For most of us, at least one Disney star had a special place in our hearts. Whether it was our giant crush on Gordo from Lizzie McGuire, or our total idolization of Hilary Duff — those silly teen shows were a formative part of our tween years.
While some of them continued their careers in show business and can’t seem to go a week without a headline (Selena Gomez, Bella Thorne, Miley Cyrus, to name a few), many seemingly fell off the face of the earth. Luckily for you, we’ve tracked down these Disney Channel stars to see just what they’re up to these days.
Christy Carlson-Romano: Then
Christy Carlson-Romano was well-known for playing Ren on Even Stevens. Ren was Louis’s uptight older sister, constantly embarrassed by his antics and always working super hard to succeed in school. Carlson-Romano also voiced Kim Possible, everyone’s favorite badass cartoon crime-fighter.
Christy Carlson-Romano: Now
After her success as a Disney star, Carlson-Romano spent a few years playing Belle on the super-successful Broadway production of Beauty & the Beast. She also starred in a few movies for ABC family, other Disney Channel movies, and had small roles on tons of TV shows. Basically, Christy Carlson-Romano has stayed crazy busy working show business, but we’ll always remember her as Ren.
Adrienne Bailon: Then
Cheetahlicious! If you didn’t live under a rock for the last 10 years, then you’ve definitely heard of The Cheetah Girls movie franchise, with Disney star Adrienne Bailon. Also featuring Raven Symone, the movie about one teen pop group was an absolutely huge hit. After her role as Chanel, Bailon also guest starred in a few Disney programs, including That’s So Raven and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.
Adrienne Bailon: Now
If you’re a Kardashians fan, you might remember that Adrienne Bailon briefly dated Rob Kardashian, and he treated her like a pile of garbage and ultimately cheated on her. But joke’s on him, because now she’s married to another musician, Israel Houghton.
Anneliese van der Pol: Then
During her time as a Disney star, Anneliese van der Pol was most well know for her role as Chelsea on That’s So Raven. Chelsea was Raven’s ditzy best friend, whose love for animals and down-to-earth spirit made her a super-lovable character. In addition to her role as Chelsea, she had a few successful songs and pursued her acting career on and off Broadway.
Anneliese van der Pol: Now
Since the immense success of That’s So Raven, the now 33-year-old van der Pol has continued a relatively successful show business career. She mainly works in live theater, but is returning to her television roots in Raven’s Home. The show is the second spinoff of That’s So Raven, and features a revival of her role as Chelsea.
Kyle Massey: Then
That’s So Raven was also the place where Disney Star, Kyle Massey found success. Playing Raven’s annoying little brother, Cory, Massey was just 13 when he got his start as a child actor. After his years on That’s So Raven, Massey continued working with Disney Channel on the spinioff show Cory in the House, as well as the movie Life is Ruff.
Kyle Massey: Now
After his years as an actor on Disney, Massey continued to explore show business — primarily focusing on his rap career. He had a few rap songs released through Disney, and a minor solo career under the name “Massey.” However, you may remember Massey’s most recent work on Dancing With the Stars, where he and partner Lacey Schwimmer were runners-up in the competition.
Alyson Stoner: Then
You may remember Alyson Stoner as the co-host of the Disney mini-series Mike’s Super Short Show, the voice of Isabella on Phineas and Ferb, and as Max on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Outside of Disney, Stoner also starred in Cheaper by the Dozen and yes, she was the girl in Missy Elliott’s “Work It” video.
Alyson Stoner: Now
After all of her time with Disney, Alyson Stoner decided to focus on her singing career. She released an EP in 2011, but most recently has been dedicating all of her time to her dance career. Right now, Stoner is the youngest ever hip-hop dance teacher to work at Millennium Dance Complex.
Brenda Song: Then
Brenda Song was best known for her time as a Disney Star playing everybody’s favorite bratty heiress, London Tipton. She worked on both the Suite Life of Zack and Cody and the Suite Life on Deck. Song was a super memorable Disney star, and she and Ashley Tisdale were pretty much the faces of Disney for a while. You may or may not remember her from an earlier disney hit, the DCOM Stuck In the Suburbs, which was a total classic.
