Just as we have matured and aged over the years, so have some of our favorite Disney Channel stars. Over the years, Disney Channel has produced some of the most memorable shows for tweens and teens alike. They represent our childhood and in a weird way they even managed to creep into our adulthood. The women who launched their careers on the network have grown into mega-stars like you would not believe.
It is surprising to see how these stars transformed from quirky young girls to stunning young women who own their careers and have taken the world by storm with their talent and looks. You surely remember the characters these women played, but what they do and look like now will have your head spinning.
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa got her start on the super successful High School Musical franchise. Disney initially started this movie series on a low budget as they did not know how it would take, but it took off and took Vanessa with it.
She has since grown up and starred in Netflix original movies, as well as played Betty Rizzo in Grease: Live. Her personal life has been in the media more than her career but we will leave the assumptions up to you.
Brenda Song
Disney launched Brenda Song's career with her starring roles in Disney Channel films like Get A Clue, and Stuck In The Suburbs. She is most known for her role as London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zach and Cody which spawned a spinoff just for her.
Since her time on Disney, Brenda has been in films like The Social Network, and a few Netflix originals. She was previously engaged to Trace Cyrus, Miley's brother, but has moved on to better opportunities.
Zendaya
Zendaya started out very young, even for Disney standards. From the very beginning she has been a triple threat. She can sing, dance, and act. She started her career as a dancer and model, and has moved into acting in shows like Disney's Shake It Up, and Disney movie Zapped.
Today, Zendaya has credits in films like Spider-Man: Homecoming, and The Greatest Showman. She is going nowhere fast with talent such as hers.
Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Tisdale is another graduate of the High School Musical world, where she played the insufferable Sharpay. She has lent her voice to Disney's Phineas & Ferb but that is where her affiliation with Disney has since ended.
Today, She focuses more on her clothing and makeup lines and focusing on trying to make it in the musical industry. Like many young actors, the transition into music is inevitable.
Keke Palmer
Keke has taken her career from Disney to Scream Queen. Keke started acting at a very young age and her roles on the Disney Channel were not that big or memorable to be honest. However, over the years she has collected quite a hefty resume.
Keke has appeared on shows like Scream Queens, as well as Grease: Live. She is also a part of the show Scream that is a television version of the hit movie.
Hilary Duff
The original Disney Channel girl right here! Hilary got her shot to stardom by playing none other than everyone's favorite tween, Lizzie McGuire. She started acting before that but get real attention from her Lizzie days.
She has since launched a singing career, had two children, and is now returning to reprise her role as Lizzie herself in Disney Plus' revival of the show.
Demi Lovato
It has been a rough road for Demi, but she is not out for the count quite yet! She got her start on Disney Channel's Sonny With a Chance and captured the hearts of viewers ever since.
She has had her ups and downs with eating disorders and substance abuse issues, but her career has never been brighter today, as a singer with multiple hit songs and albums under her belt.
Kyla Pratt
Kyla Pratt may not be as recognizable to you as the other women on this list, but do not beat yourself up too badly about it. Pratt lent her voice to many Disney shows, such as The Proud Family, and so her face is not as well-known as her voice.
She did make appearances on Lizzie McGuire, but it is her time on the Dr. Doolittle movies that you probably know her best from. She still appears on tv here and there but has kept pretty under the radar.
Lalaine Vergara-Paras
Lalaine Vergara-Paras played the best friend and perfecf side kick to Lizzie McGuire on the show. Lalaine decided to move away from acting after her time on the show, but never too far away... She kept her star alive by landing small roles in films such as Easy A.
Today, she is reprising her role as Miranda, Lizzie's very best friend on Disney Plus' revival of the show. Almost the whole cast is returning!
Anneliese van der Pol
Anneliese van der Pol is certainly not the quirky best friend anymore. Anneliese played the role of Chelsea Daniels, Raven Baxter's bestie on That's So Raven. While she played the role of the silly best friend, she certainly tried to shed the role afterwards (pun intended).
Anneliese has focused more on her off Broadway theater career but fans are certainly hoping that she makes her way back to the small screen now that Disney is back in the television game.
Kaley Cuoco
Kaley Cuoco is a success story if we have ever seen one. She was in a Disney Channel movie called Toothless, where she played the role of Lori, but it is her time on television shows like Charmed and Prison Break that had her seeing stars.
She has since skyrocketed to success as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, and is continuing her winning streak with following her personal equestrian interests and future projects.
Amy Bruckner
Do you remember Pim Diffy? She was the annoying younger sister of Phil Diffy in the Disney Channel hit Phil of the Future. She was not remembered as much as her colleagues but has grown up nonetheless.
