15 Disney Kids That Grew Up To Become Hot AF

Living a life in the spotlight is difficult, but it's even more difficult during your formative years, when you're dealing with crooked teeth, acne, growth spurts, and weight in all the wrong places. To be a Disney Channel star in this day and age is tough stuff, so it's not surprising when we don't hear from their alumni for a while (or hear way too much about them and then nothing at all). While a lot of these stars have dealt with the pitfalls of adolescence, like having terrible fashion sense, weird hair, and just an overall dorky appearance, all 15 of them have been lucky enough to come out clean on the other side. (At least physically speaking.) Moving from silly to smoking, these Disney Channel kids range in age, showing that some were able to enjoy their own glow-up just a couple years after they were televised in all their awkwardness, and some took well over a decade to earn their hottie badge. There are tons of Disney alumni who has ended up looking super-sexy - these are just 15 of them.

15 Emily Osment

The younger sister of Hayley Joel “I See Dead People” Osment, Emily Osment got her start in Hollywood via the Hannah Montana vehicle that catapulted Miley Cyrus to fame. Now 25, Emily was only 14 when she began playing the role of Lilly Truscott, Miley's BFF on the Disney Channel show. Working the weirdly over-accessorized skater look that was popular in the mid-aughts, Emily also solidified her place in the Disney machine via voice-over roles in Disney films and video games, hosting gigs like that of the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade, and even recorded songs for Disney CDs. By 2010, she was talking about working more as a musician, released an album, and went on tour. While she's ditched the Disney gig (the way most Disney stars tend to), she hasn't strayed too far from her roots, working on a TV series for ABC Family, which was produced by another hottie Disney alum, Ashley Tisdale!

14 Miley Cyrus

Up next we've got Emily Osment's partner-in-crime, Miley Cyrus! Miley's glow-up isn't without its fair share of controversy, as many people believe that she looked far better before, when she was just edging out of the Disney bubble and still retained her natural youthful glow with minimal makeup, flowy princess gowns, and long brown hair. Fast-forward a couple years and Miley's foray into music has been chock full of criticism, controversy, and endless speculation about her personal life. Now, with better teeth, an outlandish wardrobe, and a flagrant sexuality that she's happy to rub her critics' noses in, Miley has grown up into the bad girl that many Disney Channel stars become, since they're finally out from under the protective - and often controlling - hand of the media behemoth. Whatever you may think of Miley's short blonde 'do, provocative dance moves, and casual drug use, you've gotta admit that the woman is embracing and celebrating who she really is, after all this time.

13 Demi Lovato

Part of the second generation of Disney Channel stars who made it big (and sometimes went a little bad), we've got Demi Lovato, who was operating under Disney's thumb around the same time as Miley, Selena, Emily, and the Jonas Brothers. Apart from making a name for herself on Disney's Camp Rock and Sonny with a Chance, she made her debut in Barney & Friends, as a bespectacled, chubby young girl alongside real-life BFF Selena Gomez. Like most of us, Demi dealt with a fair share of awkward adolescence, with too-big teeth and skewed body image that resulted in a long personal battle with bulimia, self-mutilation, and drugs. Fortunately, she's come out clean on the other side, and health has never looked so amazing as it does on Demi! With evolving hair styles, a shapely figure, and a fierce fashion sense, Demi has left her awkward teenage years in the dust for much greener pastures.

12 Zac Efron

Interestingly enough, even when Zac Efron was considered a hottie during his High School Musical days, no one had any idea quite how drool-worthy he would grow up to become. After he fixed the gap between his teeth (which seems to be a theme in the blossoming of Disney stars) and later broke up with costar Vanessa Hudgens, Zac became one of the most eligible and likeable bachelors in Hollywoods, with rippling muscles, the perfect amount of scruff, and a refusal to take himself too seriously. He may have made little girl hearts pitter-patter in his role of Troy Bolton, the high school basketball player who's also - swoon! - sensitive, but he's won over the hearts (and other parts) of adult women. Now at 29 years old, he has also battled the demons of substance abuse and alcoholism that so often afflict child actors under extreme stress, but we're happy he's found the help he needs to we can continue to have the opportunity to ogle his eight-pack!

