The most successful childhood stars from Disney and Nickelodeon

Raven-Symoné has been a force in the entertainment industry since her breakthrough with That’s So Raven and The Cheetah Girls. Since then, she’s continued expanding her resume with credits such as Sister Act on Broadway and co-hosting The View on ABC.   

After The View, Raven returned to Disney to star in the That's So Raven spin-off, Raven's Home, for which the accomplished actor earned a Daytime Emmy Award. She also appeared in other projects, like The Masked Singer, and in 2024, she began hosting the CW game show Scrabble.

Fans fell in love with Miley Cyrus when she originated the role of Hannah Montana on Disney Channel in 2006. Although hits such as “The Climb” and “He Could Be The One” were part of Miley’s claim to fame, she’s gone to great lengths to separate her current sound from what her fans knew her for. Bangerz, Miley’s fourth studio album, which featured more pop and R&B sounds, debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, selling 270,000 copies in its first week. Since then, Cyrus has released four additional studio albums. Her most recent, Endless Summer Vacation, spawned the No. 1 hit “Flowers,” debuted at No. 3 three on the Billboard 200 and is arguably one of Miley’s sharpest albums. 

Selena Gomez didn't peak with Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place. After that show ended in 2012, Gomez tried her hand at other forms of entertainment, including music. She released three albums before returning to acting to star in the Hulu series Only Murders In The Building in 2021. The multihyphenate has also earned several accolades for her work on the show, too, including many Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. 

Even though many fans remember Hilary Duff from her time as Lizzie McGuire from 2001-04, she starred in other movies like Cheaper by the Dozen and A Cinderella Story shortly after. In 2015, Duff originated the role of Kelsey Peters, a 26-year-old book editor in the TV series Younger. After the series ended, the actress scored a new gig in Hulu’s How I Met Your Father. 

After Shake It Up concluded in 2013, Zendaya shifted from Disney Channel sitcoms to big-screen features. She debuted in Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017 and starred alongside Zac Efron in The Greatest Showman the same year. However, Zendaya’s breakthrough came in 2019 after she appeared as Rue Bennett in the American TV series Euphoria. 

In 2024, Zendaya starred in two blockbuster films, Dune and The Challengers. The latter won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score and received a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack. She seemingly became an even bigger celebrity in January 2025 after her engagement to Tom Holland became national news. "Zendaya [is] happy, and that’s all I need in life," someone wrote on X about the star.

Zac Efron blew the Disney fandom away when he starred as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical franchise. Like his co-stars, Zac’s stardom catapulted after HSM's final movie. Some of his credits include films such as Neighbors, Baywatch, and The Greatest Showman.

Demi Lovato’s Disney Channel dominance exploded after the success of Camp Rock. With a powerhouse voice and expansive range, Demi’s eight studio albums (and four top-10 hits) easily place her among some of the most successful Disney stars. Her latest album, Holy Fvck, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. 

Keke Palmer has starred in both iconic Disney Channel and Nickelodeon original programming. After leading roles in Jump In and True Jackson VP, Keke has continued taking on different roles in films like Alice, Lightyear, and Nope. Since late 2022, she's hosted her podcast, Baby, this is Keke Palmer, available to listen to on all streaming platforms. 

In 2025, she appeared in the buddy comedy film One of Them Days alongside Grammy-winning singer SZA.

Over the last few years, Ariana Grande has quickly become a force in pop music. With No. 1 albums such as Yours Truly, My Everything, Sweetener, Thank U, Next, and Positions, it’s hard to believe she played the light and bubbly Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious.

In 2024, Ariana reached new heights in her career. She released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, and she also starred in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked.

Jennette McCurdy’s breakthrough happened after starring as Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly. Although she retired from acting in 2017, in 2022, she would remind her fans why they fell in love with her in the first place. Her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which readers described as “mordantly funny,” was released on August 9 and sold out within 24 hours. Later that month, it would become a No. 1 New York Times Best Seller — selling over 200,000 copies in its first week. 

Kenan Thompson rose to fame after starring in Nickelodeon’s All That, Kenan & Kel, and Good Burger. He’s been a cast member on NBC’s Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-running cast member in the show’s history.

Josh Peck rose to fame after his time on Nickelodeon sitcoms The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. Since 2022, he’s played the recurring role of Drew Rubin in Hulu’s How I Met Your Father.

Although Adrienne Bailon is most known for her time in the Disney Channel original movie, The Cheetah Girls, we can’t forget her time as Raven Baxter’s arch nemesis, Alana Rivera, in That’s So Raven. Although both were impressive performances, her credits don’t stop with just Disney. From 1999-2006, Adrienne was part of the R&B girl group 3LW. After deciding to take a break from singing, she dabbled in other projects like reality tv and co-hosting talk shows The Real and E! News. 

Brenda Song’s breakthrough came after starring in Disney Channel’s Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior and The Suite Life comedy franchise from 2005-11. After that, she pursued different roles in shows like Scandal, New Girl, and Station 19. 

In 2023, Song joined the cast of Netflix's animated action series Blue Eye Samurai. She also snagged roles in upcoming productions of the television shows Shifting Gears and Running Point, which are scheduled to air in 2025.

From starring roles in Camp Rock, Hannah Montana, and their show, Jonas, viewers fell in love with Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas on the Disney Channel. After a five-year hiatus, the band announced their comeback in February 2019 with the release of their No. 1 single, “Sucker.” Since then, the Jonas Brothers have embarked on their “Remember This Tour” and performed a 7-date residency show in Las Vegas in 2022. Their sixth studio album, The Album, will be released on May 5, 2023. 

Disney Channel’s Good Luck Charlie starred Bridgit Mendler as she and her siblings helped their parents raise their fourth (and newborn) child. After GLC and Lemonade Mouth, Bridgit released her debut album, Hello My Name Is…, in 2012 and her EP, Nemesis, in 2016. A few years later, she played the role of Emmy Quinn in Netflix’s Merry Happy Whatever.

Vannessa Hudgens originated the role of Gabriella Montez in Disney’s High School Musical. During her time with Disney, Hudgens released two studio albums, V and Identified. In 2015, she played the titular role in Gigi on Broadway. She returned to the TV screen from 2018-20, starring in the Netflix Christmas movie The Princess Switch and its sequels. 

With Disney Channel credits like Phil of the Future and Cow Belles on their resumes, Aly and AJ started gaining traction with their third studio album, Insomniatic, and their charting hit, “Potential Breakup Song.” Their fifth album, With Love From, was released on March 15, 2023. 

From 2000-07, Christy Carlson Romano starred in a handful of Disney Channel original content. And despite her busy schedule with shows like Even Stevens and Kim Possible, she still found time to take on additional roles like Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.