Demi Lovato Reacts to Raven-Symoné’s Disney Channel “Mount Rushmore”

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Demi Lovato is weighing in on a nostalgic debate.

As a huge Disney Channel fan, I was so interested to hear what Demi Lovato thought about Raven-Symoné’s picks for the ‘Mount Rushmore’ of Disney Channel stars! Raven chose herself, Hilary Duff, Shia LaBeouf, and Lee Thompson Young as the most iconic, and Demi shared her reaction to that list – it was fascinating to get her perspective on who really defined that era of the network.

On the March 18th episode of the Chicks in the Office podcast, Demi, age 33, shared that she agreed with Raven’s choices. However, when asked directly about Shia, she confessed he probably wouldn’t be on her list, simply stating, “I’m okay with that.”

Although Demi wasn’t sure how she felt about the actor from Even Stevens, she noted that people’s opinions would probably depend on when they were growing up.

She jokingly suggested Disney Channel could have its own Mount Rushmore, featuring the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and, ideally, herself.

The singer of “Give Your Heart a Break” also mentioned that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were on The Mickey Mouse Club in the early 1990s. However, she felt they weren’t quite as strongly associated with the show as later stars were.

She explained that while others appeared on Disney Channel, they weren’t the ones who truly made it what it is today. She believes Raven-Symoné and Hilary Duff were the stars who really shaped the channel’s identity.

Raven-Symoné’s comments quickly became a trending topic online, especially after she was questioned about whether Miley Cyrus’s performance in Hannah Montana was strong enough to be included in her list of top four Disney Channel stars.

Raven clarified to The Shade Room in a recent interview that while she loves Miley Cyrus, the issue at hand doesn’t involve her. She explained that the problem arose after Miley got involved.

The 40-year-old explained that she believed Lee, known for his role in The Famous Jett Jackson, was a better choice for her hall of fame.

Although he’s passed away, he was a trailblazer as the first Black lead in a Disney show, and I think his impact is so significant that he deserves to be recognized among Disney’s greatest icons – he truly earned a place in history.

Disney Channel has launched the careers of many stars, and fans all have their favorites! Want to know what some of those memorable actors and actresses are doing now? Read on to find out…

Clayton Snyder first became known for playing Ethan Craft in the Hilary Duff comedy series. After that, he stepped away from acting to finish school and play water polo at Pepperdine University. He did appear in an episode of NCIS in 2014, but now he works in real estate.

He’s still happy to talk about his time as a young actor. He told TopMob News that sometimes clients recognize him while he’s showing them houses. “It’s great when they realize who I am, because it shows they chose me for my work, not just because of my past as a child star,” he said. “It’s the best of both worlds!”

Adam Lamberg is best known for playing Gordo, Lizzie’s close friend and eventual boyfriend, in the popular TV show. Following that, he appeared in the films When Do We Eat? and Beautiful Loser. He also pursued higher education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Baruch College. While he was scheduled to reprise his role in the Lizzie McGuire reboot, he has largely stepped away from acting.

Lalaine, who played Miranda Sanchez on Lizzie McGuire, saw her career fade after leaving the show and movie due to filming commitments for the Disney Channel movie You Wish!. She tried to launch a music career, but it wasn’t successful, and a planned sequel series, What’s Stevie Thinking? (focused on Miranda’s sister), only filmed a pilot episode. In 2007, she faced legal trouble and was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, but completed rehab and the charge was later removed from her record. While she made a brief appearance in the 2010 film Easy A, she’s now more visible on Instagram than in acting roles. She did star in the 2020 film Definition Please.

Jake Thomas is best known for playing Matt McGuire on the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, a role he held for 65 episodes. He continued acting after that, appearing on shows like Cory in the House, ER, House, Criminal Minds, NCIS, and S.W.A.T. He also had a role in the web series Storytellers created by YouTuber Joey Graceffa.

In 2018, Jake graduated from Cal State University, Northridge, with a degree in Screenwriting and a minor in Japanese. Today, he shares his photography and nostalgic photos from his time as a child actor on Instagram.

Camilla Belle started her career with a leading role in the Disney Channel movie Rip Girls in 2000, but took a short break from acting. She returned to the screen in the 2006 remake of When a Stranger Calls and gained wider recognition in the 2008 film 10,000 BC.

In late 2008 and early 2009, she briefly dated Joe Jonas, whom she met while filming the Jonas Brothers’ “Lovebug” music video. This relationship was even referenced in Taylor Swift’s song “Better Than Revenge.”

