Debby Ryan

Deborah Ann "Debby" Ryan is an American actress and singer, who is best known for starring as Bailey Pickett in the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life on Deck and Jessie Prescott in Jessie. The Suite Life on Deck established Ryan as a teen idol and became the most watched children's show on television since its premiere in October 2008.
Ryan started acting in professional theaters at the age of seven; in 2007, she appeared in the Barney & Friends straight-to-DVD film Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse and then was discovered in a nationwide search by Disney. She is also known for appearing in the 2008 feature film The Longshots as Edith.
In 2010, she starred in the film 16 Wishes, which was the most watched cable program on the day of its premiere on the Disney Channel and one of the most watched movies on television. In addition, 16 Wishes introduced Ryan to new audiences, such as the contemporary adult audiences since the movie received high viewership in the adults demo (18-34). Ryan starred in the independent theatrical film What If..., which premiered on August 20, 2010. She also voiced Spike in the 2012 film fairies Secret of the Wings.
==Early life==
Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama. She is a Christian and has performed in churches, theater performance groups and talent competitions. Her father was in the military, so she often moved to different places in Europe. She lived in Germany until she was 10 and can speak German and English. She started performing in professional theaters at the age of seven on an American base in Germany. She found she loved acting.
She returned to the United States at the age of 10 in 2003 and was raised in Texas. She dreamed of acting full-time. In a 2009 People Magazine interview, she described herself as a "nerd" in school. Ryan has an older brother, Chase (who is older than her by approximately two years). He is a guitarist and vocalist. In a March 2009 interview, Ryan said her older brother is one of her role models.
==Acting career==
===2006–2007: Early work and The Longshots===
Ryan began appearing in various television commercials in her early teenage years. She appeared in several commercials for iDog and various board games; she was in an iDog Dance commercial in 2008. Ryan's first film role was in 2007 as a guest character in Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse, she played the role of a teenager. Ryan also had a supporting role in the Metro Goldwyn Mayer feature film The Longshots, alongside teen actress Keke Palmer and Ice Cube. Ryan played Edith, a teenage mean girl, in the feature film.
===2008–2010: The Suite Life on Deck and rise to fame===
Ryan plays one of the main characters, Bailey Pickett in the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life on Deck. The series is a sequel/spin-off to the hit Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The series' pilot aired on September 26, 2008 in the US. The series premiere on the Disney Channel in the US drew 5.7 million viewers, and it became the most watched series premiere in Canada on the Family channel. The series was 2008's #1 top scripted television series for children between the ages of 6 to 11 and pre-teens between the ages of 9 to 14, beating the veteran series Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place in the ratings. The series is also 2009's top rated scripted series in the children and tween demographic (6-14), outpacing Hannah Montana and several other teenage shows.
In 2009, it was announced that Ryan landed a starring role in the independent feature film What If... alongside Kevin Sorbo and Kristy Swanson. The film was shot in Grand Rapids and Manistee, Michigan in July 2009 and was released to theaters on August 20, 2010. The film is produced by Pure Flix Entertainment and centers on a Christian family. In October 2009, Ryan hosted the first Tween Girl Summit in which she hosted the event and its concerts. "Tween girls are drawn to talented performers who emanate the joy of life, and we are so happy to have teen favorite Debby Ryan as the first host of The Tween Summit Music Festival," said Denise Restauri, founder of The Tween Summit, AllyKatzz.com and AK Tweens. "The Tween Summit is a day of celebrating the excitement of youth and hope for the future. As my tween friends say, 'This concert is going to Rock!'"
In 2010, she starred in the young adult film 16 Wishes, about a teenager named Abigail "Abby" Louise Jensen (Ryan) who has been planning for her sixteenth birthday party ever since she was a little girl with a list of secret wishes she wants to come true, and on the day of her 16th birthday all of her wishes came true. 16 Wishes went on to become the most watched cable program on the day of its premiere on the Disney Channel and one of the most watched movies on television. In addition, the movie introduced Ryan to new audiences, such as the contemporary adult audience since the movie received high viewership in the adults demographic (18-34).
Ryan noted that to prepare for her role in 16 Wishes, she watched numerous Brat Pack movies, most occasionally Sixteen Candles which she stated is very similar to 16 Wishes. When asked how she prepared for the role, she said "It's, at the end of the day it depends on the script. You can do a comedy and it's completely different than a different comedy. I watch a lot of movies. 16 Wishes, when I went up to do that I watched Sixteen Candles and a couple of coming-of-age films. I love Molly Ringwald. So getting into the feel of that..."
===2011–2015: Jessie===
Ryan starred in The Suite Life Movie, based off the show she had starred in. The show finished its run on May 6, 2011. In March 2011, it was announced that Ryan landed her own Disney Channel series called Jessie, Which premiered September 30, 2011 on Disney Channel. The show follows a girl who moves from Texas to New York to become an au pair for a family of four. She also starred in the 2012 movie Radio Rebel as Tara Adams, a schoolgirl who becomes the Radio Rebel. With Jessie heading into its fourth season in 2015, the cast announced it would be its final season thus ending a major role tenure for Ryan on Disney Channel. She also played Jade/Remix in Mighty Med and voiced Thumbelina in Goldie & Bear.
===2016-2021: Netflix===
As of 2016, Ryan's film and television career now focuses on mystery and drama films, such as Rip Tip, Insatiable, and Horse Girl.
==Music==
Ryan plays several instruments including the guitar, piano, and keyboard. She is also a songwriter and is currently writing music alongside her older brother. Ryan has showed interest in several types of music and her music genres are mainly jazz and country pop with a blend of alternative rock. Ryan was set to headline the "Terrific Teen Tour", a concert series which co-headlined Mitchel Musso, Jasmine Richards, and Savannah Outen, that would start on July 9, 2009 and end on July 14, but the tour was canceled due to schedule conflicts. The tour would have been Ryan's debut as a live musician.
