For all those who have had access to Disney Channel and seen it in various generations, there are certain shows that are all the rage for a number of years, only for them to end and have a new generation take their place. Once these shows are over, the stars generally move on from Disney itself to more grown-up material. If stars like Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and Nick Jonas are anything to go by, then you can be sure former Disney Channel actors will be seen way different than how you remembered them, lost innocence and all that.
While we may have thought of them as part of our lives during regular programming of these shows, these stars had behind-the-scenes problems of their own. Once the shows would end so would their associations with one another. Those actors who had problems with each other while the show was on, no doubt do not interact again, but even those who did get along splendidly have now been out of touch for a number of years. Then there are those friendships whose strength is far greater than the test of time and has lasted to this day.
You’ll no doubt be surprised to find out some of our favorite friendships did not last. But there are still those that did and the knowledge of their lasting connection should provide some consolation.
18 Still Close: Friends Since Camp
This friendship was formed when the two had starred in the film Camp Rock. At the time, the Jonas Brothers were taking the world by storm (by world we mean the young girls’ fanbase). To cash in on the Jonas Brothers’ popularity, Disney had them take part in a number of their TV shows and Original movies. The brothers would disband shortly into the timeline of their eponymous Jonas TV show and would not get together again. Before all that drama, however, these boys had been part of Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2.
While Joe Jonas had always been the ‘main’ Jonas Brother, Nick found a friend in Demi Lovato.
Joe Jonas might have been playing Demi’s love interest in the film but Nick was the one who left a lasting impression on her. Joe and Demi were an item for a few months in 2010, but unlike that pairing, Nick has kept his relationship with Lovato on a platonic level. It’s one of the few instances in Disney where the co-stars have never been romantically involved. Although speculation has been hot that Lovato recorded a few songs which were meant to indicate feelings toward Nick, there hasn’t been an official confirmation. In 2016, these two friends went on tour together and have been seen in each other’s company regularly.
17 Not So Close: Like Siblings That Never See Each Other
These two have known each other since they were 16 years old (according to Ashley Tisdale herself). Also, unlike most young Disney actors, these two have only ever remained on strictly platonic terms. This is even more so than Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas as Ashley has several times called Zac her “brother." Although we did see them lock lips in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, there was never any attraction between them in real life. Ashley and Zac also had a memorable exchange on Twitter on Zac’s 29th birthday where she shared an old picture where the two did look a lot like brother and sister.
So why aren’t they close friends? That would be because we have scarcely seen them together. No one’s saying they are enemies or have had a big falling out but if the signs are any indication, these two haven’t been in much contact over the recent years. For the same post, Ashley wished Zac a happy birthday and his response was a curt one-liner. In 2018, Ashley posted on her social media a fake High School Musical reunion picture featuring her, Vanessa Hudgens, and Zac Efron. These were photoshopped pictures of the trio from separate events, although this left no doubt she hadn’t seen Zac in a while as Ashley and Vanessa’s friendship is known to have lasted.
16 Still Close: Friendship Through Controversy
There’s been some drama where these two are concerned. While the actresses themselves have been cordial with each other since their collaborations have come to an end, the internet hasn’t been willing to let go of speculation. Zendaya and Bella Thorne starred in the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up from 2010 to 2013. As these girls were barely into their teenage years when the show began, it was natural for them to grow close at a time when they would be figuring out their personalities. And this friendship was evident through the show’s run and in their media appearances for Shake It Up. But the internet can be very cruel and these two have been unwillingly pitted against each other in various ways.
Recently, Seventeen Latin put out a tweet aiming for a ‘Beauty Battle’ between the two former co-stars. In response, Bella Thorne tweeted out her exasperation at such a contest and voiced her disapproval for the people who wanted to see them fight, Thorne also made public her friendly love for Zendaya in the same tweet. While the world might against them, these two are not going to let it affect their friendship.
15 Not So Close: A Swift Departure
A topsy-turvy affair if there ever was one. Although things seem to be friendly at the moment between these two, the many ups and downs they have seen over the years compel us to put this in the Not so Friendly pile. This relationship goes a long way back. Although the actresses themselves are only 25-years-old at this point, they do have a history. They got their starts together on Barney and Friends when they were barely a decade old before graduating onto Disney.
Starring on Disney Channel is a big deal for children and these two shone in their roles.
