Young TV stars your kids like to watch who are inspiring millions
They are the famous faces who have captivated a generation of young television viewers, but how much do you know about the stars your kids love to watch?
They are the famous faces that captivate a generation — the characters our kids love to love, on screen and off. Inspiring millions of young hopefuls to try their hand at acting, singing and dancing, they are our most popular kids televivion stars — and for good reason.
EMMA WATKINS
The Wiggles
Exciting bow-wearers everywhere, it’s not hard to see why Emma Watkins is such a hit with her throng of young Aussie fans. She dances, she sings, she’s sweet as pie and went down in history as the first female to join the iconic Wiggles group in 2012. With her trademark red hair and famed yellow bow, Emma has songs, dolls, dress-ups and games named in her honour. A strong role model for young girls, the 29-year-old has battled severe endometriosis in recent years, becoming an active campaigner to raise awareness about the painful condition.
JACE NORMAN
Henry Danger
Nickelodeon on Foxtel
Pint-sized pre-teen Henry Hart was a normal kid until he met Captain Man and answered a job ad to become his secret super hero sidekick. Danger — AKA American actor Jace Norman — is now 19-years-old, but the success of the hit Foxtel show lives on. Proof of his popularity, Jace has been named favourite male TV star in the Kids Choice Awards for the last three years running.
“We want all of our shows and our talent to be fun, to be funny … that’s our style and you will see this all across our shows,” Nickelodeon general manager Ben Cox tells Insider.
“Living those values is really important.
“Kids love to laugh, so talent that can make them laugh is really critical and not every talent can do that.
“The other thing I would say, if you look particular at Nick shows, what we try and do is ensure that whoever the characters are, we try to make them relatable.
“They may be kids in some pretty extraordinary situations like in Henry Danger, but they are normal kids and they are dealing with issues that normal kids in normal life deal with.”
CASEY SIMPSON
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky And Dawn
Nickelodeon on Foxtel
He’s the smart, sensible, book-loving role model that every Aussie parent would love their child to aspire to. Casey Simpson plays Ricky, the second oldest Harper quadruplet in Nickelodeon kids comedy series, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. Getting along with your siblings is one thing — but having four nine-year-olds ruling the roost is quite another.
“We talk about a show having heart, smart and spark,” Cox says. “The heart is that if they make the kids feel something.
“The smart is that they learn something from our shows — they take something away and the spark is that its fun.
“That’s what we are looking for … that’s what makes Nickelodeon.”
JOJO SIWA
YouTube
There’s not a little girl who doesn’t know and love JoJo Siwa. She’s on our screens, her trademark bows are in our hair, her coveted merchandise dripping from fans, head to tow. The young dancer twigged our interest after two seasons on Dance Moms, and is now a bona fide YouTube sensation, posting daily videos about her day-to-day life — everything from making slime to making bows — that have youngsters hooked. Her music is also a big player. JoJo’s music video Boomerang has been viewed more than 662 million times, and with key messages about online bullying, her success is with good cause.
“If you look at her, where she is very interesting,” Cox says. “She is very pro-social — she has a cause she stands behind — which is anti-bullying and being yourself.
“Trying to give kids something to stand for and say, ‘it’s OK’ and ‘I go through these issues as a star as well, life isn’t perfect’.”
DOVE CAMERON
Descendants 3
Disney Channel on Foxtel
Born Chloe Hosterman, Dove Cameron is infamous for her role as Maleficent’s daughter Mal in the popular Descendants film series on Foxtel. She also captivated millions of young fans when playing twins Liv and Maddie Rooney in Disney hit, Liv and Maddie. Dove was bullied all through high school, her real life success story motivating young hopefuls to follow their dreams, despite the hurdles. Last year, the 23-year-old was even awarded a daytime Emmy Award for being an outstanding performer in a children’s series.
SOFIA CARSON
Descendants 3
Disney Channel on Foxtel
Daughter of the Evil Queen, Sofia Carson plays Evie in all three Descendants films — a girl who never leaves home without her crown. Evie, much like Sofia, is smart, kind and pleasant, despite her on-air persona being the offspring of a villain. Young girls take heed of her character’s message, learning that it’s OK not to “be the fairest of them all” and vanity means nothing — instead, personality is what makes you attractive. She also stars in Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, for which she has been nominated for a Teen Choice Award.
JACK GRIFFO
The Thundermans
Nickelodeon on Foxtel
Who doesn’t love an anti-hero? Jack Griffo is the annoying brother every sister loves to hate. Playing Max Thunderman on Nickelodeon series The Thundermans, Max, the ever-aspiring villain, sets out to ruin the day, while his twin super hero Phoebe always manages to save it.
“What we are trying to do is reflect the kids back on to themselves — so we are trying to hold up a bit of a mirror of this is what it’s like to be a kid — it’s messy, it’s not clean, nothing’s perfect — it’s not all about princesses and prince charming and everything being perfect in a castle and everyone getting married,” Cox says. “It’s messy and there are challenges and kids relate to that.”
KARAN BRAR
Jessie, Bunk’d
Disney Channel on Foxtel
You may know him from his award-winning roles as Chirag Gupta in the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid films — but Karan Brar first won our hearts as Ravi Ross in Disney’s Jessie, and it’s clever camp spin-off, Bunk’d, for which he won a Young Entertainer Award last year. Born in Washington to Indian parents, Karan had to get a dialogue coach to help him perfect an Indian accent for the screen, and despite a naturally American tone, is fluent in both Punjabi and Hindi. His quirky characters make Karan easy to love, with his popularity proof of why he has captured the heart of so many.
RICARDO HURTADO
School Of Rock, Malibu Rescue
Nickelodeon on Foxtel
Known for his role as Freddy on School of Rock, Ricardo Hurtado has won over the hearts of youngsters from across the globe — especially guest starring on other popular kids shows, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn and The Thundermans. Apart from showing off his musical prowess as the drummer in the band on School Of Rock, he was also Tyler, a junior lifeguard on Netflix series, Malibu Rescue. In his spare time, Ricardo is obsessed with soccer — a passion shared by millions of Aussie goalkicking youngsters.
RUTH RIGHI
Sydney To The Max
Disney Channel on Foxtel
Little Ruth Righi started acting and dancing at the age of three, playing the piano from the age of five and was a buzz on Broadway before she hit our TV screens. Now 13, she is Sydney To the Max — Sydney Reynolds on the new Disney family series. Sydney was originally written to be a skater, but since Ruth can’t skate, writers turned her character into a bass guitarist to suit Ruth’s reality. She’s polite, confident, calm and a good friend — all admirable ideals strived to by her loyal Aussie fans.
RUBY ROSE TURNER
Coop And Cami Ask The World
Disney Channel on Foxtel
Coop And Cami Ask The World addresses modern day living for young entrepreneurial sisters who crowd source their decision making online. Ruby Rose plays Cami, and shows the benefits and downfalls of navigating technology, growing up online, as well as in real life.
She also featured in TV come back Fuller House, and as a professional dancer from the age of seven, Ruby Rose is the 13-year-old with the world at her talented feet.
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