Amer!ca Ferara first danced on2o our TVscreens and into our hearts as Yola nda "Yoli" Varg as in the 2002 DCOM, Gotta Kick It Up! From there, America went on to win both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role as Bettty Suarez in Ugly Betty.
Brie Larson and other famous actors in Disney Channel original movies
This story first appeared on Oh My Disney and is reprinted with permission.
It's a well-known fact that some big-time actors have starred in a Disney Channel Original Movie or two, such as Zac Efron in High School Musical and Selena Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. That's why we get excited when we find out that some of our favorite actors appeared in DCOMs since becoming famous. So before you tune into the Academy Awards on Sunday, February 28, brush off your old DCOM DVDs and check out the following performances by some of Hollywood's elite.
Brie Larson as Courtney Enders in Right on TrackBefore she was a 2016 Academy Award nominee for Best Actress , Brie Larson's first starring role was as teen drag racer in the 2003 DCOM Right on Track. Yes, you read that right - Brie portrayed Courtney Enders, a real-life drag racer who competed against the boys with her older sister.
Bryan Cranston as Nick Wrigley in 'Twas the Night
Golden Globe-winning, Tony-winning and Emmy-winning actor (he's won a lot of awards) Bryan Cranston starred in the 2001 holiday film 'Twas the Night, where he portrayed a grown man who perpetually found himself on Santa's naughty list. We're happy to report that the only list Bryan is on this year is the list for Best Actor at the Academy Awards.
America Ferrera as Yolanda Vargas in Gotta Kick It Up!
America Ferrara first danced onto our TV screens and into our hearts as Yolanda "Yoli" Vargas in the 2002 DCOM, Gotta Kick It Up! From there, America went on to win both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role as Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty.
Diane Keaton as Roberta Blumstein in Northern Lights
We bet you didn't know that Academy Award winner Diane Keaton starred in this 1997 DCOM about a woman named Roberta who is given joint-custody of her nephew. You may now use this fun fact to impress your friends with your knowledge of DCOMs and Diane Keaton filmography.
Justin Timberlake as Jason Sharpe in Model Behavior
JT's turn as a male model in the fittingly-named Model Behavior made all of our NSYNC-obsessed hearts melt. The film made its debut in the year 2000, which means that Justin was just at the beginning of his career as an actor.
Kristen Stewart as Girl in Fountain Line in The Thirteenth Year
We know what you're thinking, "Wait, Kristen Stewart was in that 1999 DCOM about the boy who turned into a merman?" Yes, she was! Originally an uncredited part, Kristen's performance as "Girl in Fountain Line" from The Thirteenth Year is now listed as her first acting role on her IMDB page, so you know it's legit.
Taran Killam as Jordan Cahill in Stuck in the Suburbs
Before he became a Saturday Night Live castmember, Taran played a popstar who accidentally switches cell phones with a teen from the 'burbs, played by Danielle Panabaker. Stuck in the Suburbs truly has everything we could ask for in a mid-2000s DCOM, including a zany-but-cute plotline, Brenda Song in a supporting role, and Taran's sweet bleached tips.
Camilla Belle as Sydney Miller in Rip Girls
In one of her first roles, Camilla Belle played a young girl who returns to her deceased mother's native Hawaii to learn more about her past and potentially, her future. With an emotional plot and a performance by Camilla that led to a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Performance in a TV movie (drama), Rip Girls is a DCOM classic that still resonates today.
Do you have any favorite actors who starred in a Disney Channel Original Movie? Tell us in the comments below.
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6 Famous Actors Who’ve Never Done a Sequel
Photo Source: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com
It seems as though everywhere you look actors are doing sequels. Even Dame Helen Mirren has done her share! (Did anyone catch “Red 2”?) But somehow, a few of Hollywood’s brightest have managed to avoid the sequel. Though some second films can be incredible and downright entertaining, here are just six actors who’ve never done two of the same!
Leonardo DiCaprioDid you see “Inception 2” or “Shutter Island: Back at Shore”? OK, those are totally made up, but you’re not the only one who would have loved DiCaprio revisiting some of his iconic characters. In a recent interview with Variety, “The Revenant” star said, “To me, every movie I’ve done has been its own piece of individual art. You read a script—it’s got a beginning and an end. It’s hard to envision that being resurrected again.”
Denzel WashingtonEmbrace Washington on this list while you can! The iconic actor has managed an incredible career, nabbing two Oscars and never doing a sequel. However, that’s all about to change, as Sony's announced a followup to 2014’s “The Equalizer,” in which Washington will reprise the role of Robert McCall. The film is slated for 2017.
Meryl StreepOf course Streep has never done a sequel! One of the most respected actors of our time, Streep has done dozens of films, each role completely different from the last! That said, we wouldn’t object to “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Alec BaldwinBaldwin was in “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” but there’s a caveat: He wasn’t in any of the prequels! Same goes for “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” You go, Baldwin!
