Entertainment
Where Are the Disney Channel Stars Today? These Then & Now Pics Will Blow You Away
I was obsessed with television of all kinds growing up, but my biggest obsession was by far the Disney Channel. Getting cable was pretty much the best thing to ever happen to me as a kid, because now I had access to shows like Lizzie McGuire, That's So Raven, and Phil of the Future. These shows weren't on very long, but they had a huge impact on my childhood — as did the stars who were on them. If you didn't want to secretly be Lizzie McGuire, you simply weren't watching enough television.
So where are these stars today? Most of them are still involved in the industry. Here's what the biggest Disney Channel stars of the early '00s are up to now.
Then: Hilary Duff
Duff played a 13-year-old navigating the tricky world of middle school on Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire.
Now: Hilary Duff
Since graduating from Lizzie McGuire, Duff starred in several films such as Raise Your Voice, Material Girls, and A Cinderella Story. She had an arc on Gossip Girl and has made guest appearances on a number of shows from Community to Raising Hope. She recently released her first pop single in six years and will star alongside Sutton Foster on the upcoming TV series Younger.
Then: Brenda Song
Song portrayed London Tipton, a hotel heiress who totally was not a parody of actual hotel heiress Paris Hilton on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and on the spinoff series Suite Life On Deck.
Now: Brenda Song
Song had a very memorable role in The Social Network (she lit Andrew Garfield’s character’s stuff on fire) and had recurring roles on Scandal and New Girl. Recently she starred on the Fox series Dads, which, fortunately, was cancelled.
Then: Christy Carlson Romano
Christy Carlson Romano starred in not one, but two major Disney Channel series. She portrayed brainy and responsible Ren Stevens on Even Stevens and went on to voice badass “world saver” Kim Possible on the series of the same name.
Now: Christy Carlson Romano
She’s a woman of many titles: actress, producer, and director. After starring in many made-for-TV films and a few independent features, she is currently producing the film Prism, which she is also set to star in. You can read all about Romano’s latest ventures here!
Then: Ashley Tisdale
Prior to her High School Musical days, Tisdale played candy store clerk Maddie FItzpatrick on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
Now: Ashley Tisdale
Tisdale starred in The CW series Hellcats, Scary Movie 5, and is currently the executive producer of ABC Family’s Young & Hungry.
Then: Raven-Symonè
Raven-Symonè played Raven Baxter, a girl whose visions of the future got her into major trouble on That’s So Raven.
Now: Raven-Symonè
Post That’s So Raven, the actress starred on her short-lived ABC Family series State of Georgia and in the film College Road Trip. She made guest appearances on shows like Sonny With a Chance and American Dad. She currently has amazing rainbow hair.
Then: Shia LaBeouf
Long before Transformers, LaBeouf played Louis Stevens, the goofy, troublemaking younger brother of the very Type-A Ren.
Now: Shia LaBeouf
What is there to say about LaBeouf that hasn’t already been said? The actor moved on from Disney Channel with the starring role in the first three Transformers movie and recently made Even Stevens fans uncomfortable with a role in Lars Von Trier’s two Nymphomaniac films. He’s a little… eccentric these days.
Then: Kyle Massey
Massey portrayed Corey, Raven’s sneaky younger brother (is there any other kind on Disney Channel?) on the sitcom That’s So Raven and later his own spin-off show Corey In The House.
Now: Kyle Massey
Massey voiced Milo on the series Fish Hooks and was runner up on Season 11 of Dancing With the Stars. You can see him in a guest role on Fox’s upcoming Batman drama Gotham.
Then: Aly Michalka
Michalka played Keely, best friend to future boy Phil on the 2004 series Phil of the Future.
Now: Aly Michalka
Michalka starred alongside Tisdale on The CW cheerleader series Hellcats and recently had roles in films like Easy A and The Roommate. She and her sister Amanda Michalka make up the band 78Violet.
Then: Kyla Pratt
Pratt voiced Penny Proud on the animated series The Proud Family.
Now: Kyla Pratt
Pratt portrayed Crystal on the series Let’s Stay Together from 2012 to 2014.
Then: Dylan & Cole Sprouse
The twins portrayed Zack and Cody Martin, two twins living in the Tipton Hotel on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
Now: Dylan & Cole Sprouse
The mischievous hotel kids grew up pretty well by Disney Channel standards. Both Sprouse twins attend NYU and are pursuing different interests within the Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. Dylan is interested in video game design while Cole is focused on photography and the humanities.
