Disney’s Relationship to Pop Superstardom

There’s been much talk about how many former child actors on Disney programs have gained massive followings, such as global pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Miley Cyrus.

Olivia Rodrigo performing at Ace Hotel on Oct. 10 of last year. Photo by Justin Higuchi via Flickr.

“Mirrors,” “Party In The U.S.A,” “drivers license,” “Espresso.” These four songs are probably the first ones that come to mind when you think about Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter, respectively.

If that’s the case, why do so many of their fans either have no idea or fail to mention each of their pasts as Disney stars? Disney being the same company that bred them to be global musical phenomena. 

If someone is just becoming a fan of one of these obscenely popular musicians, they may not be privy to this information. But Disney has been the backbone of so many young pop stars' careers, essentially launching them into the stratosphere of superstardom.

This has been a phenomenon dating back to the early 1990s, most notably with musician Timberlake, who appeared on “The All-New Mickey Mouse Club” in 1993 and 1994. It wasn’t just Timberlake on this show as a child, however. Major pop stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were also on the show. Also, interestingly enough, Hollywood A-lister Ryan Gosling was on it from 1993 to 1994.

This show has gained this famous reputation over the years for molding future stars from a very young age. However, it’s just not this show that’s accomplished that. More narrative-driven Disney shows, like “Hannah Montana,” “Girl Meets World” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” have also fostered future superstars like Cyrus, Carpenter and Rodrigo.

What is it about these Disney shows that turn unlikely child actors into massive pop stars? One would assume that Disney isn’t the avenue you’d take if you’re trying to find success as a musician.

The main reason why Disney can find hidden gems and propel them into fame is because of the way the company teaches them how the business works.

Hollywood is fickle, and it certainly isn't a meritocracy, so one has to try and find success not off of their merits, but by their knowledge and understanding of the industry that they’re trying to get into.

Disney is a perfect place to do that. These people learn about the business and the inner- workings of fame, success and especially marketing, as children. That’s how it works with these musicians. They learned about Hollywood, fame, money, success and how to advocate for and market themselves, at an age when they were too naive to be cynical. That’s the best way to try and understand Disney’s impact on these young stars. 

It’s not just Disney that’s done this, either. Ariana Grande was a part of multiple Nickelodeon shows before her big break as a musician. Sure, today we see her as a multi-talented singer and musician, but she started off her career as a teenager, playing roles on “Victorious” and “Sam and Cat.”

Although Disney was the stepping stone for a lot of these musicians, the company isn’t completely innocent and sincere in its actions. Disney has been known to “groom” child actors whom it thinks could turn into stars. If Disney believes that to be the case, it’ll unabashedly market the hell out of that kid.

The whole idea that companies like Disney and Nickelodeon “groom” children to become stars is controversial and has been the cause of much public discourse of late, given how many previous child actors on their programs have made it big.

However, there is a big difference between providing training and grooming, the latter often having a negative connotation.

If Disney or Nickelodeon attempt to market and place one of their child actors in a favorable position, they should also be protecting them and helping them through burnout and various other mental and emotional issues that may stem from the lofty expectations placed on them. 

Although many children are placed in this situation, and many have gone on to succeed, some others haven’t. Rowan Blanchard was touted as the next big actress, but it never came to fruition. It was her sidekick in “Girl Meets World,” Carpenter, who has now been met with fame and attention. 

When it comes to this transition from Disney to superstardom, the question still remains: how does it happen?

It comes down to familiarity. If a musician is trying to break into the industry today, it’s obviously incredibly hard. But adding some sort of familiarity, someone noticing this attempt to pivot and saying “Oh yeah, I remember them,” it makes things that much easier. 

Are there exceptions to the rule? Sure — I don’t think anyone knew who Chappell Roan was a year ago. But for artists like Carpenter, Rodrigo, Cyrus or Grande, having that slight bit of attention from a goofy kid’s show, albeit small, helps when trying to break into the mainstream, and could ultimately have blown them up into total superstardom.