Wikipedia

Christy Carlson Romano

Christy Carlson Romano (born March 20, 1984[a]) is an American actress, podcaster, and singer. She is best known for playing Ren Stevens on Even Stevens and voicing the titular character in Kim Possible, both of which aired on the Disney Channel.

Christy Carlson Romano
Romano at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2019
Born (1984-03-20) March 20, 1984 (age 40)
Milford, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma materBarnard College (BA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • podcaster
  • singer
Years active1996–present
Television
Spouse
Brendan Rooney
​
(m. 2013)​
Children2
Musical career
GenresPop
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2000–present
Labels
Notes

Early life

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Romano was born on March 20, 1984, in Milford, Connecticut, the youngest of four children of Anthony and Sharon (née Carlson) Romano.[2] Romano was raised Catholic. She is of Italian descent.[3] She began her career at six years old when she was cast in several national tours of Broadway shows, including Annie, The Will Rogers Follies with Keith Carradine, and The Sound of Music with Marie Osmond.[4] She made her first feature film appearance in 1996 as a singing "Chiquita Banana" in Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You.[5] She also appeared in Henry Fool (1997) and Looking for an Echo (2000).[4][6]

Career

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Romano in 2009

Film and television

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Romano made her Broadway debut in 1998 as Mary Phagan in the musical Parade by Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown.[7] In 2002, she acted in three Disney Channel projects simultaneously, supplementing her work on Even Stevens with a starring role in Cadet Kelly, alongside Hilary Duff, and voice acting as the title character in Kim Possible. Romano was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her work on Kim Possible. The show inspired an adventure scavenger hunt activity at Disney's Epcot which ran for over five years, as well as two Disney Channel movies Kim Possible: So the Drama and Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time.

Romano voiced Yuffie Kisaragi in the English version of the movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, as well as in the Disney/Square game Kingdom Hearts.[8] Throughout her teens and twenties, she starred in movies for ABC Family and Disney Channel, including Campus Confidential, Taking Five, The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold, and The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream. Various other appearances include MTV's Kaya, CBS's Joan of Arcadia, The WB's Summerland, and TNT's Hawthorne. [citation needed]

In February 2004, Romano began a 31-week run as Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.[9] Romano was the youngest actress to portray the character on Broadway.[10][11] She reprised the role in Atlanta's 2005 Fox Theatre production of Beauty and the Beast.[12] In September 2008, she joined the Broadway company of Avenue Q as Kate Monster for several weeks.[13] Romano starred as Michelle off-Broadway in White's Lies at New World Stages in 2010, alongside Betty Buckley and Tuc Watkins.[14][15]

Romano penned a novel, Grace's Turn, for Disney literary subsidiary Hyperion, which received accolades by the New York Public Library (NYPL) as the 2007 Teenage Book of the Year.[16][17] In 2012, she directed a music video for Steph Gold's "THE SUN" which was accepted into the Los Angeles Shorts Fest 2012. [citation needed] Amongst other titles, Romano has appeared in many films since her Disney days including Lifetime's Deadly Daycare, Wes Craven's The Girl in the Photographs, Loosies, and Christmas with the Andersons. In March 2016, she directed her first feature, Christmas All Over Again starring Nickelodeon's Sean Ryan Fox and YouTube star Todrick Hall; Lionsgate released the film for Christmas 2016.

Romano appeared as pop star Poppy Blu in the live action Kim Possible television movie which premiered on February 15, 2019.[18] Starting that year, Romano started her own YouTube show called Christy's Kitchen Throwback, in which she would cook recipes with former child actors and Disney stars as guest hosts.[19] In August 2020, it was announced that Romano would host the cooking show Bucket List Bistro for Fox.[20]

On November 15, 2024, Fox announced that Romano is one of fifteen contestants to appear in the third season of reality quasi-military training television series Special Forces: World's Toughest Test.[21]

Podcasts

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Romano hosts several podcasts. She hosts Vulnerable where she interviews former child stars.[22] She also hosts I Hear Voices with her former Kim Possible co-star Will Friedle.[23] She also hosts Even More Stevens with her former Even Stevens co-stars Nick Spano and Steven Anthony Lawrence.[24]

In 2023, Romano launched a company called PodCo, a podcast network that focuses on rewatches hosted by the stars of popular TV series such as Wizards of Waverly Place, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Even Stevens, and others.[25]

