Disney darlings! There are so many stars that have appeared in Disney Channel Original Movies over the years — but what happened to some of the network’s biggest leading ladies? Us has the full rundown about what your favorite teen idols are up to now.
From Halloweentown’s Kimberly J. Brown and Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century’s Kirsten Storms to Brink!’s Christina Vidal and Cadet Kelly’s Hilary Duff, the Disney Channel has championed female-driven stories for generations — and picked the ideal actresses to tell the tales.
Clara Bryant, who starred in the first DCOM, 1997’s Under Wraps, joked that her role in the movie transformed her life in more ways than one. (There have since been more than 100 DCOMs made.)
“The truth, probably my biggest memory from it was Mario [Yedidia], the boy who played Marshall, teaching me how to French [kiss],” she told iHollywoodTV in October 2021. “We had a little fling on set.”
Christy Carlson Romano, who acted opposite of Duff in Cadet Kelly as Jennifer Stone, reminisced about her role in 2017, revealing how she feels about some fans’ theory that the two military students are secretly a couple.
“What I make of that is that this is art. Even if it’s a Disney Channel film, it’s still a piece of art. And the reason why my films and TV shows have done well over time is because they have substantial value that obviously rings true with the fans and fans of all ages,” she told MTV News at the time. “I feel very blessed to have played Jennifer Stone because I do think that if she could have influence over people going through all sorts of different things, then that’s very flattering to me.”
The Even Stevens alum also gushed over Duff, explaining that the two women hadn’t met before they started filming the movie.
“She’s like a little sister,” Romano continued. “Because she’s a little bit younger than me, so we got to get to know one another and become friendly during the rehearsal process.”
While some stars have continued to make a splash in Hollywood, like The Cheetah Girls’ Raven- Symoné, other actors like the women who played twins in Double Teamed — stars Alana Austin and Poppi Monroe — have taken a path outside the limelight.
Scroll down to see which of your favorite Disney Channel Original Movie leading ladies are still acting and which ones have settled down and started families: