From Children’s Shows to Chasing Fame
Published on March 24, 2025, at 6:37 p.m.
by Abby Cope.
Childhood stardom is not for the weak. In years that should be spent making mistakes and figuring out their adolescence, childhood actors are making sure they have a picture-perfect and family-friendly image.
Personal branding is a pivotal part of being a public personality. Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, said, “Personal branding is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Though it is important how these childhood actors want their images to be perceived, as they age out of their childhood constraints, it’s even more important how they execute this rebranding.
At a certain point though, these actors need to make a shift in their personal branding to mature with their audiences and maintain authenticity. Disney Channel and Nickelodeon staples like Ross Lynch and Sabrina Carpenter are just a few examples of actors who paved their way to a more mature, multifaceted version of fame.
Stars like Miley Cyrus took a more extreme route with a publicity stunt. Cyrus was taking over headlines in her post-Disney era, as she was seen to be “acting out” to make a point that she was no longer the same girl she played in “Hannah Montana.” At the 2013 VMAs, Cyrus was blasted for wearing a rather revealing outfit and dancing suggestively on performer Robin Thicke. All eyes were on Cyrus after the performance, and looking back, Cyrus said, “Not only was culture changed, but my life and career were changed forever. It inspired me to use my platform for something much bigger. If the world is going to focus on me and what I am doing, then what I am doing should be impactful and it should be great.”
Miley Cyrus is just one example of how being thrust into the spotlight at an early age can heavily affect one’s personal and professional image. In her song “Used to be Young” released in 2023, Cyrus references her upbringing in her lyrics, talking about how her crazy past was just because she was young and trying to figure out her own image and interests without a director telling her what to do. Cyrus even released her song 10 years to the day after her infamous VMA’s performance.
Sabrina Carpenter, for example, had an extreme jump from the image she held as Maya Hart on “Girl Meets World.” to her current one. It can be tough to navigate the world of professional stardom with such a contrasting background. In an interview with Vogue Magazine, Carpenter said, “I really do feel like I am changing at a normal pace and this is everything that is happening and it is just an expression of where I am in my life.” Through changing her style, evolving social media presence, maturing her song topics and partnering with brands such as SKIMS for lingerie shoots,Carpenter was able to reposition herself as the grown woman that she is and stray away from her Disney Channel image. This is a far cry from Carpenter’s more kid-friendly partnerships, such as her 2017 Converse “Forever Chuck” campaign.Carpenter also uses nods to more mature Hollywood celebrities to elevate her brand, such as her dressing in outfits mimicking Fran Fine’s from the 90’s show, “The Nanny.”
Though childhood stardom propels one into the spotlight, it is clear that what these celebrities do in their years afterward is what matters most. It’s an example of the ever-changing interests of the entertainment industry as well as the adaptability and range of these celebrities. It proves that how you start out doesn’t determine how you end up — all it takes is the proper personal branding.
