Why Don’t We See Disney Stars Anymore?

Stories of sandwich shop-owning wizards, an average girl who has a double life as a pop star, and a nanny in New York have shaped the lives of the majority of Gen Z. The wacky characters and laugh-track humor of early 2000s Disney shows have enchanted audiences around the world, impacting a whole generation. Kids used to clamor to be like the characters they saw on screen, naturally propelling many of Disney’s child actors to stardom beyond their respective shows. After all, some of the biggest modern celebrity names such as Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato found their start at Disney. Being cast in a Disney channel show used to imply a road to fame, complete with a record deal and tabloid appearances. The impact Disney has had on pop culture is undeniable, but its stake in shaping it seems to have diminished in recent years.

This isn’t to say that Disney actors can no longer be stars. Among the lastest major stars from the Disney channel are notably Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodgrio, and Jenna Ortega, but these three differ from their previous Disney celebrity counterparts. In its earlier days, Disney used to play a dominant role in its stars’ journey to fame, with some finding a hard time escaping the Disney name even after stardom. For this newer generation of stars, however, it was other activities and social media that pushed them to main stage fame. Basset-gate and social media outrage were what brought Carpenter and Rodgrio to the forefront of pop culture. A non-Disney role as a deadpan teenager in Netflix’s “Wednesday,”accompanied by the edits to Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” which trended on TikTok, is what brought stardom to Ortega. All three of these more recent stars began their careers with Disney, but unlike their predecessors, it was not Disney that shaped their fame. Disney seems to have lost its influence on determining the stars of tomorrow, but why is this the case? Why has the House of Mouse lost its Midas touch?

The most obvious answer seems to be the rise of the internet and influencers. The likes of Charli D'amelio and Mr. Beast seem to have taken over the cultural real estate that Disney stars used to hold. Kids no longer want to be Disney Channel actors or actresses, but rather social media influencers. Fame appears to be increasingly determined by social media platforms, particularly TikTok and YouTube.

Yet some may see this trend as a destruction of American pop culture and Hollywood. However, the assumption that social media is unproductive and should not have so much impact on determining stardom ignores the fact that the internet’s influence is a natural result of media innovation. Throughout history, innovation and new technologies have always been met with resistance. When TV began to have a stake in American culture, radio listeners claimed it was destructive to culture, and before radios, book readers viewed radio with a similar attitude.

There is a cyclical nature to the resistance that accompanies new media forms, and it is only natural for different types of media to rise and fall, just like any other innovation. Each wave of new media has brought about new ways for us to connect to one another. Disney television of the 2000s allowed stars to connect with viewers through both media and music; social media has allowed for stars to connect with fans through their daily lives and personalities. This evolution brings about new and different types of stars that may not fit the molds of the Disney television fame of the 2000s — but this is a core trait of entertainment. Entertainment needs freshness and challenge to thrive. The same routine and star archetypes will eventually lose impact with viewers, naturally leading them to new types of stars. Social media so happens to be the current avenue for stardom.

It is impossible not to recognize the impact of social media. Social media will continue to produce stars and can even help propel traditional TV figures forward, like in the case of Carpenter, Rodgrio, and Ortega. The rise of influencers and the fall of Disney stars is simply a signifier of a long-time trend. There will always be new celebrities, but that does not mean old ones will disappear. Disney will continue to hold a special spot in many of our hearts, even as pop culture naturally evolves to embrace new types of fame.