Christy Carlson Romano first became a household name in the early 2000s as one of Disney Channel’s biggest stars. Born in Milford, Connecticut, the youngest of four children, she began her career at just six years old, touring nationally in Broadway productions including Annie, The Will Rogers Follies alongside Keith Carradine and The Sound of Music with Marie Osmond. She made her feature film debut in 1996 as a singing “Chiquita Banana” in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, and later appeared in films such as Henry Fool and Looking for an Echo.
Romano is best known for playing Ren Stevens on Even Stevens opposite Shia LaBeouf from 2000 to 2003. In 2002, she made Disney Channel history by starring in three projects at once: continuing her role on Even Stevens, leading the Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly alongside Hilary Duff and voicing the title character in the animated hit Kim Possible.
In recent years, Romano has reconnected with fans through podcasting and digital content, often reflecting candidly on her experience growing up in Hollywood. In February 2026, she shared an emotional health update revealing a positive cancer screening result and upcoming medical testing. The news came about a year after she recovered from a frightening accidental shooting injury while clay pigeon shooting in 2025.
Today, the former Disney star is a mom of two daughters with her husband, Brendan Rooney, balancing family life with her ongoing creative projects. Scroll through the gallery to see photos of Christy Carlson Romano then and now.
