the sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, as a supporting antagonist. In the final film, Tyler switches sides to a rival group, called Camp Star. Throughout the film, she is shown to miss her Camp Rock friends, and expresses regret at her decision.

Meaghan Martin today

Martin later featured in the television film sequel Mean Girls 2 as Jo Mitchell, a new pupil at a high school, who has to deal with a bullying clique. She went on to be cast in the shows 10 Things I Hate About You and Awkward. Since moving to London in 2016, Martin has been working regularly with on stage productions, including The Actor’s Nightmare, a dark satire written by the Tony Award winner Christopher Durang.

Peyton List as Emma Ross

List started her career as a child model before she branched out into acting, with her debut in the film 27 Dresses. She rose to global recognition through Disney’s comedy series, Jessie. Set in New York, it focused on List’s character, Emma Ross, and her siblings, who are being raised by a nanny. She reprised her role in the spinoff Bunk’d, which follows her and two of her siblings while they summer in Maine. By the end of the show, List’s character moves to Milan to become a model for her mother’s clothing line.

Peyton List today

Post-Disney, List has built up a career in television and film, notably starring in Hulu’s Light as a Feather and the social media series, Cobra Kai. In the latter’s second season, based off the iconic 1980s film Karate Kid, List plays a student at a dojo run by the former antagonist, Johnny Lawrence. She goes on to build a rivalry with Samantha, daughter of film protagonist Daniel LaRusso, and resorts to various questionable tactics in an effort to win her fights.

Brenda Song as London Tipton

Brenda Song played a popular fan favorite character on The Suite Life series, both the original The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and the spinoff, The Suite Life on Deck. She played heiress, London Tipton, whose wealthy father owns the hotel and ship-based high school that the two shows are set on. Interestingly, she made guest appearances in crossovers with other Disney shows, including Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven, and the Wizards of Waverly Place. Her performances earned her Best Role Model and Superstar of Tomorrow at the 2006 Young Hollywood Awards.

Brenda Song today

Song went on to star in her own Disney movie, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, as the title character. She later had notable parts in the political thriller, Scandal, and the sitcom New Girl as Daisy (the romantic interest of Winston). Recently, Song has returned to the Disney network by voicing the lead role of Anne Boonchuy in the animated series, Amphibia. Away from Disney, she has joined the Hulu comedy web series Dollface as Madison Maxwell, and was a recurring cast member on the action drama show, Station 19.

Maia Mitchell as McKenzie

Maia Mitchell was already well known in her Australian homeland, with appearances in Mortified and the teen drama, Trapped. In the United States, she got her American breakthrough thanks to Disney, appearing in two episodes of Jessie in 2013. That same year, she featured in Teen Beach Movie as a surfer named McKenzie, who is transported into the world of a musical film. The latter got its own sequel, Teen Beach 2, in which Mitchell reprised her character.

Maia Mitchell today

Around the same time that she got her Disney break, Mitchell was brought into the family drama, The Fosters. In the show, she played Callie, who is at first fostered by the show’s main family before being adopted by them. She maintained her role for five years, appearing in 104 episodes, until the show’s conclusion in 2018. Her character has since featured in the spinoff series Good Trouble, for which Mitchell also serves as an executive producer.

Naomi Scott as Mohini Banjaree

Naomi Scott started her career with British Disney, starring in an adaptation of the Italian Disney hit, Life Bites – Pillole di Vita, in the main role of Megan. It ran for two seasons, including a Christmas special, before it ended in 2009. Afterwards, she went on to star as the British singer and bassist Mohini “Mo” Banjaree in Lemonade Mouth. The Disney film follows a group of high school students who decide to form a band after they meet in detention.

Naomi Scott today

Of course, she’s most well-known for starring as Princess Jasmine in the live action remake of the 1990s Disney classic, Aladdin. That role won Scott a successful nomination in the Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movie Actress category at the Teen Choice Awards. Her career has continued to grow since her success with Disney, and she has also released a selection of music. She has gotten leading roles in other movie hits, playing Elena Houghlin in the remake of Charlie’s Angels and the Pink Ranger in Power Rangers.

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle as Ashley Dewitt

A singer and actress, de Tagle is best known as the mean-spirited Ashley Dewitt in Disney’s popular musical comedy series, Hannah Montana. Her character loves the music of Hannah Montana, but is unaware that the singer is the alter ego of the girl that Dewitt is cruel to at school. Aside from Hannah Montana, de Tagle’s other major Disney role came as Ella Pador in the Camp Rock franchise. During this period, she released numerous singles, and cameoed in Demi Lovato’s music video for “Remember December.”

