What The Cast Of Jessie Is Doing Today
The following article references mental health struggles, suicidal ideation, and alcohol misuse.
In the mid-'00s, the Disney Channel blessed young tweens with some of the most iconic shows that we're still rewatching today: "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "Hannah Montana," and "Wizards of Waverly Place." We'd argue that not many shows that followed reached the cult status of its predecessors, except for one: "Jessie." "Jessie" is one of those shows that takes you back in time the moment you hear the theme song. Suddenly, you're 12 years old again, watching Disney Channel cross-legged on the couch in your Power Puff Girl pajamas. (Or maybe you were a little bit older when the show first aired, we're not judging.)
Created by Pamela Eells O'Connell, the comedy, which ran from 2011 to 2015, follows a small-town girl named Jessie Prescott who moves to New York City to pursue her dreams. She finds herself working as a nanny for a wealthy family in a luxurious penthouse in Manhattan. While the globe-trotting parents are mostly absent, Jessie relies on the help of the family's butler and young doorman to take care of the four boisterous children: Emma, Luke, Ravi, and Zuri. Throw in the family pet (a seven-foot Asian water monitor lizard named Mr Kipling) and a few mishaps, and you have the perfect recipe for a hilarious family show.
In the years since the series wrapped, the actors who starred in the show have taken vastly different paths in their careers. Here's what the cast of "Jessie" is up to today.
Debby Ryan married a successful musician
"Jessie" star Debby Ryan has not slowed down since her days of playing Jessie Prescott. The former "The Suite Life On Deck" actor has gone on to land roles on shows like "Insatiable" and "The Resort," and she scored a cameo in 2023's "Fast X." Oh, and she planned a wedding in under a month.
On New Year's Eve in 2019, Ryan married "Twenty One Pilots" drummer Josh Dun in Austin, Texas. The wedding was a lavish, three-day event that they put together in only a few weeks. As she told Vogue, she and Dun, who have been linked since 2013 and got engaged in 2018, decided to speed up the wedding planning after the death of Ryan's close friend (presumably her "Jessie" co-star Cameron Boyce). "When he passed, it really rocked me and put a lot of things in perspective," she told Vogue. "It didn't feel important to wait anymore, to stop being busy, or for things to line up perfectly—intending to do things is not nearly as powerful as doing, as we aren't promised tomorrow."
In recent years, the former child star has embraced life far away from Tinseltown. In 2023, Dun and Ryan showed Architectural Digest around their eclectic Columbus, Ohio, home. At one point, they showed off a set of director's chairs emblazoned with the logos from three of her past TV shows. "I like to keep them with me, especially when building our future," Ryan said.
Peyton List starred in two hit TV shows
Since playing Emma Ross, the spoiled but sweet eldest child of the Ross family, Peyton List has landed parts in two popular TV shows. In 2019, the "Jessie" alum appeared in "Cobra Kai", the spin-off series of the beloved "Karate Kid" franchise of the '80s. The show was an instant hit, earning 94% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and so was List; her recurring character eventually became a series regular.
List was brought on to play the rebellious but confident Tory Nichols on "Cobra Kai." As she told Teen Vogue, the actor was drawn to the part because it was such a big change from her previous work. "I really love working with stunts and martial artists and doing all the action on ['Cobra Kai']," she said. "I'm looking to take on darker roles. I have more to offer."
In 2023, List's teen drama "School Spirits" hit Paramount+. In the supernatural series, she plays Maddie, a dead high school student who teams up with some ghosts to try to get to the bottom of her death. "I felt like ['School Spirits'] was the opposite of most Y.A. shows, where it's like, 'Oh, kill me. I don't want to be here,'" she told Teen Vogue. "It was [about Maddie] wanting to be alive so badly and realizing the value of her life when she was gone, and the value of her friendships and what she could have fixed."
Cameron Boyce died at a young age
Cameron Boyce, who played the mischievous Luke Ross on "Jessie," died on July 6, 2019. He was just 20 years old. According to a statement released by his family, the actor passed away after having a seizure in his sleep. "The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him," read part of the statement (via ABC News).