Daniel Day-LewisBelieve it or not, “My Left Foot” is not a sequel to “My Right Foot.” And the 2009 film “Nine,” is not the ninth film in a franchise, so this three-time Oscar winner is in the clear!
Jessica Lange Since she made her film debut in 1976’s “King Kong,” Lange has never done a sequel! She went on to star in films like “Frances,” “Tootsie,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Blue Sky,” and countless others.
Inspired by this post? Check out our film audition listings!
Diversity problem isn’t limited to the Academy, as Hollywood is overwhelmingly white
It had been going so well. In 2014, the Academy Awards rolled out a (somewhat) diverse list of nominees, including Steve McQueen (director), Chiwetel Ejiofor (lead actor) and Barkhad Abdi (supporting actor). Lupita Nyong’o (supporting actress) and John Ridley IV (screenwriter) were also nominated, each winning Oscars for their contributions to “12 Years a Slave.”
Fast forward two years, however, and the world’s most prestigious movie awards show has gone nearly all white. Last year, African-American director Ava DuVernay (“Selma”) failed to earn a nod, while the film’s star — David Oyelowo — was also ignored.
This year, the omissions are arguably even more blatant. The critically acclaimed “Straight Outta Compton” featured standout acting performances (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and strong direction (F. Gary Gray), each from a person of color. But the film was only nominated for its screenplay.
RELATED: Academy responds to Oscar noms’ lack of diversity with ‘substantive changes’
“Creed” received even better reviews, featuring the directing talents of Ryan Coogler and acting starpower of Michael B. Jordan (previously, “Fruitvale Station”). The film received only a supporting actor nomination for Sly Stallone.
The kicker? The nominated writers for “Compton” and supporting actor for “Creed” are all white.
In fact, among the seven biggest award categories at the 88th Academy Awards — including acting, directing and writing — 95.3 percent of nominees are white.
Ethnicity Breadown of 2016 Academy Award Nominees | PrettyFamous
Compare the current slate of nominees to the demographic makeup of America:
Ethnicity Breakdown in the United States | PrettyFamous
It’s tempting to assign all the blame to voters at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The exclusive group includes more than 5,000 members of the film industry, mostly old and mostly white. To even be considered for membership, the academy outlines a series of requirements, including quantity and quality of film credits and a history of previous awards. Still, the final decision remains in the hands of various “Branch Executive Committees,” regardless of a candidate’s track record.
Add it up, and the Los Angeles Times estimates 93 percent of academy membership is white (as of 2013), although the academy does not release an official list.
Ethnicity Breakdown of Academy Award Voters | PrettyFamous
But to pile on to the academy exclusively is to miss the larger, more intractable problem: Hollywood itself is overwhelmingly white.
The PrettyFamous team analyzed our database of celebrities to determine the demographic distribution of the rich and famous. Specifically, we looked at Gracenote data for Hollywood celebrities, from famous actors to directors to screenwriters, leading to a final list of about 26,000 people. Note that this list is not an exhaustive portrayal of the film business, but nonetheless provides a broad picture of the industry, with a particular focus on the biggest names and most frequent award winners.
Ethnicity Breakdown in Hollywood | PrettyFamous
By our estimates, Hollywood itself is about 80 percent white, at least among the actors, directors and writers routinely considered for big parts and highly publicized assignments.
This reality has ramifications at multiple levels. First, the pool for established Hollywood talent is disproportionately white to begin with, meaning that white film professionals are more likely to star in or contribute to each year’s top films. Second, the academy sources its voters from this pool, creating a self-fulfilling cycle of ever more white voters. Third, a homogenous pool of writers, directors and actors leads to likeminded creators, with fewer outside perspectives and less appetite for risk.
Finally, and perhaps most problematic, box office receipts feed off of past success. When the majority of successful films happen to star white actors, filmmakers make even more movies with white actors. There’s a reason we get 13 white, male superhero movies every year, next to just one “Fruitvale Station” or “Straight Outta Compton.” And so we return to the unrepresentative breakdown below.
Ethnicity of Oscar Nominees vs. Hollywood vs. U.S. | PrettyFamous
Based on the Hollywood numbers in the chart above, we’d still expect the Oscars to feature about 20 percent people of color across all award categories, which partially justifies the current pushback. The academy got a lot closer in 2014, so what’s gone wrong in 2015 and 2016? To the institution’s credit, the academy pledged to double the number of female and minority members by 2020.
To fix the larger issue, however, Hollywood must fundamentally change its complexion. So long as the Hollywood pool remains disproportionately white, so too will the top films, and, ultimately, the nominees. Even a more diverse academy can’t fix that.
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