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle today

Following her Disney roles, she featured in the Broadway revival of Godspell in 2011. Her performance brought her recognition, with a successful nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 2012 Broadway World Awards. Since then, she has had an appearance in the rebooted Charmed as Lainey, the queen of a group of supernatural creatures that the Charmed Ones must battle. Elsewhere, she has also featured in the short films, The Worst People at a Party and Long Distance.

Kayla Maisonet as Lindsay

Kayla Maisonet has been acting with Disney since around 2012. She has had two main roles with the company, first as Lindsay in Dog with a Blog, as the lead character’s best friend. That role earned her a successful nomination for Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress at the 35th Young Artist Awards in 2014. Then, she went on to play the main role in Stuck in the Middle, as Georgie Diaz, which ran for three seasons.

Kayla Maisonet today

Once her time with Disney ended with Stuck in the Middle’s final season in 2018, she started to pursue a number of other roles on television. These have included a guest starring part in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and a recurring role for nine episodes in the ABC sitcom, Speechless, as Izzy. In that show, she plays a quirky student who becomes the girlfriend of JJ, whom the show centered around. She has recently joined the cast of Girls Room as Thelma.

Kelli Berglund as Bree Davenport

Another of Disney’s non-marvel superheroes, Berglund starred in the series Lab Rats, about a group of teenagers who have enhanced powers, thanks to a bionic chip. As Bree Davenport, Berglund is in possession of prodigious super speed, voice manipulation, and the ability to create sonic cyclones. She spent much of the show trying to live a normal life, all while finding herself on adventures. Her character later joins up with the superheroes of another Disney show, Mighty Med, to battle the forces of evil in the spinoff series Lab Rats: Elite Force.

Kelli Berglund today

Berglund has since been in numerous films and television shows, including recurring roles in Animal Kingdom and The Goldbergs. Elsewhere, she has appeared as Dolly Parton’s older sister, Willadeene, in the television film Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. She has also had leading roles in the sports themed films, Raising the Bar and Going for Gold, both of which were set in Australia. In 2019, she was cast as the regular character Carly Carlson in the Starz comedy, Now Apocalypse.

Amy Bruckner as Pim Diffy

Amy Bruckner’s major acting credit as a child was through Disney’s science fiction sitcom, Phil of the Future, released way back in 2004. As Pim Diffy, Bruckner played the titular character’s mischievous younger sister, who has a tendency to play pranks on the unsuspecting, and dreams of taking over the world. Throughout the show, her character has dreams of taking over the world. Despite how she pranks her brother, at the end of the day, she still loves him very much.

Amy Bruckner today

Following the show’s end in 2006, Bruckner has appeared sporadically in a few films and television shows, including Nancy Drew, Rebound, and a voice contribution to the animated Disney series, American Dragon: Jake Long. Her last acting role was back in 2017, in the romcom movie Trust (and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves to Sleep at Night). However, she has seemingly retired from her acting and singing career. Instead, she is now focusing on obtaining a law degree from UCLA School of Law.

Madison Pettis as Sophie Martinez

Madison Pettis had only been acting for a few years when Disney cast her in the sitcom Cory in the House, a spinoff of the popular show That’s So Raven (but set in the White House). She played Sophie Martinez, the mischievous daughter of President Martinez. Her character loves nothing more than to pester others, including the main character, Cory. However, her persona is that of an innocent angel, and she is known across the country as America’s Angel.

Madison Pettis today

Her relationship with Disney has only grown since her breakout role. She joined Lab Rats in 2012, a show about a group of bionic teenagers, and appeared in The Lion Guard. She also co-starred in the Disney blockbuster movie, The Game Plan, alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Since 2018, she has starred in the teen web drama, Five Points. The show focuses on five students in Chicago who undergo a huge event, and displays how every perspective of the event is different. This allows the viewer to piece together the truth of what really happened.

Raven Goodwin as Ivy Wentz

Before her connection with Disney, Raven Goodwin made her name on Nickelodeon’s comedy show, Just Jordan. Soon after ( in 2010), she got her role as Teddy Duncan’s best friend, Ivy Wentz, in the Disney sitcom, Good Luck Charlie. She became a central character on the show, and went on to appear in 35 episodes, and the made for TV film Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas!. The character Ivy loves nothing more than fashion and shopping, and she is known for saying how much she needs to go to the mall.

Raven Goodwin today

Since her time on Good Luck Charlie, Goodwin has had numerous roles on a variety of networks, including recurring parts in Huge and Being Mary Jane. She has been nominated for five different awards, for her work in Lovely & Amazing, and The Station Agent. Goodwin has also gone on to star in several television movies, including the Lifetime hit, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel, and Christmas Bells. She also has a starring role in the comedy show SMILF, where she plays the character Eliza.

