Nick Jonas reflects on his Disney "Grad Class" of superstars: A legacy beyond the mouse ears

Nick Jonas and his peers weren’t just students in the grand, glittering halls of Disney’s "School of Stardom" —they were the prodigies who set the stage ablaze and redefined what it meant to graduate from the House of Mouse. Now, as the Jonas Brother reminisces about his Disney "graduating class" at the Red Sea Film Festival, we’re compelled to ask: is there a valedictorian when everyone’s winning?

Jonas, who spent his formative years balancing high school awkwardness with the glitz of stardom, credits Disney as both a creative bootcamp and a launching pad.

“I absolutely look back at [Disney] as a creative school,” Jonas shared. “It was also school, to be honest. I was between the ages of 14 and 18, which is my high school years. That graduating class of Miley, Selena, and Demi… you can see, frankly, the length of our careers and the success we've all been able to have.”

Talk about a class roster that puts yearbooks to shame.

Mouseketeers turned moguls

For Jonas and Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Demi Lovato, Disney was the stepping stone, not the ceiling. Each found their groove—and their global fanbases—during their Disney tenure, whether through acting, music or, let’s be real, sheer charisma. From Miley’s iconic wrecking ball to Selena’s chart-topping "Single Soon" anthems and Demi’s unapologetic reinvention, this crew didn’t just leave Disney; they detonated superstardom.

Selena Gomez, whose latest Golden Globe nomination solidifies her spot in Hollywood’s stratosphere, recently revisited her Disney roots by reprising Alex Russo in Wizards Beyond Waverly Place. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus' Endless Summer Vacation brought us “Flowers,” an anthem that bloomed across charts globally.

Ever the vocal powerhouse, Demi Lovato turned heads (and raised brows) with their raw, critically acclaimed album Holy Fvck. And Jonas? He's off Broadway-bound in The Last Five Years. Clearly, this grad class traded cap and gown for glitter and Grammys.

From Camp Rock to career rockstars

It wasn’t all Disney sparkle dust, though. As Jonas recounts, the post-Disney landscape wasn’t always welcoming.

“There were projects I went after where the feedback was, 'There’s no way they’re going to take a chance on casting you,’” he revealed.

Ouch, right? Even with the Jonas Brothers’ fan frenzy, the stigma of "Disney kid" lingered longer than a Camp Rock chorus.

But Jonas, much like his fellow alumni, proved that being a Disney grad isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower. It’s the foundation that fostered their ambition and creative grit, even when the industry underestimated them.

“That’s a real testament to Disney’s ability to find and foster talent and understand what makes someone unique while finding a way to make it work within their ecosystem,” Jonas said, ever the diplomat.

A legacy etched in stardust

In hindsight, Disney wasn’t just a launching pad but a crucible. For Jonas, Cyrus, Lovato, and Gomez, it was where dreams were crafted and resilience was forged. The "graduating class" isn’t just thriving; it’s rewriting what it means to grow up in the limelight.

So, the next time you hear someone dismiss the Disney Channel era, remind them of its alumni. They didn’t just walk away with Mickey Mouse diplomas; they graduated into legends. And as Nick Jonas gears up for his Broadway debut, one thing is clear: the class of Miley, Selena, Demi, and Nick isn’t just thriving—they’re a masterclass in turning childhood dreams into lifelong legacies.