Since then, Camilla has primarily focused on independent films, including Open Road, Diablo, and the 2017 James Franco film The Mad Whale. She’s also recently appeared in the TV series Dollface and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

After finishing his role as Max Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place in 2012, Jake T. Austin quickly landed a main part on The Fosters (originally on ABC Family, now Freeform). He played Jesus Foster for two seasons before leaving the show, and Noah Centineo took over the role. He then competed on Dancing With the Stars, but was the first contestant eliminated in season 23. Austin also contributed voice work to The Emoji Movie (2017) and the thriller Adverse (2020), which starred Mickey Rourke. Though he wasn’t in the first season of the Wizards of Waverly Place sequel, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, fans are eager to see him appear in the upcoming second season.

Since the show ended in 2012, David Henrie, who played Justin Russo, has had a different path than some of his co-stars. He didn’t participate in the follow-up movie, The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex, but he’s appeared in films like Grown Ups 2 and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.

He married Maria Cahill, a former Miss Delaware, in April 2017, and they welcomed their daughter, Pia Francesca Philomena Henrie, on March 19, 2019. Around the time they announced they were expecting, Henrie was arrested at LAX and charged with carrying a loaded gun in the airport. He apologized for the incident and received two years of probation and 20 days of community service.

Now a father of three, he’s teaming up with Selena Gomez again as an executive producer and star in the new Disney+ series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Jennifer Stone is known for her role as Harper Finkle, Alex Russo’s best friend, in The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex. She later appeared in the Lifetime thriller High School Possession (2014) and played the Babysitter on Nickelodeon’s Deadtime Stories.

In 2013, Stone was diagnosed with LADA, a form of autoimmune diabetes sometimes called Type 1.5. She made the film The In-Between to help raise awareness about the condition.

 

Jennifer and Wizards costar David DeLuise both host the rewatch podcast Wizards of Waverly Pod. 

 

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? Our little Charlie Duncan, Mia Talerico, was just a baby – only 10 months old! – when she got the part on Good Luck Charlie way back in 2010. It feels like yesterday! And she hasn’t stopped since! After the show ended in 2014, she was on this awesome YouTube show called Mani as Paige – I watched every episode, of course! – and now she even has her own YouTube channel where she does unboxing videos and reviews toys. She’s seriously growing up so fast, but I’m still obsessed with her!

After playing Teddy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie, Bridgit Mendler took on more mature roles. In 2015, she joined the NBC comedy Undateable for two seasons. Since then, she’s made appearances in a couple of episodes of Nashville and the Netflix movie Father of the Year, as well as the Netflix series Merry Happy Whatever alongside Dennis Quaid and Ashley Tisdale.

Beyond acting, Mendler is also a musician, having released two albums. She attended USC to study anthropology and later pursued graduate studies at both MIT and Harvard Law School. Most recently, she and her husband, Griffin Cleverly, adopted a four-year-old son and launched Northwood Space, a tech startup focused on building ground stations for satellite data transmission and reception.

Since the last Cheetah Girls movie in 2008, Raven-Symone and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton have continued to be well-known through acting and hosting. However, Kiely Williams, who was also in 3LW, has lived a bit more privately. After appearing in The House Bunny, she had roles in a few films – Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale and Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming in 2010, and Holla II in 2013. Kiely married Brandon “BJ” Cox in December 2016, with Sabrina Bryan from Cheetah Girls as a bridesmaid. She briefly returned to television in 2017, appearing on Celebrity Family Feud with Sabrina as part of the Girl Group team.

Following the 2008 release of Cheetah Girls: One World, Sabrina Bryan worked as a correspondent for TopMob News during the eighth season of Dancing With the Stars in 2009. She had previously competed on the show, finishing sixth three seasons earlier. In 2012, she returned to Dancing With the Stars as an All Star, but was again eliminated in sixth place, exactly five years after her first elimination, despite earning perfect scores.

Beyond Dancing With the Stars, Sabrina provided voice work for the Disney Channel animated series Fish Hooks. In 2011, she and Kiely Williams launched a web series called Dinner With Friends. She married Jordan Lundberg, a strategic accounts manager, on October 6, 2018, after dating for nine years. Currently, she’s tapping into the nostalgia for Disney Channel Original Movies with her iHeartPodcast, Magical Rewind, alongside Will Friedle.

