Alyson Stoner

Alyson Stoner
Alyson Rae Stoner (born August 11, 1993) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. Their film roles include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005), and the Step Up franchise (2006–2014). Their television roles include serving as the host of Disney Channel's Mike's Super Short Show (2001–2007), playing Max in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005–2007), voicing Isabella Garcia-Shapiro in Phineas and Ferb (2007–2015), and portraying Caitlyn in Camp Rock (2008) and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010).
Stoner has been a background dancer for several artists including Missy Elliott, Eminem, Kumbia Kings, Outkast, and Will Smith. They lent their voice to the Kingdom Hearts franchise (2008–2020) and the Holly Hobbie & Friends series of animated television specials (2006–2008). They also released twelve singles and two extended plays.
Early life
Stoner was born in Toledo, Ohio, the child of LuAnne Hodges (née Adams), a former executive secretary at Owens-Illinois, and Charlie Stoner. While growing up in Toledo, Stoner attended Maumee Valley Country Day School and studied ballet, tap dance, and jazz dance at the O'Connell's Dance Studio. They also modeled and trained at the Margaret O'Brien Modeling Studio. They won Best Model of the Year at the International Modeling and Talent Association Convention in New York City under O'Brien's studio in 2000.
Career
Acting and singing
In 2001, Stoner became the co-host of the Disney Channel Mike's Super Short Show along with Michael Alan Johnson, an infomercial segment regarding forthcoming Disney releases. In 2003 and 2005, they appeared as Sarah, one of the twelve Baker children, in the successful comedies Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. They have also appeared in several television shows aimed at the preteen audience, including The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, That's So Raven and Drake & Josh.
In 2006, they had a small film role in Step Up as Camille, Channing Tatum's character's younger foster sister. They provided the voice of Isabella Garcia-Shapiro and Jenny (until Season 4) in the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb from 2007 to 2015. In 2008, they starred in the Disney Channel Original movie Camp Rock as Caitlyn Gellar, an aspiring music producer. Their reception in Camp Rock was particularly strong, with various media outlets suggesting it was about time they played a main character role having backed up for other big names such as Will Smith and Eminem. Stoner starred as Alice McKinley in the movie Alice Upside Down, based loosely on the Alice series, particularly The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. This was their second starring role and, according to an interview that appears on the direct-to-DVD release, they state that this was the first time they have had to appear in every scene in a movie.
In 2008, they sang two songs, "Lost and Found" and "Free Spirit", from the soundtrack of the movie Alice Upside Down, in which they play the lead role. They have also recorded a cover version of the song Dancing in the Moonlight for the 2009 Disney DVD/Blu-ray movie, Space Buddies. In 2010, Stoner appeared in the third Step Up film Step Up 3D opposite Adam Sevani where they reprised the role. Stoner uploaded a video onto their official YouTube page of their final dance rehearsal which introduced other cast members. The same year, Stoner returned to reprise their role as Caitlyn Gellar in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, a sequel to Camp Rock. Stoner also guest-starred in the television drama series House as a skater.
In 2011, Stoner started working with record producers, songwriters and a vocal coach to change their vocal style from "kiddie-pop" to a more soulful pop vibe with a little alternative edge for their first studio album. On April 4, 2010, Stoner posted a video to their YouTube Channel announcing the release of their debut single "Flying Forward" on April 20, 2010. Stoner released their debut EP entitled Beat the System in 2011. They also appeared in Wii Fit related videos on the Nintendo Channel on the Wii video game console demonstrating balance exercises. Stoner replaced Hayden Panettiere as the voice of Kairi in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Xion in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and both characters in Kingdom Hearts III. They voiced the character Opal in seasons three and four of The Legend of Korra.
Dancing
After choreography training in Los Angeles, Stoner appeared as a backup dancer in several music videos, notably Missy Elliott's "Work It", "Gossip Folks", "I'm Really Hot", Eminem's "Just Lose It", and "No Tengo Dinero" by the Kumbia Kings. They have also been a backup dancer for Outkast at the 2004 Kids' Choice Awards and for Will Smith at the 2005 show. Stoner danced with a dancing group called The JammX Kids between 2003 and 2006. They quit the group in early 2006 due to scheduling conflicts, but continues to work with the individual kids on different jobs. They were also one of the dancers in the special features for the Shark Tale DVD.
Stoner teaches hip hop classes at the Millennium Dance Complex, and is credited as the youngest person to teach a master class there. They also appeared in Debby Ryan's "We Got the Beat" for Disney Channel's Radio Rebel. In February 2015, they released a dance tribute video to Missy Elliot featuring a mash up medley of Missy Elliott videos they had danced in when they were younger. Within the first week, it received more than 12 million views. Missy Elliott invited Alyson to perform "Work It" with them at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.
Publishing
Stoner was the "dance editor" for KEWL Magazine. In February 2009, Stoner released the Alyson Stoner Project described as "a dance video hybrid — melding many styles of entertainment into one package". It was directed by Kevin Schmidt, their co-star from Cheaper by the Dozen.
Personal life
In March 2018, Stoner came out in an article on Teen Vogue, stating they were "attracted to men, women, and people who identify in other ways." Later that year they stated in an interview "I don't feel comfortable labeling my sexual orientation or even faith at the moment." In June 2023, Stoner stated that they used "they/them" pronouns and that they had been fired from a television show after coming out as queer.
Stoner has been open about their struggles with mental health and disordered eating. According to Stoner, they first developed anxiety at age six due to the high-stress environment of working in the entertainment industry with symptoms including heart palpitations, hair loss, and seizures. In 2011, at age 17, they were hospitalized and checked themself into rehab facility for eating disorders, having struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder for years. They credit therapy for assisting in their recovery.
Filmography
Film
Television
Web
Video games
Discography
Extended plays
Singles
Featured singles
Other appearances
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Alyson Stoner interview from Portrait magazine.
1993 births
Living people
21st-century American actors
21st-century American singers
21st-century American LGBT people
Actresses from Toledo, Ohio
American child actors
American child singers
American dancers
American film actors
American television actors
American voice actors
American non-binary musicians
American non-binary actors
American LGBT singers
American LGBT dancers
Non-binary singers
Non-binary dancers
LGBT people from Ohio
Maumee Valley Country Day School alumni
Musicians from Toledo, Ohio