Music

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While working at Disney, Romano recorded songs as part of soundtracks for Kim Possible and other Disney projects. She first sang on the Disney Channel on a musical episode of Even Stevens which led to more singing on the series and with Disney in general. In 2004, Walt Disney Records released Romano's debut album Greatest Disney TV & Film Hits, a compilation of previously released soundtrack appearances and new material. After her Broadway run of Beauty and the Beast Romano signed a record deal with Jason Flom at Atlantic Records. Flom was fired before Romano released her first album and Romano's deal was not honored. She continued to write music with Kara DioGuardi and The Matrix and placed her songs in several movies.[26]

 
Romano at FashionTails interview in 2015

Other ventures

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After her singing career, Romano began narrating audiobooks, including Pop Princess by Rachel Cohn, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin, and Beautiful Blue World by Suzanne M. LaFleur.[27] She also narrated audiobooks To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough, Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong, Kaleidoscope Hearts by Claire Contreras, and the Adventures of Owl Series by Kristi Charish. On August 22, 2006, she published her own novel, Grace's Turn, for which she provided the narration as well.[28]

Personal life

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After Even Stevens ended, Romano struggled with depression, self-harm, and alcohol abuse during her late teen years and early twenties.[29] Her experience of playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway was taxing on her voice, which was already in delicate condition after she had to have surgery to remove vocal nodules right before her audition. She also admitted that she was pushing her voice past its limit in order to get through her run while trying to make Disney Theatrical Productions proud.[30] Romano later attended Barnard College and received her degree in Film Studies.[31] Romano and writer-producer Brendan Rooney met in February 2011 while she was studying at Barnard College. They became engaged in November[32] and, after two years of engagement, married on December 31, 2013 at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta.[33] They have two daughters, born on December 24th, 2016, and February 18th, 2019.[34][35][36][37][38][39]

In a 2023 Fox News Digital article Christy stated "I don’t identify as a celebrity at all, by the way. I think ‘public person’ probably makes more sense, or now content creator. I think that the term celebrity is so gross and outdated."[40]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role[citation needed] Notes
1996 Everyone Says I Love You Trick-or-Treat Child
1997 Henry Fool Pearl
1999 Goosed Gail
2000 Looking for an Echo Tina Pirelli
2005 Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Yuffie Kisaragi Voice role
2007 Taking Five Danielle Thompson
2010 The Legend of Secret Pass Nica Voice role
Suicide Dolls Amber
Movin' In Ann Beck
Mirrors 2 Jenna McCarty
2011 Loosies Carmen
2012 Infected Kelly
2013 Lucky Dog Sharon
2014 Prism Grace
Real Love Brie Short film
Bear with Us Quincy Adams
2015 The Girl in the Photographs Britney
2016 Christmas All Over Again Marilyn Also director and producer
2017 Blood Circus Sherry
2021 Single Mother By Choice Herself HBO Max original film[41]

Television

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Year Title Role[citation needed] Notes
1996 The Many Trials of Tammy B Dani Television film
1999 Guiding Light Erica
2000–2003 Even Stevens Ren Stevens Main role
2001 B.S. Andy Brenner Television film
2002 Cadet Kelly Cadet Captain Jennifer Stone Television film
2002–2007 Kim Possible Kimberly Ann "Kim" Possible Lead voice role
2003 The Even Stevens Movie Ren Stevens Television film
Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time Kim Possible Voice role; television film
2004 Joan of Arcadia Officious Hall Monitor God Episode: "The Book of Questions"
2005 Kim Possible: So the Drama Kim Possible Voice role; television film
Summerland Gigi Episode: "Where There's a Will There's a Wave"
Lilo & Stitch: The Series Kim Possible Voice role; episode: "Rufus: Experiment #607"
Campus Confidential Violet Television film
2006 The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold Jackie Dorsey
Family Guy Quagmire's One-Night-Stand Voice role; episode: "I Take Thee, Quagmire"
Casper's Scare School Mantha Voice role; television film
2007 Kaya Kat 3 episodes
2008 The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream Jackie Dorsey Television film
2009 Hawthorne Alex Episode: "Night Moves"
Wolvesbayne Alex Layton Television film
2010 Iris Expanding Zelda Unsold television pilot
The Penguins of Madagascar Little Girl #1 / Lunacorn Voice role; episode: "Hello, Dollface/Huffin and Puffin"
2012 MyMusic The Devil Web series; episode: "Sabotage!"
2014 Deadly Daycare Gabby Television film
2016 Christmas with the Andersons Caroline
2018 Big Hero 6: The Series Trina Voice role
2019 Maternal Instinct Gloria Television film
Dream Killer Grace Rodson
Kim Possible Poppy Blu Television film[18][42]
2025 Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Herself Contestant on season 3[21]

