Everyone knows that working in Hollywood is an extremely competitive profession. Most actors spend years playing minor characters before landing their "breakout" role. And even then, not every actor is guaranteed to land another role.
This is especially true for young actors who dedicate their adolescence to pursuing their dreams. While landing multiple iconic roles is tough, there are a handful of child stars who have done it. In fact, some actors even get the opportunity to star on multiple shows on the same network. That's what happened to these ten Disney Channel stars.
10 Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez not only has had a successful career as an adult, but she also had an extremely successful career as a child actress. Gomez most notably got her start on the iconic PBS show Barney & Friends.
Gomez then made the jump to the "Mouse House" when she landed a minor role on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody where she kissed Cole Sprouse during a school play. She then landed a reoccurring guest role on Hannah Montana where she played Hannah's popstar rival. Gomez got her own big break on Disney Channel as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place.
9 Debby Ryan
Like Selena Gomez, Debby Ryan also got her acting start appearing on Barney and Friends and she even starred in a Barney movie. She then moved to Disney Channel where she was cast as Bailey Pickett in The Suite Life on Deck.
Not ready to part ties with Disney Channel when The Suite Life on Deck ended, Ryan was able to land her own show for the network. Ryan played Jessie, a young girl who dreams of being a star but ends up taking a nanny job until then.
8 Dylan & Cole Sprouse
One of the more obvious Disney Channel stars to have appeared in multiple Disney Channel original shows is Dylan and Cole Sprouse. Though the twins had several acting gigs as young children, their big break came when they were cast in Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
The series ran for three seasons and was wildly popular on the network. When the series ended, the Sprouse twins weren't ready to give up on their characters and thus The Suite Life on Deck was born.
7 Zendaya
Zendaya may be the youngest woman to ever win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Acting in a Drama series, but before that she was building a loyal fanbase with the help of Disney Channel.
Zendaya's first big break came when she landed the role of Rocky Blue on Shake It Up, which became Disney Channel's highest watched show upon its premiere. When Shake It Up ended, Zendaya was talented and lucky enough to get to lead her own Disney Channel show: K.C. Undercover.
6 Genevieve "G" Hannelius
Genevieve "G" Hannelius might not be a household name like some of the other Disney Channel stars who have starred in multiple episodes but she's definitely recognizable.
Hannelius first got her start on Disney Channel, landing small reoccurring roles on several shows including Hannah Montana, Sonny With A Chance, Good Luck Charlie, and Jessie. Eventually, she landed a lead role of her own on the original series Dog with a Blog. The series ran for three seasons and gave Hannelius the big break she had been working for, for years.
5 Jason Dolley
Jason Dolley is definitely one of the most underrated Disney Channel stars to appear on the network in the 2000s and 2010s. Dolley got his first start on Disney Channel by appearing in the DCOM Read It And Weep.
From there, Dolley landed a supporting role on the That's So Raven spin-off Cory In The House. Dolley continued working with Disney on several DCOMs when the series ended before he landed the role of PJ Duncan on Good Luck Charlie.
4 China Anne McClain
Like many actors, China Anne McClain got her start appearing as a minor character in several shows. Interestingly enough, most of her minor roles occurred on other Disney Channel shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place.
It wasn't long after that, that McClain landed her own Disney Channel show where she played Chyna Parks on A.N.T. Farm. Despite the show ending in 2014, McClain has continued to work with Disney Channel appearing in the DCOM Descendants as Uma.
3 Raini Rodriguez
Raini Rodriguez is one of those actors whose name might slip your mind but who is definitely recognizable and extremely talented. Rodriquez got her Disney Channel start when she appeared in an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody where she played Betsy.
A few years later, Rodriquez landed the supporting role of Trish on the Disney Channel series Austin & Ally. Rodriguez has also appeared on an episode of I Didn't Do It and most recently worked on the Disney Channel show Bunk'd where she played Barb.
2 Kyle Massey
Kyle Massey hit his big break right away when he was cast as Cory Baxter on the Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven. Cory Baxter is not only an iconic sibling character but he became an iconic character all on his own.
So much so, that he landed his own spin-off when the series ended which saw him and his dad leave San Francisco to go work at the White House. In addition to Cory in the House, Massey also lent his voice to the animated Disney series Fish Hooks.
1 Bridget Mendler
Bridget Mendler has already starred in a handful of movies before she ended up at the "Mouse House" where she first appeared on Jonas, playing Nick Jonas's love interest for one episode. From there, she landed a reoccurring role on Wizards of Waverly Place playing Justin's vampire girlfriend.
While appearing on Wizards of Waverly Place, Mendler landed the lead role in her own Disney Channel show where she played Teddy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie. She also went on to star in the DCOM Lemonade Mouth.
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