Shocking Truths About What It’s Really Like To Be A Disney Channel Star

Disney overreacted to EVERYTHING

Image Source/ PinterestBella Thorne never fit the mould, so when she donned a swimming suit that failed the strict Disney kid image test, she got into some controversy with Disney Channel. Bella may have been threatened with termination by Disney Channel when a photo of her wearing a tight black bikini with lace surfaced online in 2011.

They never escape their character

Image Source/ Bitch MediaTake it from Hilary Duff, the first teen queen of Disney Channel. While she enjoyed her time as Lizzie McGuire, it at one time almost seemed impossible to get people to think of her in any other capacity once the programme ended. She said she had no idea how successful the programme would be. Four or five years later, she was still known as Lizzie McGuire, which was quite unpleasant.

People think they know the actor because they know the character

Image Source/ Simple WikipediaWhile it's fantastic to portray a character that people recognise and love, it can also be challenging. Ross Lynch opened up and said that people begin to assume that you are a certain way simply because you are from Disney... you're viewed as such an angel, but in reality, you're just an actor who secured a role.

The competition is real

Image Source/ WikipediaBella Thorne opens up about her relationship with Zendaya while filming on Shake It Up:

"Zendaya and I were put in a very unfortunate position where we were kind of forced to compete against each other. Which made the whole first season of the show just very awkward for us. We wanted to love each other, but yet we were constantly being put against each other."

Take it from a Disney star... you don't want it

Image Source/ J-14Selena Gomez bared all in an interview, when she warned people away from the Disney ideal:

"I think it is really dysfunctional to be in this industry at a young age where you're figuring out who you are," she told In Style. " I don't recommend it... When I was on Disney, it was like, 'Oh, they didn't like it?' It hurts your feelings."

Their social skills took a beating

Image Source/ WikipediaWhile Cole Sprouse recognises that The Suite life of Zack and Cody was the perfect opportunity, he doesn't shy away from the harsh realism. It took away his social skills while he spent his time riddled with social anxiety, living on a sound stage without socialising with people his age.

They outgrow their characters quickly

Image Source/ Seventeen MagazineSince you change a lot through your teens, it's hardly surprising that the stars outgrow the parts that first made them famous. However, even though they grow up, some still make a massive impact on Disney's legacy and continue to produce films and music.

The awkward years can't be escaped

Image Source/ SheKnowsKelli Berglund will be best known for Disney XD's Lab Rats and speaks about how grateful she was for the opportunity. However, she went on to say:

"Being a teenager and growing up can already be tough enough as it is. … Try having your awkward years put in front of a spotlight for the whole world to see. The biggest pressure probably comes from trying my absolute best to please everyone while still trying to figure out exactly who I am."

It's like high school on steroids

Image Source/ The NY TimesThe iconic and talented Selena Gomez spoke about her time on Wizards of Waverly Place, and the high-school-esque feel of it all:

"It was beautiful and tragic. It was everything that every teen goes through, just on a bigger scale. It literally was like high school."

Going through puberty in front of the entire world is exactly how it sounds

Image Source/ Business InsiderMiley Cyrus opened up about getting her first period... wearing white pants of all things. She said while it was embarrassing, she wasn't allowed to leave. She cried and begged her mum to help her with her tampons so she could go back out on set.

Disney push you down the music route

When asked if he ever imagined himself as the male Hilary Duff, actor Shia LaBeouf of Even Stevens responded that he may have been. Shia admitted to MTV that he never came out with a music thing, even though Disney pushed him that way. Have we all forgotten that iconic performance in Holes?

It's not all fun and games

Image Source/ InsiderAlyson Stoner is best known for being on... well... absolutely everything. And yet, despite her extensive, strong history, she was still made to audition for every single role, alongside people who'd never had an audition in her life. The whole experience was very frustrating.

The body dysmorphia is real

Image Source/ InsiderYou could assume that someone would be quite confident if they were a major celebrity before they even entered high school. Miley Cyrus admits that portraying a globally recognised pop diva on Hannah Montana starting at the age of 11 had a negative impact on her body image.

They own your name

Image Source/ ABC NewsDisney celebrities who used their real names risked losing the right to use them. Miley Cyrus believed that portraying Hannah Montana, a pop singer, would make her more famous, which it did. Cyrus was ignorant of the fact that Disney now controlled her name. She was more than happy to use her name for the show when they asked her to.

It's hard to fail

Image Source/ Time OutDebby Ryan explained how Disney Channel gave her so many opportunities that she never ran dry. She discussed a system that was in place to ensure success, but a lot of the work comes down to you. Speaking highly of Disney, she's content with how they encouraged her.