Brenda Song: Now
After her time as London Tipton, Song went on to have a supporting role in The Social Network. Otherwise, she was on the short-lived TV show, Dads, and has a recurring show on the Shonda Rhimes hit, Scandal. As far as Disney teen princess go, Song has pretty much remained out of any kind of gossip/controversy for her entire career. Not too shabby!
Hilary Duff: Then
Hilary Duff was obviously one of the most iconic Disney stars of all time. Her role on the show Lizzie McGuire made her the face of teen pop culture for years, and allowed her to launch a super-successful music career. In addition to the show, Duff was also known for her roles in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Cadet Kelly, Agent Cody Banks, Cheaper by the Dozen, Raise Your Voice and many others.
Hilary Duff: Now
As one of the only Disney stars to somehow avoid any sort of controversy/”bad girl” phase, Hilary Duff has done a great job of flying under the radar since her Disney days. She appeared in a few independent films, and authored a New York Times bestselling novel, Elixir. Right now, she’s dating Matthew Koma and raises her son with ex-hubby Mike Comrie. She also stars in the underrated show, Younger on TV Land.
Lalaine: Then
Lalaine Vergara-Paras, who goes ~publically~ by her first name Lalaine, was best known for her role as Miranda on Lizzie McGuire. As Lizzie’s best friend, Miranda was loyal, outgoing, and a little bit tougher than Lizzie. During the end of Lizzie McGuire, Lalaine went on to star in the Disney Channel Original Movie, You Wish. Tragically, she was missing from The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
Lalaine: Now
After her time on Lizzie McGuire, Lalaine went on to focus on her music career — thus why she denied a role in Lizzie McGuire movie. She performed in the band Vanity Theft for a few years, then continued exploring acting projects. Since then, she has mostly remained out of the spotlight. She had a few small projects in movies, web shows and TV shows, but has mostly been laying low since.
Adam Lamberg: Then
If you were a young straight teen girl, you most definitely had your first crush on Adam Lamberg. In case you weren’t, Adam Lamberg was most known for his role as Gordo, Lizzie McGuire’s best friend. He was totally in love with Lizzie, and all of us spent every episode praying the two would kiss.
Adam Lamberg: Now
To be honest, it was really difficult to find out what Adam Lamberg has been up to after his days as a Disney star. In 2008, he starred as Reggie in the film Beautiful Loser. Now, he lives in NYC and works as a developmental associate at the Irish Arts Center.
Jake Thomas: Then
Speaking of Disney stars who found fame on Lizzie McGuire, remember Jake Thomas? If not, Thomas played Lizzie’s obnoxious little brother Matt. He was the typical annoying pre-teen, constantly trying to get Lizzie in trouble, embarrassing her in front of her friends, and generally being the worst. After Lizzie, Jake had a small role on Cory in the House.
Jake Thomas: Now
Since his recurring role as Matt, Jake has remained in show business with a few guest appearances in TV shows and movies. You may have recognized Thomas on shows like ER, Cold Case, CSI: Miami , Criminal Minds , or NCIS to name a few.
Aly Michalka: Then
During her time on Disney, Aly Michalka’s breakout role was playing Keely on Phil of the Future. The show was a massive success, and Aly continued to dabble in other Disney projects including Cow Belles and Now You See It… But of course, the most important contribution Aly and her sister, AJ have made to pop culture was the banger, “Potential Breakup Song.”
Aly Michalka: Now
After their Disney days, Aly and AJ Michalka have mostly been focusing on their music careers. The duo even just released a single in June of this year (“Take Me,” also a banger), if you’re looking for something new listen to. Other than that, Aly also had a brief role on Two and a Half Men.
Ricky Ullman: Then
As a Disney star, you knew him as Ricky Ullman. However, his actual name is Raviv Ullman, which he now goes by. Ullman was the title star of Phil of the Future, and the Disney Channel Original Movie, Pixel Perfect. Before those bigger hits in his career, he had a brief role on That’s So Raven, and was even in on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Ricky Ullman: Now
After being Phil of the Future, Ullman dabbled with a few other Disney shows, including Kim Possible and the ABC Family movie Searching for David’s Heart. Most recently, however, Ullman has mostly been focusing on his musical career. He was even in a band called Reputante. PS, they have a few videos on YouTube if you’re still not over the childhood crush you had on him.