Laura Marano as Ally Dawson

Laura Marano portrayed Ally Dawson, one of the title characters in Austin & Ally. She was an introverted singer-songwriter with a bad case of stage fright, who eventually overcomes her fears to forge a successful music career. Her character teams up with Austin after he steals the song she wrote, and makes it into his own hit, launching his career. She eventually forgives him, and they work together to produce music, all while she overcomes her intense stage fright.

Laura Marano today

Once Austin & Ally ended in 2016, Marano continued her association with Disney with her own talk show, For the Record with Laura Marano. Her acting career has broadened, too, and she’s also started to drop some tunes as an independent artist. There’s even been talk of a possible Austin & Ally reunion movie! In the meanwhile, she has worked with Netflix on their movie, The Perfect Date. She’s been nominated for many awards, and has won three, including a Teens Choice Award for Choice Comedy Movie Actress for the movie, The Perfect Date.

Rowan Blanchard as Riley

Back in 2014, there was a whole lot of excitement about the nostalgia-fueled Girl Meets World, a spin-off of the ‘90s hit show Boy Meets World. Blanchard played Cory and Topanga’s daughter, Riley. It was her breakout role, having previously had a few small parts in other Disney productions. Riley is a middle schooler, much like Cory was in Boy Meets World. The show is about her struggles and understanding herself, her relationships, and becoming her own independent person.

Rowan Blanchard today

After Girl Meets World ended in 2017, Blanchard joined another sitcom, The Goldbergs as the recurring character, Jackie. Though she left in 2018, she has since been added as a regular to the cast of post-apocalyptic drama, Snowpiercer. In the show, Blanchard plays the character Alexandra, the daughter of the main character (played by Jennifer Connelly). Originally, Alexandra is thought to be dead in an event called “The Big Freeze,” but she turns out to be alive on the train.

Jennifer Stone as Harper Finkle

Jennifer Stone got an auspicious start to her career when she appeared alongside Sir Michael Caine, CBE, in the film Secondhand Lions. However, she may be best known for her work with Disney in the popular show Wizards of Waverly Place. In the show, Stone played the character Harper Finkle, one of the few mortals who know that Wizards are real. She is best friends with Alex, Selena Gomez’s character, and often acts as Alex’s conscience. Despite being a regular human, Harper is sometimes granted temporary magic, thanks to her proximity to Alex.

Jennifer Stone today

As an adult, Jennifer has become a nurse to help herself better understand her own condition, latent autoimmune disease in adults (often referred to as Type 1.5 diabetes). She took a few years off from acting to attend university, first to study psychology, but she switched her degree to nursing. However, now that she has graduated, she has gone back to acting. She has appeared in several television productions as well as movies, such as Santa Girl and The Perfect Night.

Kiersey Clemons as Kira Starr

Kiersey Clemons had her Disney debut in the show Austin & Ally, where she played the character Kira Starr. She is an actress and singer who first appears in a music video for Austin. Over time, she becomes Austin’s on-again-off-again girlfriend while he himself is still trying to deal with his own attraction to Ally, his singing and songwriting partner. In the end, she becomes friends with Ally, and helps her forge her own successful musical career.

Kiersey Clemons today

Clemons has also appeared in Disney’s live action remake of Lady and the Tramp, as Lady. Since her time with Disney, she has continued her acting career, performing in such movies as Scoob!, Hearts Beat Loud, and An L.A. Minute, for which she also acted as a producer. Her lead role as Jenn in the survival horror film, Sweetheart, won her two nominations for best actress, winning one at the Fantastic Fest film festival in Texas.

Raini Rodriguez as Trish De la Rosa

Back in 2011, Rodriguez was cast as Trish De la Rosa in Austin & Ally, a show about a pair of singer-songwriters. As Ally’s best friend and Austin’s manager, Trish was a central part of the musical-orientated show. In fact, Rodriguez appeared in all 87 episodes. She had signature story themes that were touched on through the show, in particular her character’s habit of frequently switching many varied jobs. Ultimately, she focuses more of her energies on growing her career in managing bigger and bigger stars.

Raini Rodriguez today

Rodriguez has kept a strong association with Disney since Austin & Ally ended in 2016, with voice appearances in The Lion Guard, based on the popular 1990s animated film The Lion King, and Vampirina. As well, she joined the cast of Bunk’d, a spinoff of another Disney sitcom, Jessie, as the camp director Barb. Outside of Disney, she has had notable roles in Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 as the title character’s only daughter, Maya.

25+ Famous Celebrities That Never Had Kids

If you couldn’t get enough nostalgia overload with these former Disney stars and what they’ve been up to since appearing in their shows, don’t miss these celebrities who never had kids. These actresses decided to make the conscious decision not to have children, opting out of being moms.