For most, the years spent in middle school are the worst of thier lives (Besides maybe high school). One girl in the 7th grade could still look like she’s 10-years-old and president of the itty bitty titty committee, while another could be 5’6 and has had her period for three years already. Between the insecurities, cliques, inevitable raging hormones, and parents who just don’t understand, middle school is not usually a place to thrive. Some of our favorite celebrities whose posters dawned our walls, however, seemed to peak in their careers when they were 13 and haven’t really been heard of since.
Here are eight of your favorite childhood stars whose fame peaked in middle school.
1. Cole and Dylan Sprouse
They’re a package deal, right? You know you loved these blonde identical twins in the “Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and, though hesitant, continued your support by rooting for them in the lesser, yet still addictive, “Suite Life on Deck.” Cole and Dylan Sprouse left their fame aboard the ship and haven’t been heard of much since their days on Disney. They went to college at NYU (Stars, they’re just like us!) and now blend in with every other sexy struggling photographer wearing skinny jeans in New York City.
2. Jamie Lynn Spears
The accessory trend-setter and oh-so-relatable character of Zoey from Nickelodeon’s insanely popular show, “Zoey 101,” was played by none other than Britney’s younger sis, Jamie Lynn Spears. Jamie Lynn in the show had everything an awkward middle school girl could only dream of. She rode around on a perfect hot pink scooter at a boarding school with very few rules and no parents, drank her trendy Blix with her guy best friend that was secretly in love with her, and texted her BFFs on the coolest cell phone ever. After her unexpected pregnancy at age 16, Jamie Lynn became a full on mother—leaving her fame and our high hopes for a “Zoey 101” movie at Pacific Coast Academy.
3. Mitchell Musso
All I can really remember about Mitchell Musso is his obnoxious flippy hair and the song from “Hannah Montana” about cheese jerky. He often posts throwback pictures on his Instagram from his younger days on Hannah Montana, basically saying, “Look when I used to relevant.”
4. Christy Carlson Romano
My girl. She was always my favorite because no one ever just called her Christy, she was Christy Carlson Romano. No one really knew why, but it was very cool. However, her peak of fame was also in her middle school Disney days. Her career may not have been long, but she was in “Even Stevens,” “Cadet Kelly” and was the voice for” Kim Possible,” which all make my top 10 Disney list. She also could make this face, which is so important.
5. Devon Werkheiser
This one is a little ironic since Devon’s height of his career was when he played Ned Bigby in the Nickelodeon TV Series, “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” about how to survive in middle school. I almost didn’t include him, because are you even a pre-teen star if you don’t come out with multiple hit singles and are in a terrible movie at the same time? However, I loved this show and decided he was relevant enough. I looked up this 13-year-old dreamboat on Instagram to see how he’s doing, and his handle is @devonwerkharder which just makes me cringe. I cringed even harder when I watched a video he posted of him playing the guitar shirtless and dancing against 12-year-olds on Dance Off Juniors.
6. Alyson Stoner
I knew after I saw her on “Mike’s Super Short Show,” she was going to do big things. Her career peaked when she starred in both “Cheaper by the Dozens” while also having some roles in “Drake and Josh” and “Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” However, unlike some child stars on this list, Alyson thrived in her teens as well in both “Camp Rocks” and “Step Up.” Apparently, in recent years she released an album, because of course she did.
7. Kyle Massey
You probably remember him as the annoying little brother Corey Baxter in “That’s So Raven.” Or you may have suffered through the awful spin-off, “Corey in the House,” where his psychic older sister is no longer there so, obviously, the Baxters move into the White House. Kyle is guilty of posting a lot of throwback photos of his Disney days on his Instagram as well. He was runner-up on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” where I’m guessing most viewers had to google his name. Regardless, congrats, Kyle!
8. Miranda Cosgrove
Miranda’s was not only in “School of Rock,” but played my favorite evil little sister Megan Parker on “Drake and Josh.” She went on to star as Carly in Nickelodeon’s “iCarly,” and she released a soundtrack and album to go with it. Basically living the child star path to actual success. Though Miranda totally peaked in middle school, she went on to play the voice of Margo in the majorly successful films, “Despicable Me.”
You totally read that in their voices.