Video games

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Year Title Role[citation needed] Notes
2002 Kingdom Hearts Yuffie Voice role
Kim Possible: Revenge of Monkey Fist Kim Possible

Theater

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Year Title Role[citation needed] Notes
1990 Annie Molly Regional; Atlanta
1992-1994 The Will Rogers Follies James Rogers National Tour
1994-1995 The Sound of Music Marta von Trapp
1995 Ruthless Tina Denmark Regional; Galveston
The Dr. Seuss Children's Opera Gertrude McFuzz Regional; Boston
1996 Night of the Hunter Mary Off-Broadway
1997 Spider's Web Pippa Regional; Westport/Connecticut Tour
1998–1999 Parade Mary Phagan Broadway
1999 Stars In Your Eyes Jo Jenson off-Broadway
2004 Beauty and the Beast Belle Broadway
2005 Regional; Atlanta
2008 Avenue Q Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut Broadway
2010 White's Lies Michelle Off-Broadway

Discography

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Album

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Cast recording

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  • Parade – Original Cast Recording (1999)

Other album appearances

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Title Year Album
"Chiquita Banana" 1996 Everyone Says I Love You
"Say The Word" 2003 Kim Possible
"Circle of Life"
(among Disney Channel Stars) 		2004 Disneymania 2
"Teacher's Pet" Teacher's Pet
"Anyone But Me" Zenon: Z3
"Let's Bounce" The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
"Toy Town" Radio Disney Jingle Jams
"Best Time of the Year" 2007 Disney Channel Holiday

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Refs
2001 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Actress Even Stevens Won [43]
2002 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Actress Won [44]
2003 Young Artist Award Best Young Adult Performer in a Teenage Role The Even Stevens Movie Nominated [45]
2005 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program Kim Possible Nominated [46]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Romano's birthday is March 20.[47] She was 32 years old on December 27, 2016.[48] Her full birthdate, March 20, 1984, is calculated from these two facts.

