Alyson Stoner

One of the more popular "tweener" stars during the 2000s, Toledo native Alyson Stoner followed the path of many a 21st century ingenue by entering show business courtesy of Disney. Born in August 1993, Stoner began performing at the age of three, with jazz, tap, and ballet classes at O'Connell's Dance Studio in Holland, OH; she also modeled from the age of six, courtesy of Toledo's Margaret O'Brien Modeling Studio. Stoner's laurels in a number of related New York competitions convinced her parents to whisk her off to Los Angeles, where she signed with an agent and began landing acting parts in numerous productions.

Hollywood assignments commenced well before Alyson's tenth birthday and included voicing a character in the 2002 animated feature Lilo & Stitch and playing Sarah Baker in the two Steve Martin remakes of Cheaper by the Dozen. These initial projects laid down a pattern that Stoner followed in successive years, wherein she alternated between vocal work -- on several Holly Hobbie & Friends releases and various other projects -- and live-action parts, such as a supporting role in the Disney Channel telemovie musical Camp Rock (2008). In summer 2008, she starred in the "dance video hybrid" The Alyson Stoner Project. - Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide