Deborah Ann "Debby" Ryan (born May 13, 1993) is an American actress and singer. Debby is best known for her role as Bailey Pickett in the Disney Channel Original Series "The Suite Life on Deck". 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. Debby is also known for her lead role as Jessie Prescott in the Disney Channel Original series "JESSIE". 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.
Early life[]
Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama on May 13, 1993. 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 7 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 was bullied in middle school for being a mascot and being in the school's chess club.
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 that her older brother is one of her role models.
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | 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 | Lead role, Disney Channel Original Movie |
2011 | The Suite Life Movie | Bailey Pickett | Lead Role, Disney Channel Original Movie |
2012 | Radio Rebel | Tara Adams | Lead Role, Disney Channel Original Movie |
2012 | Secret of the Wings | Spike | Voice only |
2013 | Kristin's Christmas Past | Haddie | |
2017 | Rip Tide | Cora | Lead role |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008–2011 | The Suite Life on Deck | Bailey Pickett | Main role, 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 | Steffani 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 |
Lead role, Disney Channel Original Series |
2011 | Private Practice | Hayley | "The Breaking Point" (Season 5, Episode 9) |
2012 | So Random! | Herself | "Cole and Dylan Sprouse" (Season 1, Episode 21) |
2012 | Austin & Ally | Jessie Prescott | Austin & Jessie & Ally: All Star New Year (Season 2, Episode 6) |
2014 | Mighty Med | Jade/Re-Mix | "Guitar Superhero" (Season 1, Episode 16) |
2014 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Jessie Prescott (voice) | "Halloween Night at the Museum" (Season 3, Episode 21) |
Trivia[]
- Debby says that she is more like Jessie than Bailey, from the Suite Life On Deck.
- Her natural hair color is a dusty brown color.
- Even though she adores watching her castmates grow, she misses talking and working with people her own age.
- Debby's weirdest dream was when she was nine, and Barbie started chasing her through the woods. In the dream, Debby ran into a Walmart and started using their mattresses to defend herself from Barbie!
- Debby says that we should expect to meet different people and visit different places on Jessie.
- Debby said with an interview with TG Philippines, "I used to wear my brothers' hand-me-downs 'cause I thought it made me look cool."
- She dyed her hair for the role of Jessie Prescott.
Gallery[]
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