References

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  1. ^ thechristycarlsonromano (May 17, 2015). "Just graduated from college after 12 years!! Thank you #barnardcollege for believing in me and encouraging me to stay true to the strong woman I have always been. I won't let you down!! Thank you to my husband @brenroon13 for also supporting me unconditionally. You are my heart and soul. My family for holding me to my word. To the #classof2015 Love light and the future!!". Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  2. ^ O'Haire, Patricia (December 21, 1998). "A teen actress joins the 'parade' on b'way Christy Romano, 14, juggles studies & stage role". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  3. ^ Romano, Christy Carlson (September 28, 2021). "How Psychics Scammed Me Out Of $60,000". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Friedman, Rosalind (December 17, 1998). "14-Year-Old Christy Carlson Romano: The Parade Continues". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  5. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano's Blog: Keeping My Cool During Summer Shoots and Stitches (While Pregnant!)". People. July 29, 2016. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  6. ^ Manley, Sebastian (July 18, 2013). The Cinema of Hal Hartley. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-62356-865-8. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  7. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  8. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano (12 Character Images) - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on November 27, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020. Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  9. ^ Gans, Andrew. Beauty and the Beast Welcomes New Trio Feb. 17 Archived March 9, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Playbill, Retrieved March 9, 2018
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 15, 2004). "Beauty and the Beast Beauty to Sing on TV April 16". Playbill. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  11. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano: A Happy Broadway Homecoming". Broadway.com. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  12. ^ Christy Carlson Romano Is Beauty Again, This Time for Theater of the Stars in Atlanta Archived March 9, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Playbill, Retrieved March 9, 2018
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew (September 29, 2008). "Avenue Q Welcomes Beauty's Romano September 29". Playbill. Archived from the original on October 2, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  14. ^ Gans, Andrew (February 9, 2010). "Romano Will Join Scolari in Off-Broadway's White's Lies". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  15. ^ Gans, Andrew (March 19, 2010). "White's Lies Delays Off-Broadway Previews to April". Playbill. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  16. ^ Carlson, Erin (October 21, 2008). "'Kim Possible' actress hits Broadway". The Arizona Republic. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  17. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano Headed for Broadway's Avenue Q". Broadway.com. September 4, 2008. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  18. ^ a b Falcone, Dana Rose (January 29, 2019). "Call Her, Beep Her! See Christy Carlson Romano's Character in the New Kim Possible Movie". People. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  19. ^ Huff, Laura (June 27, 2019). "Kim Possible stars reunite for Christy Carlson Romano's Kitchen Throwback series". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  20. ^ Schneider, Michael (August 13, 2020). "'Kim Possible' Star Christy Carlson Romano to Host Digital Cooking Show for Fox (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Trista Sutter, Denise Richards and Stephen Baldwin Among Stars to Face Their Fears on 'Special Forces' Season 3". People.com. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  22. ^ "Vulnerable: 10 Revelations That Guests Made on the Podcast". Screen Rant. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  23. ^ I Hear Voices LLC. "I Hear Voices". Apple Podcasts. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  24. ^ "'Wizards of Waverly Place,' 'Even Stevens,' 'Ned's Declassified' Rewatch Podcasts to Launch from Christy Carlson Romano's PodCo (EXCLUSIVE)". February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Hailu, Selome (February 6, 2023). "'Wizards of Waverly Place,' 'Even Stevens,' 'Ned's Declassified' Rewatch Podcasts to Launch From Christy Carlson Romano's PodCo (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  26. ^ "'The Matrix' at 20: 5 things you didn't know about the sci-fi classic". Yahoo. March 29, 2019. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  27. ^ "Christy Carlson Romano narrated audio books". Simply Audiobooks. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  28. ^ "Grace's Turn". Goodreads. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  29. ^ "Disney Channel Star Christy Carlson Romano Opens Up About Battle With Depression and Self-Harm". The Hollywood Reporter. May 28, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  30. ^ Murphy, Chris (September 30, 2021). "Christy Carlson Romano Is Not Afraid Of The Past". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  31. ^ "It's possible: College student a veteran actress". Chicago Tribune. September 5, 2002. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  32. ^ Chiu, Melody (December 31, 2013). "Christy Romano Marries Brendan Rooney". People. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  33. ^ Blumm, K.C. (January 3, 2014). "Christy Romano's Romantic Winter Wedding: See the Gorgeous Portrait". People. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  34. ^ Lakshmin, Deepa (June 24, 2016). "Christy Carlson Romano Is Pregnant With A New Even Steven". MTV News. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  35. ^ Juneau, Jen (June 23, 2016). "Baby Girl on the Way for Christy Carlson Romano". People. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  36. ^ Juneau, Jen. "Christy Carlson Romano Welcomes Daughter Isabella Victoria". People. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  37. ^ Mier, Tomás; Chiu, Melody (August 31, 2018). "Christy Carlson Romano Expecting Second Child". People. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  38. ^ "What's the Sitch? Christy Carlson Romano Reveals Sex of Second Child on the Way: 'So Much Fun'". People. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  39. ^ Pasquini, Maria; Chiu, Melody (February 20, 2019). "What's the Sitch? A New Baby! Christy Carlson Romano Welcomes Daughter Sophia Elizabeth". People. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  40. ^ Stanton, Elizabeth (June 8, 2023). "Disney star Christy Carlson Romano says celebrity is 'extremely dehumanizing,' demands change for child actors". Fox News. Archived from the original on July 6, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  41. ^ "Pregnancy During COVID Is Documented in HBO Max's 'Single Mother by Choice' Trailer (Exclusive Video)". Yahoo Entertainment. October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  42. ^ Otterson, Joe (August 11, 2018). "'Kim Possible' Live-Action Movie Adds Christy Carlson Romano, Patton Oswalt". Variety. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  43. ^ "23rd Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. April 7, 2002. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016.
  44. ^ "24th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. March 29, 2003. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
  45. ^ "25th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016.
  46. ^ "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announced for the 32nd Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards" (PDF). The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2005.
  47. ^ Romano, Christy Carlson [@ChristyRomano] (March 20, 2014). "Born today #tbt" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 8, 2017 – via Twitter.
  48. ^ Webber, Stephanie (December 27, 2016). "Christy Carlson Romano Gives Birth to Baby Girl: Find Out Her Name!". Us Magazine. Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
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