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16 Black Celebs Who Appeared On Disney Channel Before They Were Super Famous

By Kristen Harris,

2023-02-02

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Not only are Raven-Symoné and Zendaya two of the most iconic faces in Hollywood, but they're also two of the biggest stars to get their start on Disney Channel. However, they're not the only ones.

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Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection, Craig Sjodin / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Here are 16 Black celebs you probably didn't know got their start with Disney too:

1. In her first role, Nia Long played Darla Perkins in the Disney TV movie The B.R.A.T. Patrol , which premiered as part of The Wonderful World of Disney .

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ABC / Disney / Via youtube.com

2. Before she starred on the Nickelodeon series True Jackson, VP , Keke Palmer played a key role in the double Dutch DCOM Jump In. She also filmed a pilot for a Disney Channel series called Keke & Jamal , but it wasn't picked up.

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John Medland / © Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

3. When she was 12, Bel-Air actor Coco Jones competed in Radio Disney's Next Big Thing music competition. She signed with Disney's label (Hollywood Records), guest-starred on two of their shows ( Good Luck Charlie and So Random ), and starred in a musical DCOM ( Let It Shine ). She was promised a sequel and her own series, but those plans never came to fruition.

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Bob Mahoney / Disney Channel via Getty Images

4. Before her Riverdale days, Vanessa Morgan starred in three DCOMs — Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars , My Babysitter's a Vampire , and Geek Charming . She also starred in the Disney Channel series My Babysitter's a Vampire (a spinoff of the movie) and had a recurring role on A.N.T. Farm .

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

5. One of Chloe Bailey's earliest roles was as a choir member in Let It Shine . She also guest-starred as herself on an episode of Austin & Ally .

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

6. Halle Bailey appeared alongside her sister Chloe in Let It Shine and Austin & Ally . She's set to play her first leading role in Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid .

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

7. Before her breakout role on BET's Being Mary Jane , Raven Goodwin had a recurring role as Ivy Wentz on Good Luck Charlie .

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Randy Holmes / Disney Channel via Getty Images

8. Trevor Jackson's earliest professional role was as Young Simba in the national tour of Disney's The Lion King musical when he was 8. One of his first major TV roles was as Kris McDuffy in the DCOM Let It Shine . He also guest-starred on Austin & Ally .

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Bob Mahoney / Disney Channel via Getty Images

9. Before he landed a main role on Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 , Christopher Massey had a guest spot on That's So Raven alongside his younger brother Kyle.

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Disney Channel / Via Disney+

10. The Walking Dead actor Sydney Park made her onscreen debut as the recurring character Sydney on That's So Raven .

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Michael Ansell / © Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

11. Now known for Freeform's The Fosters and ABC's Grand Hotel , Chris Warren first rose to prominence as Zeke Baylor in the High School Musical trilogy.

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

12. Before booking a main role on the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush , Tanya Chisholm played a minor role in High School Musical 2 .

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

13. Twitch streamer/influencer/entrepreneur Khleo Thomas had early roles in two Disney movies: Holes and Going to the Mat .

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Walt Disney / Courtesy Everett Collection

14. The first main TV role Kyla Pratt booked was the voice of Penny Proud on The Proud Family . She reprised the role for The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder .

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Image Group La / Disney via Getty Images, Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

15. En Vogue member Rhona Bennett got her start as a member of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club .

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Disney Channel / Courtesy Everett Collection

16. And finally, one of Jordan Fisher's first onscreen roles was as Seacat in the musical DCOMs Teen Beach Movie and Teen Beach Movie 2 . He also had a recurring role on Liv and Maddie . More recently, he voiced Robaire in the Pixar movie Turning Red .

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Disney Channel / Via youtube.com

Black History Month is here! Join us from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 (or all-year round) and support our content celebrating the culture.

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