Whatever Happened To Alyson Stoner?

The following article includes discussions of eating disorders and mental health issues. 

Alyson Stoner has been making audiences sing, dance, and laugh for decades. The triple threat joined the fabric of pop culture when they stole the spotlight by wearing a pink ensemble and pigtails while break dancing in the music video for Missy Elliott's 2002 song "Work It." The hit video is the second credit in Stoner's long career. In 2003, they shared their acting talents on the big screen, playing Sarah Baker in the family comedy "Cheaper by the Dozen." They would continue to dominate the big and small screens throughout the 2000s, playing Camille Gage in 2006's "Step Up" and Caitlyn Geller in 2008's "Camp Rock," a film that added to an already hefty list of Disney Channel projects that included appearances on "That's So Raven" and "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody."

Stoner is still keeping busy with plenty of acting projects, and much of their work is now stretching far beyond the big and small screens, giving advice to young stars while also teaching people about how body movement is connected to mental health.

Original movies and a crowd-pleasing remake were cornerstones of Alyson Stoner's screen domination in the 2000s, and they capitalized on that with sequels and other franchise installments. Stoner returned to the Baker family dinner table in 2005's "Cheaper by the Dozen 2," which finds Sarah's family navigating a summer vacation while facing the rival Murtaugh family. Both films became well-known family titles, and it's a piece of cinema that Stoner and much of the star-studded cast have revisited. @hilaryduff Co-star Hilary Duff posted a video on Instagram in 2020, showing clips of the grown-up Baker children recreating scenes from the first film.

Stoner told Cosmopolitan that they were working on "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" when director Adam Shankman talked to them about a dance movie he was working on called "Step Up." "It was almost like a fun, spontaneous favor instead of this professional-sounding gig ... We didn't even have a strict script on our scenes," they said about their time playing Camille Gage in the acclaimed film. Camille's dance moves later jumped off the screen in 2010's "Step Up 3D" before breaking out one more performance for "Step Up All In" in 2014. They told HitFix, "I've learned a lot being a part of these films because you grow up with the different casts and the different crews and each movie has its different challenge but you're also at a different season in your life when it happened."

Much of Alyson Stoner's career is centered on comedy and dance, but they have also been working on their music career. They started singing on TV shows in 2005 during "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody," before taking part in the group anthem of "Camp Rock," "We Rock." They then performed a cover of "Dancing in the Moonlight" for "Space Buddies" in 2009.

They're also taking time to work on their own music. Stoner told HitFix that one of their songs became a part of Lifetime's "Expecting Amish," a 2014 movie that stars Stoner, AJ Michalka, and Jesse McCartney. In 2018, they released the song "Who Do You Love," mixing elements of rap and pop with an electronic sound. "'Who Do You Love' not only calls out true colors –- real recognizes real, but, it's a mantra for the hustlers, dreamers, and fighters who grind daily, overcoming challenges, beating odds and believing their voice and life matter," they told Teen Vogue.

The following year, they released "Stripped Bare," which is accompanied by a video that begins with footage from Stoner's childhood before showing them all grown up, driving a van, and shaving their head. They told People, "Shaving my head is an act of mental health and confidence, not self-destruction. I can't tell you how many beliefs and opinions and insecurities fell to the floor with every tuft of hair, and I'm leaving them there."

It's been more than two decades since Missy Elliott and an array of talented dancers took over the music video scene with "Work It," which features them busting moves in a variety of places, including that iconic playground where Alyson Stoner danced with Elliott toward the end of the video. But that pop culture moment almost didn't happen. They told TMZ, "So I actually almost didn't go to the audition. My sister, I think, had a scrimmage. My parents said we'd spent too much time focusing on Alyson. I think the scrimmage got canceled, ended up going." Stoner appeared in more of Elliott's music videos soon after, including "Pass That Dutch," and "I'm Really Hot."

Stoner has revisited their work with Elliott, posting "The Missy Elliott Tribute" video to their YouTube channel @TheRealAlysonStoner in 2015. It features a medley of Elliott's songs while Stoner recreates their moves from each video they performed in. Four years later, they revisited "Work It" with Elliott at the MTV Video Music Awards as the music superstar received the Video Vanguard Award. @AlysonStoner wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "HiHat hit me up a day before to jump in, said, 'Do your thing,' and then it was showtime. But those grooves don't leave your system." @MissyElliott applauded Stoner on X, noting that she still gets questions about the whereabouts of the young dancer. "So I couldn't have done this VMA without you there! Love you."