Ryan Merriman first gained recognition starring in the Disney Channel Original Movie Smart House in 1999, and continued to appear in several DCOMs like The Luck of the Irish (2001) and A Ring of Endless Light (2002). He then moved into more mature roles, appearing in horror films such as Halloween: Resurrection, The Ring Two, and Final Destination 3. From 2010 to 2014, he played Ian Thomas in 16 episodes of Pretty Little Liars, and he had a supporting role in the 2013 Jackie Robinson biopic 42. He continues to act, primarily in independent films.

Merriman married Micol Duncan in 2004, but they divorced in 2011. He became engaged to Kristen McCullen on January 1, 2012, and they married in 2014.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always been fascinated by careers that evolve! Kirsten Storms is a perfect example. Many of us remember her as a Disney Channel favorite in the late 90s and early 2000s – she was everywhere in things like Zenon, Johnny Tsunami, and even lent her voice to Kim Possible. But even then, she was already making moves towards more adult roles, landing a part on Days of Our Lives in 2000 and staying for an impressive 410 episodes!

She briefly tried primetime with Clubhouse in 2004, but her heart seemed to be in daytime television. In 2005, she joined General Hospital as Maxie Jones, and honestly, she killed it! She was on the show for almost two decades, appearing in over 1,100 episodes!

She even dipped her toe into reality TV in 2011 with Dirty Soap, giving fans a peek behind the scenes of the soap opera world. On a personal note, she and her General Hospital co-star Brandon Barash surprised everyone by revealing they’d secretly gotten married in June 2013 and were expecting a baby! Their daughter, Harper Rose, arrived in January 2014. Sadly, they announced their divorce in 2016, but it’s inspiring to see how she’s navigated her career and personal life with such grace.

Erik von Detten became a teen idol in 1998 starring in the Disney Channel movie Brink!. He continued to be a familiar face on TV, with voice roles on Recess, a part as John Bryant in The Princess Diaries, and as a lead on the Disney Channel series So Weird (1999-2001). He even ventured into early reality TV, competing on the first celebrity season of The Mole, and appeared in shows like Dinotopia and Complete Savages. More recently, he reprised his role as Sid in Toy Story 3, a character he originally played in the first Toy Story movie in 1995. Today, Erik works in sales for a finance company and is raising two children with his wife, Angela.

Raviv Ullman first became known for playing Phil Diffy in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future from 2004 to 2006. He then began taking on more mature roles, appearing in shows like Big Love and House (where he first used his real name, Raviv, in the credits). From 2008 to 2009, he was a regular on the Lifetime comedy Rita Rocks. More recently, he’s been in an episode of Broad City (2015) and had a recurring role in the web series Strangers (2018). Between 2012 and 2018, he also performed in several stage productions, and from 2013 to 2014, he played drums in Zoe Kravitz’ band, Lolawolf. In 2022, he told TopMob News that he had just finished directing an opera at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Kimberly J. Brown became famous in 1999 when she starred as Marnie Piper in the Disney Channel movie Halloweentown, alongside Debbie Reynolds. The film was very popular and led to three sequels, but surprisingly, the network replaced her with Sara Paxton in the fourth movie, Return to Halloweentown in 2006. That installment is generally considered the weakest of the series.

Outside of Halloweentown, Kimberly has had a few acting roles, including appearances in the 2005 film Be Cool, the AMC series Low Winter Sun in 2013, 15 episodes of General Hospital in 2021, and nearly 50 episodes of Guiding Light.

After earning a business degree in college, she opened an Etsy shop called CraftilyCreative, where she sells handmade items, including Halloweentownthemed merchandise. She also co-authored a children’s book, Poppin’s Pumpkin Patch Parade, with Diane Yslas in 2016.

Fans were thrilled when she married her Halloweentown* co-star, Daniel Kountz, in April 2024.

Mitchel Musso became well-known for playing Oliver Oken, best friend to Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana from 2006 to 2011. As Hannah Montana ended, he seemed poised for continued success with Disney, landing the lead role in the new series Pair of Kings and also hosting PrankStars. However, his career took a turn when he was arrested on October 17, 2011, and charged with driving under the influence while underage (he was 20 years old). As a result, he was removed from Pair of Kings and PrankStars was canceled. After that, he worked on independent films and provided voice work for the Disney XD series Milo Murphy’s Law.

In 2023, he was arrested again in Texas for public intoxication and theft.

Jason Earles is well-known for playing Miley Cyrus’s older brother, Jackson Stewart, on Hannah Montana. Interestingly, even though his character was a tenth grader in the first season, Earles was 29 years old when the show started and 34 when it finished. He quickly followed that up with a role on the Disney XD comedy Kickin’ It, where he played Rudy for four seasons until the series ended in March 2015. More recently, since 2018, he’s appeared on the Brat series Hotel Du Loone, which is available on YouTube, and joined the cast of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for its third season. Jason married his girlfriend, Katie Drysen, in August 2017.

