Disney Channel is known for the innocent, sweet images it portrays to its young audiences through its role model actors.
Disney Channel is known for the innocent, sweet images it portrays to its young audiences through its role model actors. However, it seems that not all Disney Channel actors seem to keep this wholesome image. Here are a few of them where these adjectives cannot be applied.
Miley Cyrus
Remember when the only debate surrounding Miley Cyrus was whether she would choose to be Miley or Hannah Montana? It seems like that was a long time ago. It is pretty much guaranteed that when thinking about Disney Channel actors who have shed their lovely, perfect innocent image, Miley Cyrus is probably one of the first to come to mind since that performance.
A mention of Miley Cyrus now comes with associations of controversy, ranging from her comments on being a ‘stoner’, her interesting, barely-there outfits to her dance moves (including the famous ‘twerk’). The words ‘innocent,’ ‘wholesome’ and ‘sweet’ don’t exactly spring to mind when thinking about Miley Cyrus presently.
Selena Gomez
Merely watching Selena Gomez’s film, Spring Breakers (also starring former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens) – where three teenagers get involved in crime, violence, drugs and guns – is enough to illustrate that Gomez is far from sweet and innocent now.
Gomez’s music and style has definitely taken a noticeable shift, compared to when she was the star of Wizards of Waverley Place. Gomez has lost most of her innocent image, but in comparison to some of her fellow ex-Disney Channel actors, some may say she is still good as gold.
Demi Lovato
Since Camp Rock, Lovato has suffered from bulimia, self-harming and has experimented with drugs and alcohol too. While she was in rehab, she was also diagnosed with bipolar disease. In some ways, this current image is better than the perfect, innocent image she had during her Disney Channel days.
She has become a key figure in trying to raise awareness of mental disorders, self-harming, drug and alcohol abuse with teenagers and young adults, using her personal struggles as an example. Recently, she released the official cover of ‘Let It Go’ from Disney’s newest and popular film ‘Frozen,’ displaying maybe Lovato is making a comeback with Disney.
Shia LeBeouf
Who remembers Even Stevens? Who recalls some of the hilarious schemes of the Stevens family’s youngest, Louis, played by Shia LeBeouf?
Shia LeBeouf has gone from the funny, awkward kid from his Disney Channel days to a good-looking Hollywood hero. However, as the events of this year have illustrated, it’s clear LeBeouf has shed some of his innocent image from his early acting days.
Not only has he been involved in many arrests and charges since 2005, involving threatening a neighbour with a kitchen knife and drunk driving, he was also accused of plagiarism last year for many of his short films and comic books he has produced.
Earlier this year, LeBeouf walked out of a press conference and then turned up later to a red carpet event with a paper bag over his head reading ‘I am not famous anymore’, prompting speculation whether he is on the point of a breakdown.
Lindsay Lohan
Arrests. Court Appearances. Drugs. Explicit acting roles. Drunk Driving. There’s probably not a lot more that Lindsay Lohan can do to get away from the typical Disney wholesome image.
It seems like when we see her in recent roles like Elizabeth Taylor, has certainly moved on from her initial stardom in Disney Channel productions, such as The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
There are countless of star that can be applied to this list but it is clear that these five are the ones that have had the most extreme transformation in recent years. It makes you wonder who will be next to join them.
Who do you think has gone off the rails since their Disney Channel Days? Would anyone else make your top five? Let us know in the comments below.