Boyce was heavily involved in charity work in the years before his death, and in 2018 he was given the Pioneering Spirit Award for his work with the Thirst Project, which provides safe drinking water to vulnerable communities. Boyce raised $30,000 to build wells in Swaziland, and after his death, over 350 people raised $15,000 for the charity in his honor. Among the donors was Boyce's "Grown Ups" costar Adam Sandler.
Tributes poured in from Boyce's "Jessie" co-stars following the tragic news. "Through and through, Cam is good, in all ways and to all people... he couldn't help himself but to always leave you smiling, or laughing, or dancing," wrote Debby Ryan on Instagram. His TV sister and close friend Peyton List penned a note on Instagram describing him as "the boy who left everyone feeling hopeful and full of love." In a since-deleted Instagram post (via GMA), his other TV sister Skai Jackson said he was like a brother to her on the show and in real life.
Skai Jackson wrote a powerful memoir on anti-bullying and self-acceptance
Skai Jackson played the funny and precocious Zuri Ross, the youngest of the four Ross kids. Since her time on "Jessie," Jackson has continued to act, and even competed on "Dancing With The Stars." In 2019, she released her memoir, cleverly titled "Reach For the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback."
The book details Jackson's journey to self-acceptance. She writes about the bullying she faced both personally and professionally being a woman of color, and even gives readers tips on how deal with online trolls. "I want my readers to be inspired and hear my story," she told PopSugar. "Just because I'm a public figure doesn't mean I haven't gone through struggles or tough times in my life. I want them to know that everything is going to be OK and to also see another side of me that they don't know about."
In her memoir, Jackson also addresses the lack of diversity in Hollywood. "We need to make more roles available to everyone. Our industry needs to change," she wrote. "To all my brown-skinned sisters out there, keep chasing your dreams and keep your head up. Change is coming, and I see you." With Jackson being only 17 years old when she wrote such a powerful book, it's easy to see why she made Hollywood Reporter's "Top 30 Stars Under Age 18" list, Variety's "Young Hollywood Impact Report," and Time's "30 Most Influential Teens of the Year" list.
Karan Brar came out as bisexual
In 2023, Teen Vogue published a personal essay written by Karan Brar, who played the adorable Ravi Ross on "Jessie." In it, he detailed his experience coming out as bisexual to his best friends and roommates, Cameron Boyce and Sophie Reynolds. "The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it," he wrote. Brar recalled telling Reynolds and Boyce that he'd move out, but they not only shut down this suggestion but let him know his sexuality didn't change anything. "This was a crisp picture of what unconditional love looked like: my two best friends sitting across from me on a discount couch, waiting to hear me describe my type so they could take on their new roles as matchmakers. They weren't going anywhere," he wrote.
In the same essay, Brar opened up about his mental health, particularly the impact Boyce's death had on him and his subsequent struggle with alcohol. After experiencing suicidal thoughts, he booked himself into an inpatient treatment centre where he was treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. "That was three years ago, and today, I'm doing much better," he wrote.
On the professional life side of things, Brar has stayed busy. After "Jessie," he joined Peyton List and Skai Jackson on the spin-off series "Bunk'd." He also went on to lend his voice to the Disney Junior animated series "Mira, Royal Detective" and "Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham."
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Pierson Fode connected with Victoria Justice on and off the screen
On "Jessie," Pierson Fode played the role of Brooks Wentworth, Jessie's boyfriend who eventually proposes. Since his time on the Disney Channel series, the actor has appeared in a number of TV shows and films, most notably the indie film "Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List" alongside Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice.
In the film, Naomi (Justice) and Ely (Fode) are best friends, and Naomi develops romantic feelings for Ely, who is gay. Things between the two friends get even more complicated when they both start liking the same guy. "It's a modern day love triangle," Fode told Teen Vogue. The role marked the first time Fode played an LGBTQ character. "I really wanted to do the role justice so I made it a point to familiarize myself with the territory," he said. "I wanted to ground my character in reality and not feed into flamboyant stereotypes."
