Summary

• Disney Channel has been a launching pad for many famous stars, propelling them into careers of fame and success.
• These actors have incredible talent that allowed them to shine through and find success beyond the squeaky-clean Disney image.
• Stars like Olivia Rodrigo and Demi Lovato have found success both in acting and music, showcasing their versatility and talent.

Some of the biggest stars in entertainment have one thing in common: they got their start on Disney Channel shows. Disney Channel has served as a breeding ground for talent, catapulting many into lives of fame and success. The company's family-friendly content often becomes incredibly popular, which means that its stars' careers get put on unimaginable trajectories.

While many of these stars try to break away from the squeaky-clean Disney Channel image, it is undeniable that the company massively contributed to their success. For many, being on a Disney Channel show has opened a tremendous number of doors, some even outside the acting industry. The company does not deserve all of the credit, though, as these actors also have incredible talent that was able to shine through and launch their careers.

10 Jenna Ortega

Stuck in the Middle

Best known for playing the titular character in Netflix's Wednesday, Jenna Ortega got her start on Disney Channel's Stuck in the Middle, which lasted for three seasons. Ortega played Harley Diaz, the show's main character and the middle child in a family of seven children. She has since ditched the children's television genre, opting instead to participate in projects like the Scream franchise and The Fallout. She is also set to star in 2024's Beetlejuice 2, further establishing herself as a horror actress to watch.

9 Olivia Rodrigo

Bizzaardvark

Olivia Rodrigo is one of the most famous pop music artists right now, with huge hits such as "Driver's License" and "Vampire". Before she was a chart-topping artist, though, she was an actress on Disney Channel. She starred in the show Bizaardvark at just 13 years old, alongside YouTube personality, Jake Paul. The show ran for three seasons and, after its conclusion, Rodrigo continued working with Disney.

She played Nini Salazar-Roberts on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for three seasons, during which she wrote several songs for the show including the hit "All I Want". She departed the Disney+ show before its conclusion to focus on her music career after finding great success with it. Rodrigo did return to Disney, however, with her Disney+ documentary driving home 2 u.

8 Zendaya

Shake it Up & K.C. Undercover

Zendaya has had an incredibly successful acting career, and it all started on Disney Channel. She played Rocky Blue on the 3-season-long series, Shake It Up, alongside Bella Thorne. During that time, she also starred alongside Thorne in a Disney Channel Original Movie called Frenemies. After the conclusion of Shake It Up, Zendaya continued to work with Disney, as she produced and starred in a show called K.C. Undercover.

She did branch out while still working with the company, though, as she starred in 2017's hit movie musical, The Greatest Showman. Since then, her career has just been on an upward trajectory with multiple huge projects. She stars in HBO's mega-hit Euphoria, plays MJ in Spider-Man, and is set to reprise her role as Chani in Dune 2. Zendaya also has the leading role in 2024's highly-anticipated The Challengers, which has her playing a tennis player turned coach who guides her husband into becoming a world-famous champion.

7 Hilary Duff

Lizzie McGuire

Hilary Duff's acting career began in the '90s, when she appeared in commercials and landed her first big role in Casper Meets Wendy. It really took off, though, in the early 2000s, when she skyrocketed to teen idol status after playing the titular character in the popular Disney Channel sitcom, Lizzie McGuire. The show's success led to Duff starring in the 2003 Lizzie McGuire Movie, as well.

After the conclusion of her Disney Channel days, Duff went on to work on a number of successful teen movies, including A Cinderella Story and Cheaper By the Dozen. She saw a second wave in her career in 2015 when she returned to TV to star in the hit TV Land series, Younger, for six seasons. She also went on to play a key role in the short-lived How I Met Your Mother spinoff, How I Met Your Father.

6 Selena Gomez

Wizards of Waverly Place

Currently dominating in the makeup industry, Selena Gomez was once the iconic Disney Channel character, Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place. Gomez got her start on Barney at just ten years old, before moving on to guest roles on popular Disney Channel shows, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana. Wizards of Waverly Place became her breakout role and catapulted her into a life of stardom that included putting out chart-topping music. During this time, Gomez also dabbled in film with roles in Another Cinderella Story and Princess Protection Program.

Upon the conclusion of her Disney Channel show, Gomez took a bold departure from family-friendly content with a role in the controversial 2012 film, Spring Breakers. She then transitioned back and lent her voice to Mavis Dracula in the animated franchise, Hotel Transylvania. She now stars in the popular Hulu comedy, Only Murders in the Building, alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short.

5 Miley Cyrus

Hannah Montana

The daughter of famous country musician, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus was launched into superstardom with her lead role in Hannah Montana. She played both Miley and Hannah in the show, where she proved her acting, singing, and dancing abilities. During that time, Disney capitalized on the show's massive success by having Cyrus go on multiple international tours and even star in a Hannah Montana movie.

Cyrus also played the leading lady in The Last Song during that time alongside her now ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. Upon the conclusion of the show, Cyrus was eager to shed her clean Disney image and began experimenting with a more provocative image. She now seems to be completely focused on music, leaving her acting days behind her.

4 Demi Lovato

Saved By the Bell & Sonny With a Chance

Like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato began her career on Barney before landing her big break on Disney Channel. She obtained leading roles in both As the Bell Rings and Sonny with a Chance, which then landed her the starring part in Disney's Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: Final Jam. Mental health struggles led to Lovato exiting Sonny with a Chance, and a spinoff called So Random was created in her absence. Since her Disney Channel departure, Lovato has served as an advocate for mental health and puts out critically acclaimed music.

3 Ryan Gosling

The Mickey Mouse Club

Ryan Gosling is now a household name, and he got his start at the House of Mouse. In the early '90s, a 12-year-old Gosling ed The Mickey Mouse Club, which allowed him to show off his performing skills and charisma. This led to him landing roles in Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps, before transitioning to more mature projects like The Believer. His role in 2004's The Notebook really put him on the map, though, and he has landed role after role since. He has been in huge projects like Half Nelson (which earned him an Oscar nomination), La La Land (which earned him another Oscar nomination), and Barbie.

2 Britney Spears

The Mickey Mouse Club

Another household name, Britney Spears, began her journey to stardom on The Mickey Mouse Club. Spears was picked for the show after appearing on Star Search and, since then, she has achieved massive fame. She has been crowned as a "pop princess", with hits like "...Baby One More Time" and "Toxic". Spears has faced a number of personal and professional struggles that have been the topic of discussion in the media over the past decade, but she continues to work to reclaim her life.

1 Sabrina Carpenter

Girl Meets World

Sabrina Carpenter gained recognition for her role as Maya in Girl Meets World, the spin-off to the popular '90s sitcom, Boy Meets World. She also starred in Disney Channel's original movie, Adventures in Babysitting, in 2016. Upon the conclusion of her Disney Channel days, Carpenter has become a popular singer, known for songs like "Nonsense" and "Feather". She also served as the opening act for the Latin America leg of Taylor Swift's extremely popular Eras Tour.