==Personal life==
In a 2009 People Magazine interview, Ryan stated that her Suite Life co-star, Brenda Song, is her acting idol. In a March 2009 interview, Ryan revealed she also looks up to Meryl Streep ; Ryan claims Streep "is so profoundly thought-provoking and life-changing." Ryan has said that her other role models include Anne Hathaway, Rachel McAdams, and Tobey Maguire. When asked about musical tastes, she has said, "I love jazz! I love singing it. I also love country! My brother loves rock; he also has this chill Jason Mraz-like style. So basically, my answer is: jazz-country-rock-alternative? I have no idea! But I honestly would love to make country music."
Ryan has spent time at the Ronald McDonald House and has helped raise money for the kids in need. Ryan is involved in Disney's Friends for Change. She was featured in a commercial on Disney Channel. The charity helps explain how kids can help preserve the planet and invites them to go to the Friends for Change website to register and pledge, offering them the chance to help choose how Disney will invest $1 million in environmental programs. Ryan took part in Disney's Friends for Change Games, which featured over 30 Disney Channel and Disney XD stars competing in fun and physical challenges inspired by good actions for the environment. The stars will be broken up into teams and each team will play on behalf of an environmental charity. Ryan will be taking part as Captain of the Blue Team playing to benefit Ocean Conservancy.
In 2019, Ryan married Josh Dun.
==Filmography==
Film 	Film 	Film 	Film
Year 	Film 	Role 	Notes
2007 	Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse	Teenager 	Direct-to-video film
2008 	The Longshots 	Edith 	Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer film
2010 	What If... 	Kimberly "Kim" Walker 	
2010 	16 Wishes 	Abigail "Abby" Jensen 	Disney Channel MovieNominated—Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special (Leading Young Actress)
2011 	The Suite Life Movie 	Bailey Pickett 	Disney Channel Original Movie
2012 	Radio Rebel 	Tara Adams 	Disney Channel Original Movie
2014 	Muppets Most Wanted 	Wedding Guest 	Deleted Scene Only
Television	Television 	Television 	Television
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
2008–2011 	The Suite Life on Deck 	Bailey Pickett 	Disney Channel Original Series
2008 	Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream 	Herself 	"Hello Hollywood" (Season 1, Episode 7)
2009 	My Mate Flynn 	Tina (voice) 	Disney Channel UK
2009 	Leo Little's Big Show 	Herself 	Disney Channel short series
2011 	R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour 	Stephanie Howard 	"Wrong Number" (Season 1, Episode 16)
2011 	Disney's Friends for Change Games	Herself 	Captain of the Blue Team
2011—2015 	Jessie 	Jessie Prescott 	Disney Channel Original Series; Lead Role
2011 	PrankStars 	Herself 	Guest star, S1E1
2014 	Ultimate Spider-Man 	Jessie Prescott (voice)	Halloween Night at the Museum Guest Star S23 E21
2015 	Girl Meets World 	Aubrey Macavoy 	Guest Star Girl Meets Demolition
2015 	Goldie & Bear 	Thumbelina 	Disney Jr.
===Commercials===
*Game of Life: Twists and Turns (2007)
*iDog Amp'd (2007)
==Discography==
Year	Song 	Album
2010	Hakuna Matata 	Disneymania 7
2010	A Wish Comes True Everyday	From 16 Wishes
2010	Open Eyes 	From 16 Wishes
2010	Deck the Halls 	From The Search for Santa Paws
2011	Made of Matches 	From R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
2011	We Ended Right 	Single
===Music videos===
*2010: Deck the Halls
*2010: A Wish Comes True Every Day
*2011: Made of Matches
==Awards and nominations==
Year	Award 	Category 	Work 	Result
2010	Hollywood Teen TV Awards 	"Teen Pick Actress: Comedy" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2010	Body Peace Award 	"Outstanding Advocate" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2010	Jetix Awards, Germany 	"Best Television Star" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2010	Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards, France	"Choice Television Female Star" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2010	Nick Kid's Choice Award, Italy 	"Favorite TV Star" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2010	Nick Kid's Choice Award, Italy 	"Favorite International Star" 	The Suite Life on Deck	
2011	Young Artist Award 	"Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special Leading or Supporting Young Actress"	16 Wishes 	
==Roles==
Jessie season 3.png|Jessie Prescott(Jessie, Austin & Ally Ultimate Spider-Man, and Good Luck Charlie)
Bailey Pickett SLoD.jpg|Bailey Pickett(The Suite Life on Deck)
Normal 06r2.jpg|Princess Zaria(The Suite Life on Deck)
Aubrey Macavoy.jpeg|Aubrey Macavoy(Girl Meets World)
Jade aka Remix in Mighty Med.png|Jade/Remix(Mighty Med)
Thumbelina.png|Thumbelina(Goldie & Bear)
Spike Frost Fairy.png|Spike(Secret of the Wings)
==Gallery==
Bridget_&_Debby.jpg|Debby Ryan with Bridgit Mendler in a deleted scene of Muppets Most Wanted.
Debby Ryan RDMA13.jpg|Debby Ryan attending the 2013 Radio Disney Music Awards.
Debby Ryan Nick KCA.jpg|Debby Ryan attending the 2014 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
Debby Ryan at MTV Movie Awards.jpg|Debby Ryan attending the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards.
Debby Ryan 29th PSIFF.jpg|Debby Ryan attending the 29th annual Palm Spring International Film Fest in January 2018.
==External links==
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