Debby Ryan Biography

Date of Birth

13 December 1993, Huntsville, Alabama, USA

Birth Name

Deborah Ann Ryan

Nickname

Debs

Height

5' 5" (1.65 m)

Mini Biography

Debby Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama on May 13, 1993, but she and her family moved to Texas when she was a small child and lived there for five years before moving to Wiesbaden, Germany. In Germany Debby became fascinated with acting in local plays and musicals. By age 9, she knew she wanted to be an actress. After three years in Germany, the family moved to Keller, Texas, where they lived until they moved to Los Angeles so Debby could pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

Debby got her start in film with roles in Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse (2007) and the MGM feature film The Longshots (2008) alongside Keke Palmer and Ice Cube. She also appeared in a handful of national television commercials. From there, her career took off when she secured one of the series-regular roles on Disney Channel's The Suite Life on Deck (2008), which debuted in 2008. In 2010, she starred in the smash hit Disney Channel film 16 Wishes (2010), one of the first of many Disney co-productions. She took an active role employing online and guerrilla-marketing techniques to the film that had a tiny marketing budget. The movie premiered to 5.6 million viewers and made it as second on the list of cable's top 25 most popular shows of that week, twice. Since then, 16 Wishes (2010) has been successful in over 30 countries worldwide and continues to draw in strong viewership numbers.

In addition to her work with The Disney Channel, Debby appeared on ABC's Private Practice (2007), showcasing some of her dramatic acting chops playing Hailey, a recovering cocaine addict. She also appeared as a murder suspect on A&E's hit series The Glades (2010), in 2012. Debby has appeared in over 8 live-action Disney Channel series and countless interstitials. Her current hit series Jessie (2011) was the first live-action series in Disney history to be picked up with only her cast, the Show Runner, and the script. Debby starred in the Disney Channel original movie, Radio Rebel (2012), which premiered on February 17, 2012 to over 6 million viewers. It was based on Danielle Joseph's novel "Shrinking Violet", and Debby appeared as Tara Adams, a shy high-school senior who leads an alternate life as an anonymous DJ [called Radio Rebel]. In addition to starring in the movie, Debby produced the music video and contributed to three tracks on the soundtrack, including "We Got The Beat", "A Wish Comes True Every Day", and "We Ended Right". Aside from Radio Rebel (2012) and Jessie (2011), Debby is also widely recognized for her role as popular season regular Bailey Pickett on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life on Deck (2008), a role she held from 2008-2011. She flexed her voiceover skills in Secret of the Wings (2012) and Ultimate Spider-Man (2012).

When she isn't working, Debby is passionate about volunteering and is a Disney Friends for Change Ambassador. Her recent work with Friends for Change took her to India, where in partnership with Free the Children, Debby helped to build a new school for a local village. The documentary on her work was nominated for a daytime Emmy in 2013. Debby is also heavily involved in music and loves to collaborate with her brother, Chase Ryan, and her friends. Her self-written single debuted in 2010 on Disney Channel as a music video about her character in 16 Wishes (2010). It was featured on the 16 Wishes (2010) soundtrack. In July 2011, she released the single, "We Ended Right", which debuted on iTunes and was also picked up to be featured on the "Radio Rebel" soundtrack. Debby wrote her first EP entitled "One". This indie rock, self funded/produced record premiered in the Top 5 on the rock charts and was featured on Billboard. Debby directed plays and skits while she was younger and after years of shadowing successful directors, she was allowed to take the reins as a director for her live action hit series Jessie (2011). She will direct 3 more episodes before the season ends in February. On the business side, Debby is an active producer on Jessie (2011). She was there from the inception of the story, attends production meetings, and makes meaningful and significant contributions to Jessie (2011).

She launched a production company called Shadowborn Productions, where she produced the official music video for "Radio Rebel" and another one for Atlantic's "Fueled by Ramen". In 2016, Debby played the part of "Holli" on the YouTube Red series, Sing It! (2016). She is costarring in the upcoming films Rip Tide (2017), playing the role of Cora; and the comedy Life of the Party (2018), alongside Gillian Jacobs, Melissa McCarthy, and Maya Rudolph. Debby was also cast in the lead role of Patty in a pilot ordered by the CW, Insatiable (2018).

