Living her best life! Fans watched Madison Pettis grow up on Disney Channel — let’s never forget her role in The Game Plan — and now, the actress is still killing it.
“I never wanted to just hit people over the head with it and be like, ‘I’m not a little girl anymore,’” the former Cory in the House star told Teen Vogue in August 2021. “People always made jokes. It was like, ‘You’re my entire childhood.’ And then, slowly as I’ve gotten older and done more mature roles, been a little sexier, people are like, ‘Oh, my god, you’re ruining my childhood.’ I’m like, you have to get with the progression. I’m the same age as you now. Right? Like, we were both 8 and now we’re 23.”
Just like some other Disney Channel alums before her, Madison made her debut on Barney. From there, she was cast in 2007’s The Game Plan before skyrocketing to child fame.
“I think as a kid, you just have no idea what’s at stake, you have no idea the pressure that’s on you,” Madison recalled during the same Teen Vogue interview. “You really don’t understand what’s going on. So everything was just like a blind optimism. Now if I feel stressed, or feel a lot of pressure, feel like everything’s weighing on me heavily, I try to get back into my inner child who always did it for the fun of everything, and just was ready to entertain and do what made her happy without thinking of what’s at stake. That’s when I feel most comfortable and can find that confidence again.”
She’s definitely found her confidence! Other than becoming an adult actress, Madison has also taken on a role as Savage X Fenty ambassador. But, when it comes to her career, the star is all about “a role or project that I haven’t done before,” Madison told Byrdie in May 2022. Overall, she loves how far she’s come in Hollywood, especially thanks to those who supported her along the way.
“It’s been cool to have my fans grow up with me. I started my acting career with Disney, and as I’ve gotten older, the projects I’ve done have naturally matured over time,” Madison added. “I also love that my fans can keep up with me on social media because it’s a great way for them to get to know me better.”
Click through our gallery to see Madison’s total transformation over the years.
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