Tia and Tamera Mowry: Then
Of course, Tia and Tamera Mowry are probably the most famous twins to ever grace television. The two are most well-known for the ABC show, Sister Sister, but the twins became stars on Disney Channel after the channel began playing reruns of Sister Sister. After that, they starred in what is arguably the best Halloween movie of all time — Twitches, and another Disney movie called — Seventeen Again.
Tia and Tamera: Now
After Disney Channel, the sisters decided to pursue a higher education at Pepperdine University. Post-college, they appeared in movies like The Hot Chick and even had their own reality show on the style network called Tia & Tamera. Tia now has her own cooking show, and Tamera is married to her fellow Fox News Correspondent, Adam Housley. Apparently the two are fighting to get a Sister, Sister revival to happen.
Moises Arias: Then
Luckily for us, we got to witness Moises Arias during his most awkward years as Rico on Hannah Montana. Rico was a super-obnoxious kid who loved torturing Miley’s older brother, Jackson, while they both worked at Rico’s Surf Shop. Arias was also super-involved with the whole Disney star scene, and was involved in the Disney Channel Games (on the red team and then the yellow team, if you were wondering).
Moises Arias: Now
There was a while where Moises Arias came back into the spotlight briefly, when he gained some attention for appearing in one of Willow Smith’s Instagrams. The whole thing was a bit scandalous since he was 20 and she was 13… and he was shirtless lying in her bed. Since then, he has dabbled in a few movies and TV appearances, including being the voice of Antonio Perez in Despicable Me.
Emily Osment: Then
As another Disney star who found frame from the Hannah Montana, you may remember Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott, Miley’s tone-deaf BFF. Lilly was the kind of BFF we all wish we had growing up. She was outgoing, goofy, ditzy, but loyal as always. Before Hannah Montana, a much younger Emily Osment starred in the second and third Spy Kids movies as Gerti Giggles.
Emily Osment: Now
After Hannah Montana, Osment went on to pursue her music career at Disney. She had a few minor hits, including “If I Didn’t Have You,” which she performed with her co-star Mitchel Musso. She also went on to star in the ABC family original movie, Cyberbully, and continues to work on TV in the Freeform series, Young & Hungry.
Mitchel Musso: Then
You may remember Mitchel Musso from his days playing Oliver Oken on the Disney Channel hit, Hannah Montana. Oliver was Miley and Lilly’s super-lovable and occasionally annoying best friend. At the beginning of the series, he was totally obsessed with Hannah Montanta, that is — before learning that she was actually his best friend, Miley. Musso was a huge Disney star, and was involved in lots of Disney-related spinoffs, game shows and musical endeavors.
Mitchel Musso: Now
After the end of Hannah Montana, Musso disappeared from the spotlight after getting into a little bit of legal trouble. His 2011 DUI caused some pretty serious damage to his reputation. However, Musso has recently had a comeback via social media. His Twitter has gone totally viral and is full of hilarious throwback pictures and gems like “I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart. I’d like to take this chance and apologize. To absolutely nobody! I do wtf I want!!!!”
Orlando Brown: Then
And finally, we have Orlando Brown, of That’s So Raven fame. Brown played Eddie, the third member of the Raven-Chelsea-Eddie trio. Eddie was super-lovable, and while he was able to put up with Chelsea and Raven’s antics, he spent most of his time rolling his eyes at the two. Brown also pursued a minor music career along with his costars through Disney in his youth.
Orlando Brown: Now
After his time as a Disney star, Orlando Brown has mostly been the face of quite a few controversies. While he has attempted to revive a music career, he got caught up with the law quite a few times. First, he was charged with domestic battery, then obstruction of justice and drug possession. Yikes. After that, he posted a string of super-strange Instagram videos that only furthered rumors that he was struggling with drug abuse. Sorry to leave it on that note…