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If you look at the biggest stars in Hollywood today, many of them have some kind of connection to the Disney company. It appears that Disney has a knack for casting kids that they know will make it big.
The company can spot star power a mile away, it seems! Disney Channel, in particular, has helped propel many unknowns to superstardom, resulting in massive careers that have lasted the test of time. With many Disney kids having the ability to both sing and act, there's no shortage of talent when it comes to the company's alumni. Here are the top ten richest celebrities who got their start with Disney.
Joe Jonas - $18 million
Actor and singer Joe Jonas teamed up with his brothers Nick and Joe to form a group called The Jonas Brothers when they were kids. They were first signed to Columbia records, but the label ultimately dropped them due to low sales of their first album. Fortunately for them, Hollywood Records - a record label part of the Disney Music Group - picked them up.
After starring in the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock, the Jonas Brothers got so big that the media often compared their fanbase to "Beatlemania." Joe had a new band for a time called DNCE, but has recently reunited with his family to start The Jonas Brothers back up.
Zac Efron - $24 million
Zac Efron's first significant acting role was on the WB show Summerland. It wasn't until he was cast as the lead in the Disney Channel movie High School Musical that he became America's heartthrob. The High School Musical franchise took off - resulting in two sequels - and helped get Zac's foot in the door when it came to being a leading man in feature films.
Some of the movies Zac has starred in are Hairspray, The Lucky Ones, Neighbors, Baywatch, and The Greatest Showman. His latest role was playing serial killer Ted Bundy. Seems like he was able to shed his wholesome Disney image!
Hilary Duff - $25 million
Hilary Duff became an "It" girl after being cast as the title role in the Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire. The show was so successful that there was even a feature film, The Lizzie McGuire Movie. She has since released six successful studio albums and a trilogy of books.
As for acting, Hilary has starred in movies like A Cinderella Story, Raise Your Voice, and The Haunting of Sharon Tate. She currently stars on the television show Younger and is gearing up to reprise her role as Lizzie McGuire in an eagerly anticipated reboot!
Nick Jonas - $25 million
Alongside his brothers Joe and Kevin, Nick Jonas formed the wildly successful band The Jonas Brothers. After the band found success starring in the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock, the brothers were eventually given their own show called Jonas.
Post-Disney, Nick has started up a solo singing career, although he's only just recently reunited with his brothers to release another album under "The Jonas Brothers." Nick also continues to act, scoring roles on TV shows like Smash, Kingdom, and Scream Queens as well as starring in films like Careful What You Wish For and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
Demi Lovato - $33 million
Demi Lovato was a child actor on Barney & Friends before Disney Channel discovered her and cast her in the short series As The Bell Rings. Her powerful vocals helped her land the lead in the TV movie Camp Rock, which was so popular it resulted in a sequel. It also kick-started Demi's career.
She briefly had her own show on Disney called Sonny With a Chance, but departed the show to seek treatment for issues regarding an eating disorder and drug abuse. Now, Demi advocates for mental health awareness and focuses on her music, having released six successful studio albums.
Selena Gomez - $60 million
Selena Gomez actually started as a child actor on Barney & Friends with Demi! Disney then cast her as the star of the sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place, which ran from 2007 to 2012. She also did a few TV movies for Disney and signed on to their music label, Hollywood Records.
Selena released four wildly successful albums with them before signing to Interscope Records and releasing an album with them. As for acting, Selena has starred in films like Ramona and Beezus, Spring Breakers, and The Dead Don't Die. She's also a UNICEF ambassador.
Ryan Gosling - $60 million
It's hard to believe that movie star Ryan Gosling was once a little boy starring in the variety show The Mickey Mouse Club! Ryan was a"Mouseketeer" for two years before moving on to other children's shows and movies. It wasn't until he started doing independent films that a fanbase for the heartthrob began to grow.
His first starring role was in the film The Believer, but he became a bonafide movie star after his lead role in the epic romance The Notebook. Now, the actor is a Golden Globe winner and has been nominated for Oscars multiple times. Movies of his include La La Land, Drive, The Big Short, Blade Runner 2049, and First Man.
Miley Cyrus - $160 million
Seeing as she is the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus was always in the spotlight. The day she was cast as the lead in the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana, however, was the day she became way more than just "Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter."
The show lasted for four seasons and, since it centered on a singer, Miley got to record a lot of music for the show. She has since released six studio albums and two EP's and is one of the biggest names in the music industry. As for acting, Miley starred in movies like The Last Song.
Britney Spears - $215 million
Like Ryan Gosling, superstar Britney Spears was also a Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club when she was younger! That moment of her career became a blip after she released her debut album in 1998, and the singer has since been dubbed "The Princess of Pop" by fans and the media alike.
Britney's released nine studio albums and has sold 150 million albums worldwide. Though Britney has gone through some scandals and tough times in the public eye, her music career has continued to thrive. Britney's four-year Vegas residency was one of the highest-grossing residencies of all-time, and she's broken multiple Guinness World Records.
Justin Timberlake - $230 million
Singer Justin Timberlake was on The Mickey Mouse Club alongside Britney (who he had a highly-publicized relationship with for a few years!) It wasn't long after his stint with Disney that he joined the singing group NSYNC, which became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. After NSYNC made him a star, Justin decided to venture into a solo singing career.
Five studio albums later, and Justin is one of the biggest names in the music scene. He also developed a significant acting career, starring in movies like The Social Network, Bad Teacher, Friends With Benefits, and In Time. With all of his awards - including a whopping 10 Grammy's - it makes sense why this ex-Disney star's net worth tops the list!