Trivia

Debby has had the same best friend since 7th grade.

She received a toy poodle named "Presley", after Elvis Presley. Boo and Fivel Stewart gave him to her for her 17th birthday. The fans helped Debby pick the name. WIth her travel and work schedule, Debby's father watched Presley and the two became inseparable. When Debby moved to her own place she couldn't bear to separate the two, so she left Presley with her dad. They are inseparable to this day.

She is very close to her older brother, Chase Ryan, who is a singer/songwriter/producer. They love to spend time together.

Before she got the role of Bailey on The Suite Life on Deck (2008), she was a huge fan of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005).

Debby wrote a song and Chase did the music and producing for her movie, 16 Wishes (2010). The song is called "Open Eyes". Debby sang the title track for the movie and did a music video. She covered "Hakuna Matata" for the Disneymania 7 album.

She won Popstar Magazine's Popstastic Award for Favorite Female Newcomer in 2009.

Debby is a fan of Tina Fey, Emma Stone, Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Will Ferrell, John Travolta, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp, Shia LaBeouf, Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, Angelina Jolie, Ben Affleck, Will Smith, Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron, and Wayne Brady.

In a People Magazine interview, Ryan said she was a mascot in 8th grade and was in the school's chess club. She claims she was the ultimate nerd in school.

She attended private school, where her mother wrote and directed several productions a year. She is also a Christian and performed in church musical programs throughout her childhood.

She moved to Germany when she was seven years old and started performing in professional theaters. She lived in a little town and attended the local national public school, where she became fluent in German. She also took state-sponsored gymnastics and ballet.

Ryan has been on the cover of several teen magazines, including Tiger Beat, Teen Magazine, J-14 Magazine, and Popstar Magazine.

Before being cast as one of the leads in The Suite Life on Deck (2008), she was involved in theater productions and video shorts in Germany and the United States.

Besides acting, Debby loves all forms of art. She loves photography, writing, and drawing.

She also enjoys alternative rock and has shown a lot of interest in music. She is a singer, songwriter, and producer.

Ryan can speak German along with English, her primary language.

Popstar Magazine sponsored a huge Sweet 16 bash for her, which many teen stars attended.

She has said in interviews that her celebrity crush is Spiderman.

Debby wrote a song for the movie 16 Wishes (2010), "Open Eyes". Her brother, Chase Ryan, produced the song and did the music for it.

Debby played an active role in producing the music video, "We've Got the Beat" for DCOM "Radio Rebel". The video was produced under the name of her production company "Shadowborn Productions" in conjunction with Mar Vista and Razor and Tie.

Debby loves to match adoptable animals with forever homes. She's been known to find stray injured kittens, get them medical care, and find them adoptive parents.

Working on a new series in Los Angeles [April 2008]

Working on the movie The Longshots (2008) in Louisiana. [February 2008]

By the time she was 10 years old, Debby had traveled to 9 countries, and lived in a foreign country for three years.

At age 20, Debby is the youngest director to independently direct a Disney Channel series.

2017-2018 Working on a new series for Netflix.

She dated Joshua Dun from May 2013 to September 2014. The two were rumored to have resumed their relationship sometime in 2016, with Ryan confirming they were back together in 2018. On December 23, 2018, Dun announced their engagement via his Instagram account. On December 31, 2019, they were secretly married in Austin.

Debby was a cheerleader in middle school and high school.

Trademarks:

Husky voice, very reminiscent of Miley Cyrus

Quotes

Think new thoughts. grab life with both hands, take opportunities you have, & create the ones you need. Don't be afraid of your own power.

Have an anchor so that life doesn't toss you around.

Over the last few days I have had the chance to think about my actions, and wish I had used better judgement. I recognize that I am a role model and have always worked hard to set a good example for my millions of fans. I am so sorry to disappoint everyone