Stunning Transformation Of Debby Ryan
Born May 13, 1993, Debby Ryan quickly became one of the fan-favorite Disney alums with her roles on "Suite Life on Deck" and later, "Jessie."
Unlike some Disney alums, she transitioned beautifully from Disney teen star to film-television star. Soon after Disney, she went on to work in independent films and music alike. Truthfully, a lot of people know her from the memes of her from the movie, "Radio Rebel," with the iconic half smile going viral, (via Junkee). And despite what people would think, she was laughing along the entire way (via Yahoo).
So she's a talented actress, singer, producer, she's beautiful, funny, and can take a joke? What can't she do? The multi-talented actress has been around for over a decade, and fans can't wait to see what she'll do in the next phase of her career. And yet, there's still a lot fans don't know about the Disney alum.
Debby could speak both German and English when she was younger
Born in Huntsville, Alabama to John and Missy Ryan, Debby Ryan also has a brother, Chase Ryan. They didn't live in Alabama for long, however, as her father worked for the U.S. military and was stationed in different places often. As the family moved to new locations like Germany and Texas, to name a couple, and Debby at one point could speak both English and German (via The Famous People).
She opened up about being bullied in school for her brainy hobbies, including chess, (via Popbuzz). However, that didn't stop her from being her most authentic self, and getting into acting. While she did some plays at school, Debby started getting into the entertainment business around 2007. She guest-starred in the show "Barney and Friends," and got some commercial gigs sporadically, with her most notable being the iDog commercial, (via WebArchive.org). However, 2008 became a big year for her and her career.
Debby became a multi-talented Disney star early in her career
Debby Ryan was cast as Bailey Pickett, an intelligent girl from a small town in Kansas, in the Disney series, "The Suite Life on Deck." The show ended up being a huge success, rated the No. 1 scripted TV series in 2008.
Ryan became a fan favorite and soon starred in Disney Channel original films like "16 Wishes" and "Radio Rebel." Then from 2011 to 2015, she starred as Jessie in the Disney hit series, "Jessie," based around a girl from Texas who becomes a nanny for four rich kids (via IMDb). The show was an even bigger success than "Suite Life on Deck," but it was time for Ryan to part ways with Disney.
In 2011, she started to dip her toes into the music industry by releasing a single called "We Ended Right," with her brother. She released more folk-based singles called "Open Eyes" and "When the Dark Falls," (via Last.fm). Ryan is also a member of the band named "Debby and The Never Ending," and they released a their first album "One" on 2014, (via The Famous People).
Debby is an abuse survivor
As for her personal life, Debby Ryan has been pretty open in the past about her relationships. Most notably, how she opened up about her past abusive relationship in 2015.
She went on to discuss with People how one of her relationship's took a turn for the worst. "It was a couple years ago, and things were seemingly amazing," she recalled. "Career-wise, they were great, and in general life they were great. But then I was in a friendship – kind of a working relationship – and it ended up becoming more and more destructive, and getting emotionally and mentally abusive."
She continued, "I feel like I've come out so much stronger, but it's a situation that enslaves you for a very long time. If I can learn anything from the scars, I don't consider it a loss." Since then, Ryan been an advocate for survivors of abuse, and has done a lot to help. One of which was raising awareness and making a hashtag, when partnering with Mary Kay, (via Teen Vogue).
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Debby's just getting started with her career
After her Disney days, Debby Ryan continued with her TV roots and starred in the YouTube Red series "Sing It" and the short-lived Netflix series, "Insatiable." Along with that, she's become an indie film darling by starring in films like "Horse Girl," "Life of the Party," and "Every Day." As of 2021, she has two projects in the works, (via IMDb).
As of writing, Ryan is married to the drummer of Twenty One Pilots, Josh Dun. While they got engaged in 2018, they told Vogue that they planned the entire wedding in 28 days. "We began to flirt with the idea of having a destination party celebrating the new decade, then decided in December to get married [in Austin] on New Year's Eve, and just keep dancing until after the ball dropped," Ryan explained that after the death of her close friend and actor, Cameron Boyce, it "didn't feel important to wait anymore, to stop being busy, or for things to line up perfectly." The pair later married in 2020.