While they weren’t co-stars, as Wizards of Waverly Place was Selena’s domain while Sonny With A Chance was Lovato’s, they made their friendship very public. In 2008, they announced in a joint Vlog that they would star together in a Disney Channel Original Movie – which turned out to be Princess Protection Program – in 2010 friction was evident when Lovato told a fan to “Ask Taylor (Swift)” what Selena was up to. Evidently, Selena had grown closer to Swift than Lovato at that point. They seemed to have reconciled after Lovato’s personal struggles but there was a hoopla when they unfollowed each other on social media (it’s sad that people even noticed this, though). Nowadays, their interactions are few, although cordial, but a far cry from the Vlogging craze they were once in.
14 Still Close: Living The Suite Life
Ashley Tisdale and Cole Sprouse were co-stars in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody but there was a rather significant age gap between the two. While in general terms a gap of 7 years isn’t much, in Disney Channel terms it is quite a lot. Ashley was born in 1985 while Cole in 1992. That’s very large in child actor years but the cast of The Suite Life seems to defy any chances of estrangement. In the mid-2000s, the show seemed to be all over the place in terms of popularity. It was among the hottest shows on Disney Channel along with Hannah Montana and That’s So Raven, which culminated in a crossover titled ‘That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana."
While Ashley didn’t move on to The Suite Life On Deck, a show that featured Zack and Cody on a perpetually moving ship where they went to school (It was about as stupid as it sounds), she did make a couple of guest appearances. This might have kept Cole and Ashley’s friendship alive. Recently, they were both seen in a picture shared by Ashley on her Instagram attending Suite Life on Deck co-star Debbie Ryan’s birthday.
13 Not So Close: Competitive Spirit
As it happened, these two ladies didn’t really get along on set. That’s a real shocker for those who have grown up with Hannah Montana but it is the truth. In a 2009 autobiography of Miley Cyrus (the fact that a 16-17 year-old-even had an autobiography is weird to begin with) the actress and singer shared that she and Emily weren’t close friends.
While they could do a great job when they were in work mode, it wasn’t so much fun when the cameras were off.
In the autobiography, Miley questioned why she didn’t get along with Emily when their characters were supposed to get along so well. She surmised it to be a competitive spirit in both girls that took over what could have been a great friendship. Later on, however, Miley would say that the Hannah Montana movie experience would bring them closer and in a more stable relationship. But since the show has ended we have never seen the two together. They have made mentions of one another on Twitter on occasion but even then it is apparent they are not in touch. Emily admitted on Twitter she had ad-libbed the final line of Hannah Montana so that she could have the last word, perhaps a final competitive flair in the works.
12 Still Close: Still Kickin’ It
If we’re all being honest, we would admit the Disney TV show landscape is a far cry from its heyday in the mid to late 2000s. TV shows like The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Sonny With a Chance have stood the test of time and are still watched with good viewership in reruns. Although the successors of these shows have done well for themselves they aren’t of the same caliber. There a few exceptions, though, and one of these would be Kickin’ It, which ran from 2011 to 2015. The success of this show could be attributed to the chemistry of its stars.
Olivia Holt and Leo Howard spent these years together and were always considered to be one of those #friendshipgoals (that still sounds ridiculous to say, though). Since the end of the show, they have remained great friends and by each other’s side when needed. Olivia called up Leo to be in the music video for the song ‘History,’ which he acquiesced to and claimed the two friends laughed on-set the whole time while filming. They are not romantically linked and prove that friendship is a greater bond in some circumstances.
11 Not So Close: A Bad Kiss?
It’s strange to think with Selena’s Gomez romantic history scrutinized so extensively (people really need to get more hobbies) that her original kiss would be with someone she would treasure for the rest of her life. Turns out that’s not so much the case. Disney Channel doesn’t show much physical contact between its stars – for good reason considering the stars are a bunch of 12-15-year-olds for the most part – but they don’t shy away from some innocent pecks on the lips. As these stars are basically kids, they don’t have much experience in their real lives by this point.
So, Selena’s first kiss turned out to be Dylan Sprouse.
In an episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Selena kissed Dylan as part of the episode. This supposedly special moment didn’t mean the two would be close in the future. It seems there’s no contact at all between the two nowadays. A couple years back Dylan had thrown a remark in Selena’s way for not following him and his brother on social media. This was clearly a joke but Dylan did accuse Selena of thinking she was too good for her old pals now. Then again, should one really care if someone follows them on social media or not?