Kyle Massey first became known for playing Cory Baxter on the Disney Channel series That’s So Raven from 2003 to 2007, which led to his own spin-off show, Cory in the House, lasting until 2008. Since then, he’s appeared in various roles on television, including recurring parts on The Electric Company and guest spots on Gotham and Being Mary Jane. He also lent his voice to animated series like Fish Hooks, Mighty Magiswords, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Additionally, he competed on Dancing With the Stars and Celebrity Family Feud.

In 2018, reports surfaced that Massey would join the cast of The Hills: New Beginnings, but he later confirmed these rumors were false.

In 2021, Massey was charged with a felony related to inappropriate communication with a minor. His lawyer stated the charges were a resurfacing of previously dismissed allegations, which Massey claims are attempts at extortion. The lawyer indicated Massey intends to vigorously defend himself against the accusations and pursue legal action against those spreading false information.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following A.J. Trauth’s career for years! You might remember him as Twitty on Even Stevens back in the early 2000s, or perhaps as the voice of Josh Mankey on Kim Possible. After that, he was a familiar face on popular shows like 7th Heaven, House, Ghost Whisperer, CSI, and Bones – he really kept busy with guest appearances for about a decade. More recently, he’s focused on independent films and voice acting, lending his talent to video games like Wolfenstein: The New Order and its sequel. On a personal note, he and actress Leah Pipes were engaged in 2014 and married later that year, but they sadly went their separate ways by 2019.

Christy Carlson Romano first became well-known for her roles as Ren Stevens in Even Stevens, Kim Possible, and in the Disney Channel movie Cadet Kelly alongside Hilary Duff. In 2004, she transitioned to Broadway, playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast for 31 weeks, and later joined the cast of Avenue Q in 2008.

Beyond acting, Christy is a multi-talented creative. She wrote the novel Grace’s Turn in 2007 and directed the film Christmas All Over Again in 2016. She also earned a degree in Film Studies from Barnard College and married writer-producer Brendan Rooney on New Year’s Eve 2013. They have two daughters, the younger of whom was born in February 2019.

In 2019, Christy revisited her Disney roots with a role in the live-action Kim Possible movie, playing Poppy Blu. That same year, she bravely shared her personal struggles with depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms in an essay for Teen Vogue, revealing that her public image didn’t reflect the challenges she faced behind the scenes.

As a bit of a Disney Channel nostalgia buff, I always love looking back at early stars! One that stands out is Brandon Baker, who many of us remember as Johnny from Johnny Tsunami back in 1999. After that initial success, he took a bit of a break from consistent acting, doing some guest spots on shows like Even Stevens, Boston Public, and The Unit while focusing on his education at UC Santa Barbara. But he wasn’t gone for long! He happily reprised his role as Johnny in the sequel, Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board in 2007. More recently, he’s been diving into independent films, including The Formula with Reginald VelJohnson – a total 90s icon! – and Up on the Wooftop, which is delightfully quirky and features Dennis Haskins as Santa Claus. It’s fun to see where these early stars end up, isn’t it?

Alana Austin became known in 2001 for her role as Andi Carson in the Disney Channel movie Motocrossed. The film features a teenage girl who disguises herself as her twin brother to compete in motocross after he’s injured.

After Motocrossed, Austin appeared in a few television shows like 7th Heaven, Boston Public, and Cold Case, but she stopped acting in 2006. She reportedly went to the University of Southern California to study medicine. In 2016, when a fan asked her about her current work on Twitter, she mentioned she was focusing on writing, but also shared that acting still held a special place in her heart.

As someone who keeps a close eye on rising stars, I remember Kay Panabaker really blossoming on Disney Channel! After getting her start with a role on Phil of the Future, she became a familiar face in those Disney Channel Original Movies – Life is Ruff and Read It and Weep were personal favorites, and it was so fun seeing her work alongside her sister, Danielle. She even competed in the first Disney Channel Games! While she initially built her career on those family-friendly projects, she made a great move towards more mature roles in the Fame remake and the series No Ordinary Family. Interestingly, she actually stepped away from acting in 2012 to pursue a totally different path! She went back to school at UCLA to study zoology, and can you believe she was working as an animal keeper at Disney’s Animal Kingdom by 2016? It just goes to show you, people are so multifaceted and can truly follow their passions!

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2026-03-19 00:55