This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UGA chapter.
It’s no secret that Disney Channel is responsible for spawning some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. Of course, we all know plenty about the careers of stars such as Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron, but whatever happened to some of those other guys?
1. Aly & AJ Michalka
- THEN: Every little girl danced around their room to “Potential Breakup Song,” mad at the ex-boyfriend that they never even had (because, come on, boys were gross). Aly & AJ were responsible for a few of the Radio Disney hits that still get stuck in our heads every now and again, and they even co-starred in a Disney Channel Original Movie, Cow Belles.
- NOW: The sisters still make music together, but now, it sounds a lot less like the fun, catchy tween pop that we grew up with and a lot more like angsty folk pop. In 2009, the girls renamed themselves as 78violet (probably as an attempt to distance themselves from their Radio Disney roots), but in 2015 they decided to become Aly & AJ once again.
2. Kyle Massey
- THEN: Who could forget Raven’s witty little brother in the television show, That’s So Raven? In fact, Massey got so much acclaim for his role on Raven that he was later given his own spin-off series, Cory in the House. Later, in 2010, he began voicing Milo in the animated Disney series, Fish Hooks.
- NOW: After hanging up his role of Cory Baxter, Kyle Massey went on be a contestant on the 11th season of Dancing with the Stars. Since then, Massey has appeared in minor acting roles, and he still posts memes referencing his Disney days on his personal Instagram page. However, recently, Raven Symone announced that a That’s So Raven 2 is in the works, but Kyle Massey has not yet been confirmed to be reprising his role of Cory Baxter.
3. Mitchel Musso
- THEN: Mitchel Musso’s character on the hit television show, Hannah Montana, was part of one of the most iconic Disney friendships of all time. Musso got his big break for his role of Oliver Oken on Hannah Montana, and he had so much success that he was asked to voice Jeremy on the animated show, Phineas & Ferb, which ran between 2007 and 2015. Additionally, he was given a lead role in the Disney XD show, Pair of Kings in 2010.
- NOW: Musso was in the middle of a few Disney projects when he was arrested for driving under the influence in October of 2011. The incident caused his character to be written out of Pair of Kings, but he was permitted to continue working on Phineas & Ferb. Since then, he has appeared in a few indie films and appears to still be active in Hollywood.
4. Brenda Song
- THEN: Brenda Song was most known for role as the ditzy hotel heiress, London Tipton, on the television show The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and the spin-off series, The Suite Life on Deck. Additionally, Song appeared in a few Disney Channel Original Movies, including Stuck in the Suburbs and Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior.
- NOW: Since relinquishing London Tipton, Brenda Song has had a long, tumultuous relationship with Miley Cyrus’s older brother, Trace Cyrus, although it appears that the two ended their relationship once and for all in 2014. Although Song has not appeared in many major productions since leaving Disney, she has had recurring roles on a few television shows and recently began a main role on the new CBS television series, Pure Genius.
5. Jesse McCartney
- THEN: Any girl that tells you she didn’t have a crush on this Radio Disney heartthrob is clearly lying. Jesse McCartney was responsible for one of the most iconic teen 2000s songs, “Beautiful Soul,” and he often guest starred on Disney television shows as a result of his popularity.
- NOW: After not releasing an album for a whopping six years, Jesse McCartney released his fourth studio album, In Technicolor, in 2014, and the record received mostly positive reviews. McCartney has also accepted a few acting roles since his Radio Disney stardom, and there is speculation that he is soon to be engaged to his longtime girlfriend.
6. Dylan & Cole Sprouse
- THEN: Like Brenda Song, the Sprouse brothers got their big break on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck, where they played the title characters, Zack and Cody Martin. The Suite Life franchise was one of Disney’s longest running shows, as the two shows spanned all the way from 2005 to 2011 and had over 150 episodes.
- NOW: Neither of the Sprouse brothers have appeared in much of anything since their time on Disney Channel – because they attended New York University from 2011 to 2015! In May of 2015, the twins graduated, with Dylan majoring in video game design and Cole obtaining a degree in archaeology. Interestingly enough, the twins reported to have walked away with each other’s diplomas at their graduation ceremony… What more can we really expect from these two?
7. Ricky Ullman
- THEN: Ricky Ullman starred on the television show, Phil of the Future, as the main character, Phil Diffy, from 2004 to 2006. Additionally, he starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Pixel Perfect in 2004.
- NOW: Ricky Ullman now goes by his Israeli name, Raviv, and has appeared in a few movies and a few minor television roles since the end of Phil of the Future. Additionally, Ullman has participated in several stage productions.
8. Christy Carlson Romano
- THEN: Christy Carlson Romano was best known for her role as Ren Stevens in the television show, Even Stevens, from 2000 to 2003, and for voicing Kim on the animated television show, Kim Possible, from 2002 to 2007.
- NOW: Although Christy Carlson Romano hasn’t appeared in anything since about 2010, she is still doing big things in her life. In 2013, Romano got married, and in June of 2016, she announced that she was expecting her first child, due in late 2016.