11 Hilary Duff

From a girl who wore more butterfly hair clips that anyone else in the mid-00s to a grade-A MILF, Hilary Duff was the subject of many an adolescent boy's fantasy during her days on Lizzie McGuire. In fact, she was even in the middle of a much publicized love triangle between herself, Lindsay Lohan, and Aaron Carter, the latter of whom said fairly recently that Hilary was the one for him and that he had made a mistake. Talk about unforgettable! Unlike most Disney child stars, Hilary has retained most of her squeaky-clean image, having been married and had a child, with only a minor blip during her teenage years when she dated the much older Good Charlotte frontman, Joel Madden. She's also been considered a kind of “older sister” inspiration” for the like of Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez, who said they wanted to emulate her career. While Hilary was definitely a cutie when she was younger, she has since become a full-fledged sexy mama!

10 Aly Michalka

She's better known for being a musician, as one half of the duo Aly & AJ with younger sister AJ Michalka, but Aly Michalka first got her start at the age of 15 in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future (which ended after only two seasons). But, this pretty lady hasn't been resting on her laurels, she's been busy with music and movies (you might recognize her from the Emma Stone flick Easy A). While Aly was another girl who was certainly a cute one during her time with Disney, she too was overly interested in extra accessories and a kind of girly-Goth look. Now, however, she's grown up into a beautiful young woman who has left a few extra accessories off of her outfit in order to keep things polished. Also, the new brunette locks are far more flattering to her pale complexion and give her a kind of high-fashion look that is killer for any Disney glow-up.

9 Bella Thorne

Super adorable became super sexy when it comes to Bella Thorne! The girl has always had a bit of attitude and fire to her, which is unlike a lot of other former Disney Channel stars, but Bella has been able to work it to her advantage in music and movies. Alongside Zendaya, Bella appeared in the TV show Shake It Up as main character CeCe Jones. (CeCe was also rebellious and a bit of a trouble-maker, so clearly Disney knew who they were dealing with.) Now, at only 19, Bella regularly makes headlines for her personal life, which involves dating other teenage heartthrobs like Teen Wolf's Tyler Posey and another Disney Channel alum, Gregg Sulkin, before coming out publicly as bisexual on her Twitter. Outspoken, fierce, and hot as hell, Bella's blossoming into a gorgeous young adult is definitely worthy of note. We bet she'll only get hotter as the years go by!

8 Nick Jonas

Everyone was shocked when Nick Jonas showed up in 2014 after a bit of an absence, looking hot as hell and completely ripped in a series of shirtless magazine photos that put all his goodies on display. Prior to that, he'd just been the cute kid drummer with his brothers, who were known as the Jonas Brothers at that time, and usurping the tween heartthrob crown from Justin Bieber. He was who your younger sister could make moon eyes over while you enjoyed the swoopy-haired cuteness of Joe (sorry, Kevin). Now, however, he's got the whole female side of the family drooling over his sick dance moves and gorgeous body, and has been pointed to as peak “Longbottoming” evidence. Having since embarked on a successful solo career, Nick has blessed us with catchy bangers and steamy videos while not totally shaking the appeal that made him so likeable in the first place. He may be a major hottie, but he doesn't wear it with the arrogance of most.

7 Christy Carlson Romano

Who would've thought that the tightly-wound Ren Stevens would grow up to become such a hottie? As Ren on Even Stevens and the voice of Kim Possible in the Disney Channel animated series, Christy Carlson Romano didn't exactly inspire naughty thoughts, mostly because her bossy ways reminded everyone of their big sister. However, those tables has since turned, and Christy even made a steamy nude shower scene happen in the horror film Mirrors 2. In addition to looking incredible and embracing her femininity now, Christy is also as smart as Ren would've wanted, attending Barnard College at the Ivy League Columbia University, which is where she met her now-husband, writer-producer Brandon Rooney. Plus, she's written her own book and provided her vocal talents to various audiobooks. While Ren and Kim may not have been quite as excited about Christy's naked movie debut, they'd probably be big fans of her personal and professional success!

6 Shia Labeouf

Coming in as Ren Stevens' former younger brother, Louis, we have Shia Labeouf! After his time on the Disney Channel's Even Stevens, Shia began to hone his dramatic chops by working in high-profile action movie franchises like the Transformers series and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. While Shia can definitely be a little unhinged at times, there's no denying that he can also be extremely hot - just look at his sweaty appearance in Sia's “Elastic Heart” music video and try not to get all hot and bothered! Having had to deal with potential mental disorders, Shia has also been extremely violent in the past, like threatening his neighbour, crashing his car, getting into bar fights, and trespassing. While we can admire Shia's artistic pursuits, including his recent art installations, we also have to admit that the bit of bad boy in him that colours so many Disney alumni helps give him an undeniable appeal.

