Since the launch of Disney Channel in the mid-1980s, Disney Entertainment Television has been a platform for up-and-coming actors to launch their on-screen careers. This year marks two milestones for the brand as it gears up for 2026. It’s the 20th anniversary of “Hannah Montana” and the 20th anniversary of “High School Musical,” which gave actors and musicians like Miley Cyrus, Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale their start on the children’s show. For Brenda Kelly Grant, senior vice president of talent and casting for Disney Branded Television, nurturing and elevating the industry’s upcoming actors is key when it comes to future programming.
“The entire cast team remembers that everyone we look at is in a developmental stage,” Grant reveals. “It’s our job to interpret the gray areas. We work to really help the talent. For example, if you have a really good actor, but they’re not that good at singing and dancing, we support them with singing and dancing as the testing process approaches. Our aim is to remember that this talent is growing, and we want to create the best atmosphere for them from the beginning of the audition process, hopefully until they move on to other parts of the company.”
In recent years, former Disney talent such as the Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez have returned to work alongside younger actors in projects such as “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” and “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” This is an opportunity for young actors to gain insight into working at Disney, as well as an opportunity for former stars to explore their passions on and off screen.
“I think the reason they come back and work with us is because of the opportunity and scope that The Walt Disney Company can offer them,” Grant said. “We have a lot of sandboxes to play in, whether it’s producing, producing or narrating. The possibilities are endless. Creating the best place for talent and being able to work with people to create what people want to see and what they want to feel is something that all of our senior leaders really run through.”
With the release of Season 2 of Percy Jackson, Grant is looking forward to viewers seeing and interacting with actors like Walker Scovell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Sinhadri as they begin to return to Camp Half-Blood. As the series’ lead, Grant hopes the young actor’s casting and work at Disney Entertainment Television will resonate with viewers of all ages.
“Walker was just a young kid when we were casting him, and now he’s a grown man,” Grant said. “When I saw Leah come up to me, she said, ‘You know what? What else can I do? ”People see themselves in our talent. They look at their stories and experiences and the challenges they face in the world of adulthood. They see the power and love what they’re doing. That’s really appealing to people. We always want to meet our viewers where they are, as well as exceed their expectations. ”