Live-action hits make up a good chunk of Alyson Stoner's credits, but they've also racked up plenty of voice-acting gigs. Their first acting credit was the 1994 film "Pom Poko," lending their voice to the English version of the movie about shapeshifting animals. They would continue to land small voice acting roles in projects like 2004's "Garfield" and "Lilo & Stitch: The Series." Gamers would later hear them in the "Kingdom Hearts" franchise, beginning with the English version of "Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories." In 2007, Stoner started playing Isabella Garcia-Shapiro on "Phineas and Ferb," asking Phineas, "Watcha doin'?" throughout 119 episodes while contributing to other projects in the franchise during the show's run. At the same time, they took on the role of Opal on the hit Nickelodeon series "The Legend of Korra."

Following the initial conclusion of "Phineas and Ferb" in 2015, Stoner reprised their role in a crossover episode of "Milo Murphy's Law." They once again fully immersed themselves in this zany summer vacation in 2020's "Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe," which won a Daytime Emmy for outstanding writing team for a daytime animated program. @AlysonStoner wrote on X, "Wait, we won an Emmy??? Congrats #PhineasandFerb writers!! Well-deserved and long overdue."

Voice-acting makes up a majority of Stoner's more recent work. This includes playing Callie and Callie's Gramma on "Pete the Cat" and voicing characters on the Disney Channel series "Hamster & Gretel."

While much of Alyson Stoner's career is cemented in the Disney Channel fandom, they have also made a name for themself in the DC fandom, first swinging onto the scene as the voice of Batgirl on the animated series "Young Justice" from 2011 to 2021. They played the same role in other DC projects, including 2018's "LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman– Rage of Atlantis" and 2019's "Lego DC Batman: Family Matters." "Being Batgirl is sort of a big deal," they told ToonBarn, adding that "Lego DC Batman: Family Matters" finds the superhero on a fun side adventure while discovering another part of their identity.

They also celebrated Ruby Rose's turn as "Batwoman," a role that Rose played across several of DC's live-action TV shows, first appearing as the character on "Supergirl" in 2018. @AlysonStoner shared a photo on X of Rose looking at them while at a premiere with the caption, "Get yourself a bae who looks at you the way Ruby Rose looks at me. I kid. Welcome to the Batfamily."

Family movies and TV series are at the center of Alyson Stoner's career, but they claim that they were once fired from a children's series after they came out as queer. In a June 2023 episode of the podcast "I'm Literally Screaming with Spencewuah," Stoner said, "I did end up getting fired from a children's show because they felt that I was unsafe now that they knew that I was queer, to be around kids. So there was like, definitely, discrimination there, but the beauty far outweighs the hate comments and the death threats. It was intimidating but also liberating."

Stoner wrote a piece for Teen Vogue in 2018 titled, "Alyson Stoner: How I Embraced My Sexual Identity," detailing their first relationship with a woman, whom they met while attending a dance class. "I. Alyson, am attracted to men, women, and people who identify in other ways," they wrote while asking for people to accept them as who they are and asking for others to let their true selves shine. They ended the piece by expressing how everyone deserves to be loved and supported.

As they continue to grow their acting career and maintain their stellar dancing resume, Alyson Stoner has been showing people how movement can connect to mental health. According to alysonstoner.com, they and their sister started Movement Genius in 2020, offering inclusive classes designed by therapists with a focus on reducing stress and improving mental health in an on-the-go format. Stoner notes on their website that this is just one of the ways that they've become an advocate for mental health, adding that they are working on projects that specifically support entertainers. They've also created affirmation albums that offer uplifting messages to listeners throughout the day.

