There are few feelings I crave more than childhood nostalgia. There’s something so comforting about cinnamon toast, the sound of doves, the smell of spring, or seeing clips from an old commercial you’ve completely forgotten about. My favorite? “You’re watching Disney Channel!”
I was a Disney girl through and through. Was it partly because I wasn’t allowed to watch Spongebob? Sure. More than that, it was the comfort of having girl role models to look up to; they were like the older sisters I never had.
One of my favorite shows to watch was Good Luck Charlie. The show was about an older sister named Teddy, played by Bridgit Mendler, recording her life moments and advice for her baby sister Charlie. They were one big, happy suburban family, and I yearned to have a sister like Teddy. I wanted someone to give me advice, curl my hair, and stand up for me.
Perhaps that’s why I feel so weirdly proud about what Bridgit Mendler has done with her life after becoming a Disney alum. She starkly contrasts the many stars who have struggled to gain their footing in life after dealing with childhood fame. The 31-year-old star (now space exploration connoisseur) continues to inspire me with her impressive resume, raising the question: “What can’t Bridgit Mendler do?”
“She was a good actor on one show.”
Wrong! Not only was Mendler on Good Luck Charlie, but she also starred in the hit movie in any Disney tween’s catalog, Lemonade Mouth. It’s a spinoff of The Breakfast Club and a powerful message about sabotage and resistance. Mendler convincingly plays the role of Olivia, the band’s lead singer, formed with her classmates from detention. Through Olivia, Disney portrayed the struggles of mental health battles as she grapples with the loss of her mother.
Mendler took her career further than just Disney Channel. She also had starring roles in Undateable, The Clique, and Merry Happy Whatever, proving her to be a versatile actor who was able to break the image of the innocent blonde girl that Disney often portrayed her as.
Well, it’s not like she can sing or anything…
Wrong again! If you’re thinking this to yourself right now, then you clearly haven’t heard the hits off her 2012 album, Hello My Name Is…, including the infamous “Hurricane” and “Ready or Not.” Were you really a 2010s kid if you didn’t make up a routine to one of these to convince your mom to let you have a sleepover?
The album was huge in the United States and other countries around the world, selling thousands of copies and making it to number 30 on the Billboard 200. The success of her album propelled her into two North American tours.
Mendler is also finding success now, as her 2016 song “Do You Miss Me at All” has become a trending sound for Instagram reels and TikToks. The R&B style song is quite a contrast from her previous pop albums, which drew their own criticism for sounding too alike.
Fine. She probably just lived off her residuals from that, then.
Mendler is an educated queen! She has been to not one, not two, but three of the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Mendler moved on from her entertainment career to pursue a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Southern California. From there, she went on to study media arts and sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which boasts a graduate program acceptance rate of a mere 3.96 percent. Here, she earned her master’s degree and also became one of MIT Media Lab’s Director Fellows, a prestigious, hands-on program offered by the university.
If you thought she would stop there, think again. This year, Mendler obtained her JD degree from Harvard Law, where she was also the co-president of the Harvard Space Law Society. She has stated on multiple platforms her deep interest in pursuing space law, and she truly proves that you are never too old to keep pursuing a college degree or to keep learning.
Wow, okay. How much more could she possibly do?
Mendler recently announced that she became a mother, revealing on X, “The other news I wanted to share is I’m a mama to a sweet 4yo boy. Started fostering in 2021 adopted near Christmas of 2022. I’m so lucky — being a parent is the biggest gift and most defining experience there is.”
In addition, Mendler just announced she and her husband are going to be launching a startup called Northwood Space, where she will be CEO (we love a woman in STEM). Her company has already received millions of dollars in support from investors. The Californian company aims to create a “highway” connecting ground data to space satellites.
Okay, I get the hype.
Good. I’m glad.
Bridgit Mendler continues to be a role model for us all. She tests the waters, pursues her passions, and shows us all how versatile we can be if we put our minds to it. In other words, watching her live her real life is her way of telling us, “Good luck, Charlie.”
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