Debby Ryan has had a lot going on in her career this year. Not only did she star in the film Every Day alongside Angourie Rice, but she’s also gearing up for her Netflix series Insatiable with Alyssa Milano to drop this Friday, Aug. 10. We’re so glad to see one of our fave Disney alums doing such exciting things – but for the purposes of really understanding her roots, let’s take it back for a minute.

suite life

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Debby starred in The Suite Life On Deck and Jessie from the age of 15 to 22. Sure, she was an adult when that era of her life wrapped, but she went into it as a teen. Her new show deals with many struggles teen face IRL – so in a recent interview, she got to talking about how fame amplified normal teenage obstacles for her.

“If you’re bred in a world of chaos, sometimes I think the only way you feel comfortable is to recreate that chaos in your life, which is where a lot of us misstep,” Debby told People Now.

Back in April, Debby actually reunited with a bunch of other Disney stars of the past – Cole Sprouse, Alyson Stoner, So Random! star Matthew Scott Montgomery and Demi Lovato. And of course, they too know what it’s like to go through their younger years in the spotlight.

“It’s a nice thing to be able to see someone and be like, you get it,” she added, referencing the support she always had from her Suite Life co-stars (and current pals), the Sprouse twins.

Debby isn’t the only one who has recently spoken out about the chaos of being a child star. Disney alum Alyson Stoner recently spoke out about trauma caused to her during her time working on Camp Rock.

It’s so great to hear Debby speaking out about struggles she’s faced in order to maybe help others who are having a tough time as teens themselves.

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