Quote from Alex bobby on August 9, 2025, 5:31 AM

They Grew Up Disney: How Meg Donnelly and Kylie Cantrall Are Taking the Spotlight on Their Own Terms

For decades, Disney Channel has been a launchpad for some of the biggest names in entertainment—Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Zendaya, and the Jonas Brothers all cut their teeth under its spotlight. But in 2025, being a Disney star looks very different from the Hannah Montana and Camp Rock days.

Back then, the blueprint was clear: land a hit series or TV movie, pop up in other Disney projects, release music through the Disney machine, and maintain the kind of squeaky-clean image that could sell lunchboxes and concert tickets. For those who managed the balancing act, superstardom was often inevitable—though the pressure was intense, and the public scrutiny relentless.

Today’s young Disney talent inherits that legacy but also faces new challenges. Social media has blurred the line between on-screen persona and personal life, turning stars into “always-on” brands before they’re even out of high school. They’re expected to perform, post, and project perfection 24/7, all while figuring out who they actually are.

Two of the network’s brightest current stars—Kylie Cantrall, 20, and Meg Donnelly, 25—are navigating this new landscape in their own way. As the leads of Disney’s Descendants and Zombies franchises, both are carrying major fan-favorite properties, but they’re also intent on shaping careers that go far beyond the Mouse House.

Meg Donnelly: From Tween Phenomenon to Finding Her Voice

For Meg Donnelly, Disney was always the dream. Growing up in New Jersey as a theater kid, she started auditioning for Disney roles at just 8 years old. Her big break came in 2016 when she was cast in ABC’s American Housewife, which led to her landing the lead role in Zombies the very next year.

The 2018 premiere of Zombies made her an instant Disney Channel star. The film’s catchy pop anthems, dance numbers, and quirky take on high school romance won over an army of tween fans. The soundtrack’s breakout hit, “Someday”—sung by Donnelly herself—has racked up over 109 million streams on Spotify. That kind of exposure also brought new listeners to her own music, including her 2019 debut album, Trust.

But Donnelly now admits that much of her early music career felt like it was moving too fast.

“When I was a kid, it was really hard for me to stand up for myself,” she told Yahoo. “A lot of the music I put out—while it’s still special to me—definitely wasn’t 100% me. I was doing what I thought I had to do, or listening to the people I thought I had to, because I was scared to speak up.”

She describes that time as a “runaway train” she didn’t quite know how to slow down. Now, with more experience and confidence, Donnelly is determined to take ownership of her creative path. In June, she released her new EP, Dying Art, which she calls a “stepping stone” toward full artistic control. The project follows her appearance as the youngest-ever finalist on The Masked Singer, where she wowed audiences with her vocal versatility.

“I’m still learning to advocate for myself,” she says. “I’m not 100% there yet, but I feel like I have so much more control now.”

Kylie Cantrall: The New Face of Descendants

While Donnelly’s Disney journey began in the late 2010s, Kylie Cantrall is part of the new wave. At just 20, she’s already taking on one of the network’s most high-profile roles: leading the next chapter of Descendants, Disney’s musical fantasy saga about the children of famous villains.

Cantrall grew up in Los Angeles surrounded by entertainment—her father is a music producer, her mother a dancer. She started releasing music videos on YouTube as a preteen, building a fan base before Disney came calling. That digital-native background gives her an edge in the current era of Disney stardom, where social media presence can be as important as screen time.

Like Donnelly, she’s determined to navigate the spotlight without losing herself in it. For today’s Disney stars, there’s as much pressure to manage online narratives as there is to hit the right notes onstage. Cantrall’s approach blends openness with boundaries: she shares her creative process and behind-the-scenes moments with fans, but she’s also clear about keeping parts of her life private.

The Changing Disney Playbook

The careers of Donnelly and Cantrall highlight just how much the Disney star formula has evolved. In the early 2000s, the transition from TV star to pop artist was largely orchestrated in-house, with tight control over image and output. Today, Disney stars have more freedom—but also more responsibility—to shape their own public personas.

Streaming platforms have expanded the reach of Disney projects, but they’ve also made competition fiercer. Young actors aren’t just competing with their peers; they’re competing with a global pool of talent across TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms.

And then there’s the cautionary history—past Disney stars whose post-network years were marked by public struggles, often framed by the “Disney star gone wild” narrative. Both Donnelly and Cantrall are aware of that legacy, and both are actively pushing against it by setting their own boundaries and pacing their careers in ways that feel sustainable.

Taking It From Here

For Donnelly, that means releasing music that reflects her true artistry, not just what fits a corporate mold. For Cantrall, it means leveraging her platform to explore both acting and music while staying grounded in her personal values.

They’re part of a new generation of Disney talent who grew up watching their predecessors navigate the highs and lows of early fame—and who are determined to write a different kind of next chapter.

The fame machine may still be running, but for these two, the driver’s seat is firmly in their hands.

Final Thought:
Meg Donnelly and Kylie Cantrall are proof that the Disney spotlight in 2025 is no longer just about playing the perfect role—it’s about knowing who you are, owning your voice, and turning early opportunities into lasting careers. They’ve grown up Disney, but they’re stepping into the future on their own terms.

Conclusion

Meg Donnelly and Kylie Cantrall’s journeys show how Disney stardom has evolved from a tightly managed, one-size-fits-all path into a more self-directed, multifaceted career launchpad. Both have embraced the lessons of those who came before them while carving out space to define their artistry and personal boundaries. In an era where fame is instant and scrutiny is constant, they’re proving that growing up Disney doesn’t have to mean being boxed in by it—it can be the foundation for building a career entirely on your own terms.

Meta Description:
Disney stars Meg Donnelly and Kylie Cantrall are taking control of their careers, moving beyond the Zombies and Descendants franchises to define their artistry and future on their own terms.