5 Madison Pettis

She's only 18, but Madison Pettis is a little cutie who grew up from her curly-haired youth on Disney's Cory in the House as Sophie Martinez to the doe-eyed vixen she is now. She also popped up in the same role for an episode of Hannah Montana! Like Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, Madison also first appeared on Barney & Friends before being cast in the Disney film The Game Plan alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. In addition to acting, Madison has also enjoyed some time in the spotlight as a model - and it's easy to see why! The girl is absolutely gorgeous! While the photo on the right shows Madison's hair in sleek, defined waves, she's also not afraid to rock her natural curls, which inspire insane hair envy if you're lacking body in your locks. Since her Disney days, she's appeared in a few episodes of various TV shows, like Parenthood and The Real O'Neals, but if you want a better look that this grown-up Disney girl, check out her Instagram!

4 Selena Gomez

During her time on The Wizards of Waverley Place, Selena Gomez endeared herself to Disney audiences with her no-nonsense attitude and her brightly-coloured outfits (which seem to be a Disney kid staple). She also appeared alongside former BFF Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana as well, as the recurring character Mikayla. Since Wizards ended in 2012, she's moved onto music with incredible success and become the most-followed person on Instagram. Her likability and genuine personality are a hit with audiences, who see her honesty about her personal struggles with heartbreak, exhaustion, and the autoimmune disease lupus to be refreshing. Also, she gives us major Insta #goals with her posts! Sure, Selena was adorable as Alex Russo in her Disney Channel show, but she has since blossomed into a gorgeous, poised, mature young women whose award show looks are to die for. Plus, we love seeing her in her newfound couple happiness with The Weeknd!

3 Brenda Song

Brenda Song started out in the business as a child fashion model, and clearly those agents had an eye for beauty, because holy hell, look at her now! In her role of London Tipton, which began on Disney's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (London is credited with being one of Disney's longest continuous characters), Brenda got to play her “fantasy” character of a snobbish, entitled rich girl who was an obvious parody of Paris Hilton - and a fantasy for more than a few viewers! Since her time on Disney, Brenda has been able to keep a relatively clean record, even though she's had plenty of steamy photoshoots. Like Disney alum Hilary Duff, she's largely refrained from the party scene that claims so many child stars. In another bit of strange Disney knowledge, Brenda was also engaged to Miley Cyrus's half-brother, Trace, before the couple split in 2012! The world of Disney certainly seems to be a small one after all!

2 Dan Benson

Another hottie to come out of The Wizards of Waverley Place, Dan Benson played Zeke, Justin Russo's best friend and big nerd (he and Justin speak “alien” to each other). That doesn't seem to be the case for Dan Benson in real life, however! While Dan was never bad looking on the Disney Channel show, he also wasn't the hottie we see here, with a ripped body that looks even better in black and white. He's also been around the Disney block a few times, appearing in episodes of Phil of the Future and Zoey 101. Now 29 years old, Dan has been only moderately busy since Wizards ended in 2012, but it's clear that all that free time has paid off, since he's been able to transform his body from the “cool but nerdy” Zeke to the “holy hottie” he s today! Dan, if you still need some time, we're happy to support you, as long as you keep bringing us photos like these!

1 Ryan Gosling

It's almost impossibly to find a girl who hasn't found Ryan Gosling sexy as hell at one point or another. Maybe it was Crazy Stupid Love and a shirtless Ryan that did it for you, maybe it was a crying-in-the-rain Ryan in The Notebook that did it for you, or maybe it was even a Disney Channel Ryan, complete with floppy blonde hair and bad sweaters.

Okay, it probably wasn't that last Ryan, but can we talk about what a difference a decade or two makes? Sure, little Ryan Gosling is cute, in the way that you might have a crush on a kid in your third-grade classroom is cute, but today's Ryan is the kind of gorgeous that fantasies are made of. He is also incredibly humble, polite, and sincere - and totally in love with his wife, Eva Mendes, and their two daughters. Ryan Gosling is a prime example of a Disney Channel glow-up, because he went from Canadian dork to internationally renowned hottie and it just doesn't get much better than that!