Disney Stars Behind Bars???
We went over our pick of the Top 10 Disney Stars Who Got in Trouble with the Law over on MsMojo, including Britney Spears, Orlando Brown, Kirsten Storms, Kelli Berglund, Shia LaBeouf, and more, but it looks like most Disney Channel stars weren’t as kid-friendly as they seemed because we’ve got 5 MORE incidents to share with you below. We’re taking a look at 5 celebrities who got in trouble with the law before, during, or after their Disney careers and just missed our top 10, but still deserve a mention.
Dutch Elijah Whitlock
You may not recognize his name but you definitely recognize his one line in the 2006 musical hit “High School Musical”. Yep, he’s the “I play the cello” guy! Well, he was…He hasn’t acted in anything since 2007 and then took a drastic leap from “Skater #1” in “High School Musical” to “Pizza Robber” when he was arrested in 2008 after attempting to rob Five Buck Pizza at gunpoint.
Jason Weaver
Maybe he should have taken more notes from his genius kid brother? Jason Weaver, who you may recognize as Marcus Henderson, the oldest brother in the 90s sitcom “Smart Guy”, was arrested in the summer of 2011 for defecating on someone’s lawn. Luckily this was a one-time offense and he seems to have found his feet in acting again, taking on numerous minor roles, as well as some notable ones including pre-teenaged Michael Jackson on the 1992 ABC miniseries “The Jacksons: An American Dream” and the singing voice of the young Simba in the 1994 “The Lion King“.
Ryan Merriman
If you were a fan of Disney Channel Original Movies around the 90s to early 2000s then you probably know Ryan Merriman, appearing in “Smart House”, “The Luck of the Irish”, and “A Ring of Endless Light”. After his departure from Disney, he continued to work in film, most notably “Final Destination 3”, as well as television, playing Ian Thomas in “Pretty Little Liars”. Unfortunately this continued success was met with trouble when he was arrested in 2011 under suspicion of driving under the influence. At least his previous stardom could help support his $2,500 bail.
Brian Bonsall
Do you remember that 1994 Disney film “Blank Check”? You know, the one where an 11-year-old boy named Preston gets a blank check from a man who almost runs him over on his bike and then cashes it in for a million dollars?! Well, that was Brian Bonsall! His child acting career actually started earlier, starring as Andy Keaton, on the sitcom “Family Ties” and in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. Needless to say he reached his peak in 1994 and everything sort of went downhill after that…Brian was arrested for two DUIs in 2001 and 2004, charged for second-degree assault against his girlfriend in 2007 and had his bond for this trial reset after testing positive for drug use.
Mischa Barton
Most people recognize Mischa Barton from her work as Marissa Cooper on the hugely popular teen drama series “The O.C.”, but Disney fans remember her as Vicky Austin from the 2002 Disney Channel Original Movie “A Ring of Endless Light”, where she starred alongside Ryan Merriman. Barton’s run-in with the law came in 2007 when she was arrested for DUI and driving without a valid license. Her acting career withheld nevertheless and she’s even set to star in this year’s reboot of “The Hills” so we’ll get to see how she’s been doing. Check out the video below to find out what the rest of the cast of “The O.C.” has been up to!
Did you grow up watching any of these Disney Channel shows and movies? Seeing these stars getting in trouble with the law is tough, but it definitely proves that growing up in the spotlight can be difficult. To see our full list of 10 Disney Stars Who Got in Trouble with the Law, check out the video below or on MsMojo!
5:36;