In real life, Fode and Justice dated for two years. According to Fode, they clicked right away, but he had no idea just how famous she was. "I had heard she was in some Nickelodeon stuff, which was cool, but it wasn't until we started filming that I noticed she was a star," he said. "In between takes she would go off and take pictures with the crowds of fans who would gather around set." After the couple broke up in 2015, Justice was spotted attending Fode's birthday party, which leaves us to believe they ended on good terms.
Kevin Chamberlain starred in Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical
On all four seasons of "Jessie," Kevin Chamberlain played the sarcastic butler Bertram. Since the show wrapped, Chamberlain has continued to act, and even played Gusteau in "Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical."
It all started as a TikTok trend that went viral. Schoolteacher Emily Jacobsen composed and posted an a cappella tribute to Remy, the talented rodent from the 2007 Pixar film. Soon, other users joined in with their own videos, until a whole musical was created. In 2020, Seaview Productions announced that they would be turning the viral trend into an actual production called "Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical." The star-studded cast included Adam Lambert, Tony winner André De Shields, "Emily in Paris" actor Ashley Park — as well as three-time Tony Award nominee Chamberlain.
The project came when the entertainment industry was hit hard by the pandemic. Proceeds from ticket sales went towards The Actors Fund, which provides assistance to industry professionals. With over $2 million raised, it marked the largest fundraiser in the organization's history. "This kind of project would never have happened without the pandemic," Chamberlain said (via Rutgers). He noted that platforms like TikTok have created spaces for creative expression like never before. "Now is the time to be creative because your art has to push through even during a pandemic. There are so many possibilities with just that little black mirror in your hand, from web series to YouTube...Today, there are so many other ways than being onstage."
Carolyn Hennesy appeared in the Gilmore Girls reboot
On "Jessie," Carolyn Hennesy played Rhoda Chesterfield, a rich, selfish woman who lives one floor below the Ross family's apartment. She serves as the show's antagonist, even trying to get Mr Kipling evicted from the building at one point. Hennesy's experience playing unlikable, wealthy characters (like her roles on Revenge, True Blood, and General Hospital) is perhaps why landed her next role in the 2016 "Gilmore Girls" revival. She joined the cast of "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" as Toni, the head of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. "I think there's a lot of what I've done that's prepared me to be an uptight, monied individual. Certainly Rosalyn Harris on 'True Blood,'" she told TV Fanatic.
When asked why she took the reboot role, Hennesy jokingly told Fox News, "The money. One does have to pay one's mortgage!" She then noted the showing cult-status as a motivator. "But, the idea of being on the reboot of [an] iconic show, and it's only in being on it that you get the full scope of how iconic and important this show was and is to so many people," she said. "I have now women of a certain age, younger women, men who are talking about 'Gilmore Girls' to me. I hoping we will see more."
Hennesy continues to stay booked. As of this writing, she's not only appeared in over 600 episodes of "General Hospital," but she's scored roles on shows like "Studio City," "NCIS," and Nickelodeon's "Big Nate."
Chris Galya is active on Instagram
Chris Galya played Tony Chiccolini, the young doorman at the Ross family's apartment building who eventually starts dating Jessie. Since his time on "Jessie," Galya hasn't done much acting. As of this writing, his most recent credits are "Dead Trigger" and "The Boonies," both of which were released in 2017.
While his acting resume isn't filling up, his Instagram grid sure is. Galya is very active on Instagram, keeping his fans updated with his life since the show ended — and it looks like he's having a great time. The actor often posts pictures of his travels; jumping off boats in Mexico, attending weddings in the Bahamas, and sunbathing on the Amalfi Coast. He's also done his fair share of sightseeing; the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Colosseum and Sistine Chapel in Rome, and an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Galya's Instagram account also gives a lot of insight into his hobbies. He loves playing tennis and attending NASCAR races. He frequently attends music festivals, including Coachella.He's also a talented artist, often sharing pictures of his paintings on his account.
As far as his love life is concerned, it appears he's dating a woman named Heather Catania, who is featured in many of his photos. She's a brand strategist for Creative Disruptors and the founder of Social Fleur. Their earliest photo together dates way back to September 2012, so it's probably safe to assume they've been together for a while.