She did some voice work on American Dragon: Jake Long, but has kept pretty much out of the spotlight since 2014, when her last credit is listed as Nancy Drew.
Aly Michalka
Aly Michalka is best known for her Disney Channel pop singing as a part of her and her sister's duo, Aly and AJ. She got her start on Phil of the Future, where she played the role of Keely Teslow.
She has continued to act over the years, never letting her star die down. She was in iZombie, as well as The Lears. She still sings alongside her sister!
AJ Michalka
Can't have one without the other! AJ Michalka is here as she is too a Disney Channel graduate who has made quite the name for herself, as well as a scene by how gorgeous she grew!
Since her Disney days, AJ has been on ABC's hit show The Goldbergs, and continues to sing with her sister. On the show The Goldbergs, AJ gets to show the world her singing skills as well.
Peyton List
Peyton List is one of the only Disney Channel stars to remain on the network to this day consecutively. She has been in other films such as Spider-Man 2 and Confessions of a Shopaholic, but it is her start on Disney Channel's Jessie that got her started.
She has been on Disney for the majority of her career, but it is not hard to see her branch out and grow out of the network as much as she has grown up herself.
Bridgit Mendler
Bridgit Mendler is known best for her role as Teddy on Good Luck Charlie. However, her Disney Channel introduction was on the network's original film Lemonade Mouth. She also made an appearance on Wizards of Waverly Place as Justin's girlfriend.
Bridgit has since moved on to music and has decided to make that her whole focus as that is where her passion lies. She dropped her second EP in 2016 and continues to make music.
Emmy Rossum
Emmy was indeed on the Disney Channel Original Movie Genius, but it is not how she got noticed. Sorry Disney. She was in huge films like The Day After Tomorrow, Poseidon, and sang our hearts away in The Phantom of the Opera.
She has continued to take her career to new heights with her role as Fiona Gallahgher in the hit show Shameless, and is focusing on her directorial passions moving forward.
Bella Thorne
She was so sweet once, now she is a whole lot more of a rebel. Bella Thorne was recognized for her role as Cece Jones in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up. She got her start earlier than that when she was landed smaller roles. Her big television gig came when she was signed to be on the show Big Love.
Most people still remember her as Cece, but today she is no longer acting much and is focusing more on music and enjoying that Hollywood lifestyle.
Jennifer Stone
Jennifer Stone was nine years old when she started acting. Her first role was in Secondhand Lions. It was not until Disney, however, that Jennifer got serious attention as she played the role of Harper Finkle on Wizards of Waverly Place.
Stone has not transitioned to bigger and better roles, just different ones. But she sure does look older and more mature! She will always be Harper to us, though.
Kirsten Storms
Kirsten Storms will always be Zenon to us! Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century was one of Disney Channel's most successful movies. Storms went on to star in soap operas on television, with her role as Isabella Black on the endless soap Days of Our Lives.
She has since continued to act in shows like General Hospital. If there ever were to be a Zenon revival, we would be very happy about it!
Alison Pill
Alison Pill's first major acting job was in the Disney Channel Original Movie The Other Me. She played alongside Andrew Lawrence in a film where he is cloned.
Today, Pill is more known for her role in a season of American Horror Story, as well as the film Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. Pill has stayed on the smaller end of the screens and did so to maintain a normal life as much as she could.
Emily Osment
Emily Osment knew how to play the best friend better than most. For her, acting runs in the family as her brother is Haley Joel Osment of The 6th Sense.
Emily played the role of Hannah Montana's best friend on the show, as well as a role in the Spy Kids movies. Emily has also gotten into the music scene like many of the other Disney actors.
Selens Gomez
If you do not know who this is then you must have been living under a rock. Selena Gomez got her start on the Disney Channel as the star of the show Wizards of Waverly Place. After her time on the show, she went into music and has seen massive success from that.
Her personal life has been in the media quite a bit as well as her musical successes, but we will not let petty gossip take us away from Selena's success!
Miley Cyrus
It would not be a Disney Channel list without Miley Cyrus. Hannah Montana herself! Miley may be the daughter of a legendary country singer, but her shot to fame came from her show on the Disney Channel. She showed the world that she can sing as well as act.
She is a lot more rebellious these days, but it is her musical career that has taken her success to new heights and is showing no sign of slowing down.
Raven Symone
That's So Raven was not her first gig, but it sure was her famous one! Symone got her start on The Cosby Show as little Rudy Huxtable, but it is her time on the Disney Channel that solidified her stardom.
She had her own show and spinoff. She then found herself as one of the hosts on the show The View! Raven is a private woman, but she does have a lot of opinions.