10 Still Close: Withstanding The Test Of Time
This time Ashley finds herself with someone closer to her in age. While she portrayed a very likable girl in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Ashley was venomous as Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical series of films. But this only made her into a fan favorite and she was nothing like her character behind-the-scenes either. Gabriella was her constant foil in the films but her actress Vanessa Hudgens is one of the best friends Ashley has in her life. It’s fair to assume you would grow close to someone you starred in three back-to-back films with, but since the High School Musical series had its most recent installment in 2008, it has been some time for sure.
This only means that Ashley and Vanessa have defied the test of time and remained a vital part of each other’s lives despite several changes. Ashley has seen scarcely any developments as far as her movie and TV career is concerned while Vanessa has been very busy indeed on that front. On the personal life chapters of their lives, though, Ashley has plenty of news and was married in 2014, a wedding where Vanessa played the part of one of her bridesmaids.
9 Not So Close: This Friendship Ended Fast
Sometimes we have to take certain liberties when including people on these lists and this would be one of them because here we have a person estranged from not one, not two, but three people! The Cheetah Girls was one of the very first successes for Disney Channel in their original movies section. For those who have never been big fans of Dinsey Channel movies or their TV shows then put your blame on The Cheetah Girls because their success was one of the reasons why we have had so many Disney Channel live-actions shows now. Its concept was simple and with four likable leads featured (likable only within the confines of the show) the movie was a hit.
A sequel followed, with a third one out eventually but this time without the main star Raven Simone. She would opt out of the movie citing “catfight and territorial issues” behind-the-scenes for the second film as her reasoning not to return. Needless to say, she’s not buddies with the cast anymore. Good for Raven, though, because Cheetah Girls: One World was truly a god-awful film that should never have been produced in the first place. So, in a way, these catfights saved her from appearing in this terrible movie.
8 Still Close: Life Won’t Stop Them
It might seem a surprise but you don’t need to be regular co-workers to become firm friends. In Disney Channel TV shows and movies, the regular practice seems to be that stars move in and out of each other’s lives once the shows run their course. There are many examples of this on this list alone but here’s an example where a friendship was formed through a one-off appearance. Olivia Holt really seems to know how to remain friends with her co-stars and she has been firm friends with Kelli Berglund for a number of years now. We wouldn’t fault you for forgetting, or simply not knowing, who some of these stars are as Disney Channel stars can be interchangeable more than you think, but Kelli starred with Olivia in an episode of Kickin’ It, if you weren’t aware of this fact.
Since then they have remained a fixture in the other’s lives which is a lovely thing to see as, in a time and age such as now, it should be easy to lose touch when there’s so much going on, but these two actresses continue to set aside time for each other. They have been seen at one another’s birthday parties regularly along with random outings.
7 Not So Close: Two Ships Passing In The Night
We’re going way back for this one. In 1991, future A-listers Ryan Gosling and Justin Timberlake both starred for The New Mickey Mouse Club. It was a show aimed at children, starring children. While it is startling knowledge now when the two are known for grown-up-themed performances, these two got their starts in very childish performances instead. However, this only served to make their then-friendship stronger seeing that they would end up as roommates – when Ryan stayed with Justin’s family – and were best friends at the time. Unfortunately, the only thing that got in their way is something you don’t have to be a celebrity to appreciate. It was the passage of time.
Once their days on The Mickey Mouse Club were over, these two went their separate ways. Nowadays it’s hard to find a couple of teenagers without smartphones or at least access to the internet but back in the 90s the only ways you had to stay in touch were the telephone or through the mail. For two burgeoning talents, it was difficult to keep in contact and they drifted apart. The only interactions they have had since then have been events they have attended and just happened to run into each other such as the Oscars or at Saturday Night Live.
6 Still Close: High School Buddies
You would be forgiven for not caring much about the friendships, and lack of friendships, between many people on this list but when these two are in the picture we can’t help but feel nostalgic. Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu are two guys we would dearly hope would have remained friends, and as fate would have it, they are great friends even now. The two played best friends in High School Musical where their friendship was too pure to be part of a script.
Many girls would watch High School Musical, not for Zac and Vanessa, but to see these two together instead.
They were the most good looking among the cast members and big things were expected. While Zac has gone on to become a huge star in his own right, Corbin hasn’t been seen much. But that’s only for us who can only catch these actors on TV or in film. In their personal lives, these two see each other on a regular basis, evidenced by frequent pictures together of them on social media. Zac even attended the Broadway show Holiday Inn that Corbin was a part of, supporting his friend in such a big step in his career.
