100 years of Disney: A look back at the famous faces of Disney Channel including Austin Butler and Miley Cyrus

Disney will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year and celebrations will take place across each division of the company and across the world. The studio was founded as the Disney Brothers Studio in 1923 by Walt Disney and Roy Disney.

Since its beginnings, the studio has been responsible for some of the most iconic films to ever grace the big screen, and have continued to release projects that dominate the box office. Outside of movies, Disney has developed incredible theme parks that bring their famous characters to life and bring in millions of tourists every year.

As well as dominating the box office they developed their own TV channel and began creating content for the silver screen. The show launched in 1983 and launched some of the biggest names in the industry, from Britney Spears to Miley Cyrus who all started their careers as kids. Disney Channel stars have since become a huge part of pop culture.

It’s hard to find a star that hasn’t been associated with the Disney Channel in some way or another if they started their career as a kid. Some of which may surprise you, as they have had such long lasting careers that it’s easy to forget their beginnings.

For example, Christina Aguilera was a part of The Mickey Mouse Club which included co-stars like Keri Russell, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. So, which other famous faces got their start at Disney? Here’s a full list of people you might recognise.

Famous faces who got their start at Disney

Austin Butler

Austin Butler made his start on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, most notably as Toby/Derek Hanson in the Hannah Montana series opposite Miley Cyrus. He also appeared in Wizards of Waverly Place before scoring the role of Sharpay’s love interest Peyton Leverett in the High School Musical spin-off film Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.

The actor’s career has gone from strength to strength with Butler securing the role of Elvis Presley in the Baz Luhrmann biopic Elvis. His work in the film gained him wider recognition, his first Golden Globe award and first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is one of the most recognisable faces associated with the Disney Channel. Cyrus took what it meant to be a Disney Channel star as she starred in her own show Hannah Montana, which is still loved by millions today.

The role went from screen to reality when she started touring as Hannah Montana, and attained two number-one and three top-five soundtracks on the Billboard 200 as the character. She was able to create her solo career outside of the character starring in a number of films, as well as release eight studio albums as herself.

Most recently, Cyrus’ ‘latest single ‘Flowers’ for her eighth album broke Spotify’s all-time one-week record, With 100 Million-Plus Streams.

Zendaya

Zendaya made her TV debut as Rocky Blue on Disney Channel’s sitcom Shake it Up which ran from 2010 to 2013. She stuck with Disney for her next TV role as the titular character in the sitcom K.C. Undercover which ran from 2015-2018.

Zendaya has gone on to become one of the biggest names in the industry from her role as MJ in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, and its sequels. Her most notable role is as Rue Bennett, a struggling drug addicted teenager, in the HBO teen drama series Euphoria for which she has won two Emmys. The wins made her the youngest recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Selena Gomez

Following her stint on Barney & Friends, Selena Gomez carried on her career at Disney. Her work with Disney started with guest roles on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana before she got her own show.

From 2007 to 2012, Gomez starred as Alex Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place. She had roles on numerous other Disney shows from Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream to So Random!. She also returned to the character of Alex Russo in 2013 as The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex.

Since then she has appeared in multiple films, and TV shows, most notably Only Murder in the Building alongside Martin Short and Steve Martin. She earned critical praise, and nominations for a Golden Globe Award, and as producer, a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in Only Murders in the Building. She has also produced a number of series through her production company, July Moon productions.

Gomez has also seen great success with her music, and was the first Disney star to kick off their music career with a band (Selena Gomez & the Scene). She has received various accolades and was named Billboard’s Woman of the Year in 2017.