On May 30, 2021, Stoner released the book "MIND BODY PRIDE: A 7-Step Guide for Deeper Connection," examining how behavior and people's way of thinking can affect their whole body while offering readers places to journal about their experiences. They released another book on November 9, 2021, titled "Mind Body Movement: The 7-Step Guide to Heal Your Body and Improve Your Mental Health," which offers activities that take a deeper look at habits, stress, anxiety, and how they relate to how a person communicates, among other things.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

In 2019, Alyson Stoner added podcaster to their job titles by releasing the series "Simplexity." Each episode features them talking with experts about complex life issues like selling personal data, the intimidation surrounding finances, and sustainability. The show's last episode premiered in August 2020.

In 2023, they began talking about their childhood stardom in the podcast "Dear Hollywood." Visual versions of the podcast can be found on their YouTube channel, and feature the entertainer explaining childhood acting, the world of auditions, and eating disorders. During Season 1, Episode 5, "Becoming a Product: Eating Disorders and Body Images," they shared how perfectionism became a goal. "I wanted to be the most talented artist, the most likable brand, the best role model. And my body was a major feature of each," they said.

Stoner also talked about their upbringing in an op-ed for People in 2021, noting they felt like a machine at the age of 12, undergoing a rigorous schedule that included late-night rehearsals and skipping dinner. "My body is medically malnourished and chronically stressed, which later will evolve into severe eating disorders, adrenal failure, and mandatory bedrest," they wrote. They told Access Hollywood that they went to rehab after undergoing a restrictive diet and intense training while focusing on auditioning for "The Hunger Games."

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

Alyson Stoner is not the only celebrity sharing what they went through as a childhood star. Christy Carlson Romano — who rose to fame as Ren Stevens on the Disney Channel series "Even Stevens" — has been vocal about her experiences growing up in the spotlight. She started the podcast "Vulnerable with Christy Carlson Romano," having open conversations with guests, including Stoner, about how they got to where they are today. 

They chatted with Romano in a March 2022 episode of the series, noting that the actors first met when Romano was being interviewed on "Mike's Super Short Show," which was a series of shorts promoting Disney projects on the Disney Channel. Stoner appeared as Sally from 2002 to 2006. During Romano's podcast, they discussed the lack of resources for parents of child entertainers and highlighted the need for conversations that center on the well-being of these young performers. They added, "I have found myself when I see other young actors, and you know, parents are seeking support and encouragement from me or wanting to talk and celebrate ... about all of the recent auditions, and my heart is inwardly breaking a little bit because I'm like, 'Oh, there's so much more to this story, there are so many layers here, and I just hope, hope, hope that your child develops into a whole person.'"

While Alyson Stoner is working to share how movement can improve mental health, they're also sharing their dance moves on social media. On Instagram, @alsyonstoner posted a video of them dancing to "Bellyache" by Billie Eilish in October 2023. "Camp Rock" co-star Demi Lovato commented on the video, praising the dancer with a bunch of fire emojis. They've also shared that they attend classes led by other dancers. On their Instagram account, they posted a video of them training in July 2023 with the caption, "I'm really trying to reorient my relationship to dance. I can feel myself moving beyond the past and opening my mind to create an authentic, expressive, fulfilling experience in this next decade."

When Stoner is not sharing dancing videos, they're sharing quick ways for people to include movement into their daily routine, whether it be the shaking technique to reduce stress or bilateral tapping, which involves tapping feet on the floor or tapping hands on both shoulders, legs, or knees. 

In 2023, Alyson Stoner appeared in a horror film, in stark contrast to much of their past work. Variety broke the news that Stoner would be joined by several other child stars in the LGBTQ+ movie "Howdy, Neighbor!" which follows former child star Benjamin Caldwell (Matthew Scott Montgomery) who finds himself in a dark tale after meeting a new neighbor. Like Stoner, Montgomery was also a Disney Channel kid, playing Matthew Bailey on the series "So Random." Fans may also recall Allisyn Snyder, who played Zora Lancaster and sat in the director's chair for "Howdy, Neighbor!"

Debby Ryan, who played the title role in Disney Channel's "Jessie," is also a member of the cast, and Snyder told Screen Rant how thrilled she was to include other people who had grown up in the entertainment industry. "It was really a dream come true because these were our best friends and our co-workers. People that we've grown up with in the industry, and to be able to reach out to them with a script that was so personal to use and that they also resonated with as well, and just find a new way to come back and work together as a group was just so, so fun," she said, adding that they filmed Stoner's scenes in less than two hours while also taking time to catch up.