You must go to work

Image Source/ InsiderMany of the child stars' minds were subjected to constant stress by Disney, which led to many of their stars developing into trainwrecks. The restrictions and labour that Disney demanded did not change even while the stars were coping with personal crises.

Playing young gets to you

Image Source/ Us WeeklyWe all know that Disney stars were so much older than their characters, and Joe Jonas explains the toll this took on him. Playing a 16-year-old at 20 was hard, especially given the audience the productions were aimed at. 10-year-old slapstick humour only goes a short way.

Dreams were crushed by Disney

Image Source/ BuzzfeedAJ and Ally were the best duo we could've asked for. But after releasing three heavily Disney-censored albums, the pair expressed how it was the catalyst for their distaste towards music careers. AJ explained that they lost the love for what they did.

Is it really the best of both worlds?

Image Source/ BillboardHannah Montana was a cultural reset, that's indisputable. But Miley Cyrus/Miley Stuart/Hannah Montana spoke about the harsh reality that performing as two people can take it's effect. She said:

"Now that I’m older, I realize that’s a lot to put on a kid. To have them have to get their makeup done and also balance school. I think what was hard for me was balancing everything.

Nobody took them seriously

Image Source/ Teen VogueDylan Sprouse opened up about the ending of Suite Life on Deck, saying that by the time it ended, he was 18, yet still treated as a child. While he and his brother had an idea of where the show should go, Disney disagreed and thus we never got a proper ending.

The Disney dress code

Image Source/ CosmopolitanDisney requested that its stars wear clothes they had specifically purchased for them rather than outfits of their own choosing. Disney carefully chose their clothing to maintain their unadulterated image. Disney insisted that its stars dress formally and modestly. Disney's clothing code mostly restricts women.

Roles are limited afterwards

Image Source/ The MirrorBella Thorne revealed that she found it difficult to secure roles afterwards considering she was categorised as a Disney actress. She said it was almost like starting from the bottom and working her way up to the top again. It was actually never her dream to become a Disney star in the first place.

Sometimes they got the creative power they needed

Image Source/ Teen VogueThe likes of Zendaya and Debby Ryan got the creative power by demanding it. After Shake It Up, Zendaya was given the opportunity as producer on K.C. Undercover. Her Disney co-star Debby Ryan ended up being Disney's youngest director when she started to direct episodes of Jessie.

They crush on the same people

Image Source/ D23Christina Aguilera exposed all on her feature in Carpool Karaoke. She admitted that she and Britney Spears had shared a crush on the same person, but she also became candid about her time on the Disney Channel. She said:

"I know Ryan actually, pretty much, he did have actually have a crush on Britney. I mean, I think so! I think so. I don't know..." 

The pressure of being a role model

Image Source/ KolmoiSelena Gomez was candid about her time at Disney and how much they looked to her to be a role model for younger audiences when speaking on the Coach's Dream It Real podcast:

"It just taught me so much about being a role model, you know? That was the first thing that I started so they were very apparent on being perfect, I guess, just making sure that you’re being a good influence on people."

In fact, just pressure in general

Image Source/ Hidden RemoteJonas was a great show, and the Jonas brothers were all ever so grateful for being allowed to take part. But the reality was that they were all too scared to say their true creative opinions. If they did, they feared the opportunity could be pulled out from underneath them.

Sometimes they have the rights to exercise their creative finesse

Image Source/ New York PostWhile the Jonas brothers felt they could never speak their minds, Dylan Sprouse insisted that this wasn't the case. In a Tumblr essay, he said:

"If they wanted to, they could have told Disney 'NO'. Cole and I did this hundreds of times and we ended up all right. The only reason they didn't is because, like many of the people on that channel, I think they fell for the allure of fame."

There was major drama at the Disney Channel Games

Image Source/ TwitterThe Disney Channel Games were the best reunions/mix-ups/collabs we could've wished for. Spending their time at Disney World, Nick Jonas explained that while it was amazing they got the park to themselves, drama erupted every night because of the dating and frenemies going on.

They do actually believe in you

Image Source/ Teen Idols 4 YouI think we can all remember Brenda Song for her iconic roles as London Tipton and Wendy Wu, and she didn't have too much negativity to say about Disney Channel. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunities and explained that a difficult lifestyle is just part of being an actor.

Disney is one big happy family

Image Source/ IMDbBeing a part of the Disney Channel, in Dove Cameron's opinion, is like being a member of a big family. In an interview with SheKnows, Disney is an amazing group of people and she felt like she belonged in the family. She even said that no one is forcing her to say that.