5 Not Close: Once Scorned
Those of us who are a little older will remember the endless line of tabloid news that had been printed on just about every magazine in the late 90s and early 2000s concerning the relationship of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. For those who are a little younger, in those times, news of the happenings of such gossip was restricted to printed material rather than the internet so any scoop on what was happening in this regard was exploited to long lengths. Justin and Britney defined the modern young couple image. They made famous the matching denim outfits they were seen in and just about any venture they took together seemed to be cool.
Both stars got their breaks on The Mickey Mouse Club when they were children but an attraction was brewing as they grew up a bit and they would become the ‘It’ couple of their time. Of course, there was a lot of drama involved in Britney’s life in the mid-2000s and Justin didn’t stick around for that (good for him). Now, with his life set in a blissful way with his wife Jessica Biel and fatherhood to consider, it would be strange if he kept contact with an ex-girlfriend. And so, it was just never meant to be with these two.
4 Still Close: Like Magic
Selena isn’t all drama and hostility as this list would have implied her to be. While she does have her issues with Demi Lovato and the Sprouse twins, she wasn’t as active with them as she was with her Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars. In this instance, we are referring to her TV big brother David Henrie. They played siblings who were constantly at odds on the show. It reached to such a degree that people were uncomfortable with Selena’s character as she was seen to have become too antagonistic towards her family.
Unlike her unlikable character, Selena has always been on excellent terms with David. They were so close that at one point in 2014, when the two met for a casual dinner, people speculated it had been a date. Let’s leave aside the idea that that would be kind of gross and focus on how they have remained such good friends. The entire cast of Wizards of Waverly Place was present for David’s wedding in 2017, leaving no doubt that these two see each other as siblings in real life also. Selena has even referred to David as her brother on several occasions since the show has ended.
3 Not So Close: Just Like Some Real Siblings
In a complete reversal from the previous point, now we have two people who played super close siblings but could not stand each other in real life. In High School Musical we had the brother and sister duo of Ryan and Sharpay, a very high strung sibling performance would follow and attest to their annoying qualities. This song was ‘What I’ve been looking for,’ the weird combo that Ashley and Lucas Grabeel brought to the screen in High School Musical’s opening minutes.
They were somehow very in sync with one another on-screen but not on-set.
For some reason, there was some tension between the film siblings that did not go away for the entire tenure of filming. The stars admitted it in 2017 when they reunited to sing ‘What I’ve been Looking for’ once again. Lucas maintained that the two did not get along due to them not liking each other initially. However, both claimed that by the end of filming they had a certain love for one another. Of course, when you’re on TV and communicating to a large audience you have to show some sense of being cordial and that might be the case in this instance.
2 Still Close: Keeping Close With The Cast
We covered Emily Osment’s issues with Miley Cyrus earlier on in this list, now let’s talk about some happier facts. The cast of Hannah Montana, like the cast of Wizards of Waverly Place, seems to have remained a tight-knit group. Why wouldn’t they be, either? They were together during their formative years – with the exception of Jason Earles who was 29 when the show began – and have seen each other grow into more than Disney child stars. It’s always nice to see former castmates showing their love and support for one another years down the road and the photos these actors shared really did a number on our nostalgia.
As to why Emily is highlighted at this point has to do with her being the only female cast member present. It would be natural to assume the females on the show would be closer but not in this case. Emily shared a few fun pictures of the group goofing around and didn’t forget Miley either. Along with professing her love for the male cast members of the show, Emily sent a shoutout to Miley as well. Miley did respond with much love but why she wasn’t there in person is not known.
1 Goodbye Forever: An Iconic Couple Splits
Prepare to have your heart broken if you weren’t aware of this already. When someone mentions Disney Channel couples, the mind goes straight to Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. It’s a reflex seeing that the two had been together for what felt like an eternity, at least in Hollywood years. While the two have stated they got together in 2007, the general consensus is that they had been a couple since 2005 when the first High School Musical had been filmed. Zac and Vanessa were an item till 2010 when, out of the blue, they announced their separation.
You’d think they would have some connection remaining, but that’s not the case.
In a recent interview with Vanessa Hudgens, the actress admitted she and Zac had not been in touch for a number of years. That is a real pity as these two seemed destined to go the distance at one point. If you want to remember how perfect they were in the past then go back and watch their performances across all High School Musical movies (although that won’t make High School Musical 3 any less terrible). However, Vanessa has been with her current partner since 2011, which dwarfs her time spent with Zac in comparison so perhaps she has found the right one for her after all.
