If you pay close attention to the fresh Hollywood faces, you’ll notice that a lot of them look eerily familiar. And that’s because the Disney Channel-to-superstar pipeline is real! These stars went from hallway hijinks to stadium tours and red carpets in a matter of years. These former Mouse House kids basically wrote and performed the soundtrack for an entire generation’s childhood. But what happened after the last episode aired and the last credits rolled?
From chart-topping eras to prestige TV, here’s where the biggest Disney alums from the 2000s and 2010s landed, and how they keep reinventing themselves far beyond the castle.
Zac Efron
Once East High’s golden boy, Zac Efron sprinted from “HSM” to grown-up leading man. He mixed sweet (17 Again, Charlie St. Cloud) with silly (Neighbors, Baywatch) and poured his heart out in The Greatest Showman. He even went into global-adventurer mode, hosting Netflix’s Down to Earth, which brought him a Daytime Emmy. More recently, he drew raves for The Iron Claw and keeps stacking projects in the pipeline.
Demi Lovato
After Camp Rock and Sonny With a Chance, Demi pivoted hard into music and never looked back. Her hits like “Heart Attack,” “Cool for the Summer,” and “Dancing with the Devil” made her iconic. In 2023, Demi surprise-dropped “Swine” in protest and released Revamped, reimagining her catalog with a rock bite. Acting isn’t off the table either, as Demi appeared in 2025’s Tow alongside Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa.
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa capitalized on the momentum from High School Musical (HSM) and showcased her musical talent through live TV events such as Grease and RENT. On screen, she bounced between rom-coms and holiday comfort flicks like The Princess Switch trilogy and shone in Tick, Tick… Boom! Off-camera, she’s expecting her first child with her husband and MLB player Cole Tucker.
The Jonas Brothers
From Disney boy band to grown-man band, the JoBros pulled off one of pop’s neatest rebounds. After convincing us a reunion was impossible, they dropped Happiness Begins in 2019 and The Album in 2023. The sound is glossier, the vibes are warmer, and the tours are full-on family affairs. Even though we all love and cherish Camp Rock, the brothers didn’t stop there.
Miley Cyrus
Hannah Montana‘s wig is in the attic, but the reinvention tour never ends. Miley cycled through many genres, like country, glam rock, pure pop, and delivered memorable moments and an arena-sized voice to match. She dabbled in acting with a razor-edged Black Mirror episode about a pop star’s cage. Her recent projects include Plastic Hearts, Attention: Miley Live, and the chart-smashing Endless Summer. Add “Grammy winner” to the résumé and you’ll get the 2025 Miley.
Selena Gomez
Selena graduated from Wizards to a CEO of her own universe. Music? She’s done five studio albums. Acting? You can catch her in Only Murders in the Building, where she’s co-starring with the legendary Steve Martin and Martin Short. Oh, and she’s also a beauty mogul! Her brand—Rare Beauty—is everywhere in the US. Selena’s also a mental health advocate and Wondermind co-founder. Just how many hours can she fit into one day?
Raven-Symoné
Her vision for the That’s So Raven icon was always focused on efficiency. She’s done it all: sitcom star, Cheetah Girl, talk-show host on The View, and yes, she returned as Raven Baxter for Disney’s award-winning Raven’s Home, which wrapped its sixth season in late 2023. Her list may not be as extensive, but we love her achievements nonetheless.
Sabrina Carpenter
From Girl Meets World bestie to multiplatform threat, Sabrina hopped from Disney to film with The Hate U Give, Tall Girl, and Work It, plus a freshly announced Alice in Wonderland musical for Netflix. On the music side, Emails I Can’t Send became a fan-favorite confessional-pop era, complete with a packed tour. Oh, and it’s no big deal, but she opened for Taylor Swift in Australia.
Olivia Holt
After Kickin’ It, Olivia kept the momentum steady. She gave life to Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger with grounded superhero angst, then switched lanes to thriller teen drama as Kate Wallis in Cruel Summer. Film-wise, she popped up in the time-travel slasher fun of Totally Killer. It’s a smart, steady climb built on range and uncanny charisma Disney spotted early.
Zendaya
From Shake It Up to industry It Girl, Zendaya is the perfect blueprint for how to make it in Hollywood. She headlined HBO’s Euphoria, traded quips with Tom Holland in Spider-Man, and conquered sci-fi prestige in Dune before serving fierce, kinetic tennis drama in Challengers. Music took a backseat, but fashion didn’t. She’s a haute-couture MVP with campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Bulgari, Lancôme, and more.
