Deborah Ann Ryan (born May 13, 1993) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She started acting professionally onstage at the age of seven, and was later discovered during Disney Channel's nationwide search for new talent. As a Disney child star, she had major roles in the series The Suite Life on Deck (2008–2011), the film 16 Wishes (2010), the series Jessie (2011–2015), and the film Radio Rebel (2012). She expanded into other appearances, such as the drama film What If... (2010), and has continued acting as an adult, including roles in the series Insatiable (2018–2019), the comedy film The Opening Act (2020), the thriller film Night Teeth (2021), and Spin Me Round (2022).
Ryan gained prominence in music by contributing vocals to the soundtracks of her Disney projects. She formed the indie rock band The Never Ending in 2013, with whom she released the EP One (2014).
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Early life
Deborah Ann Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama, on May 13, 1993, to Sandy (née Popp) and Chris Ryan. She has an older brother named Chase (b. 1991) who is a musician. Her mother is a teacher who was active in school plays. Her father's job as a civilian consultant to the U.S. military required the family to move to numerous places around Europe, and they lived in Germany until she was 10. She started performing in professional theaters at the age of seven on an American base in Germany.
Ryan attended a German public school and an American public school and was also homeschooled. They then returned to the U.S. and settled in Texas. She lived on Fort Hood. In a 2009 People Magazine interview, she described herself as a "nerd" in school. She was bullied in middle school for being a mascot and a member of the school's chess club.
Career
Ryan began appearing in television commercials in her early teen years. In 2006 she made her television debut on the show Barney & Friends. Her first film role was in 2007 as a guest character in Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse. She appeared in several commercials for iDog and various board games; she was in an iDog Dance commercial in 2008. She also had a major role in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film The Longshots as Edith. She played one of the main characters, Bailey Pickett, on the Disney Channel Original Series, The Suite Life on Deck, a sequel to the hit Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The series's pilot aired on September 26, 2008 in the United States, and was the most-watched series premiere in Canada on the Family channel. It was 2008's #1 scripted television series for teens, beating the veteran series Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place in the ratings. It was also 2009's top-rated scripted series, outpacing other teenage shows.
In 2009, Ryan landed a starring role in the independent feature film What If..., alongside Kevin Sorbo and Kristy Swanson. Shot in Grand Rapids and Manistee, Michigan in July 2009, it was released in theaters on August 20, 2010. It was produced by Pure Flix Entertainment and centers on a Christian family. In October 2009, Ryan hosted the first Tween Girl Summit Music Festival. "Tween girls are drawn to talented performers who emanate the joy of life, and we are so happy to have teen favorite Debby Ryan as the first host of The Tween Summit Music Festival," said Denise Restauri, founder of The Tween Summit, AllyKatzz.com and AK Tweens. Ryan was set to headline the "Terrific Teen Tour", a concert series which co-headlined Mitchel Musso, Jasmine Richards and Savannah Outen to start on July 9, 2009 and end on July 14, but it was canceled due to schedule conflicts. The tour would have been Ryan's debut as a live musician. In 2010, she starred in the young adult film 16 Wishes, which introduced her to more mature audiences. She watched numerous Brat Pack movies to prepare for the role.
On March 25, 2011, Ryan starred in The Suite Life Movie, based on the show she had starred in. On March 29, she released the promotional single "Made of Matches", which served as the theme of the Discovery Family show R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour, in which she starred in one episode. The Suite Life on Deck finished its run on May 6, 2011. On July 6, she released her debut solo single, the alternative hip hop song We Ended Right, featuring Chad Hively & Chase Ryan. The song was released from her own label, the Ryan River Studio, founded with her brother, Chase Ryan. Also in 2011, it was announced that Ryan landed her own Disney Channel series called Jessie, which debuted in September 2011. The show follows a girl who moves from Texas to New York City to become a star but becomes a nanny instead for a family with four children. Jessie is a show she also helped create, relating that she wanted her character to relate to herself. Ryan directed the season three episode "Coffee Talk", making her the youngest female director for a Disney Channel production. Additionally, in a shift towards a more mature role, she guest starred in an episode of the show Private Practice as a recovering drug addict.
Influences
In a March 2009 interview, she revealed that she also looked up to Meryl Streep, calling Streep "so profoundly thought-provoking and life-changing". In a May 2009 People interview, Ryan stated that her Suite Life co-star, Brenda Song, was her acting idol. She has said that her other role models include Anne Hathaway, Rachel McAdams and Tobey Maguire.
Ryan has said that her musical style includes folk, indie pop, and country. She cited The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, April Smith and the Great Picture Show and Tom Petty as influences for her band's debut EP.
Personal life
Ryan is a Christian. She is fluent in German.
She dated Twenty One Pilots drummer Josh Dun from May 2013 to September 2014, and they resumed their relationship at an unknown date. They were married in Austin, Texas, on December 31, 2019.
In March 2015, Ryan revealed that she had once been in an abusive relationship, though she described it as a professional relationship rather than a romantic one. She explained that "it was such emotional manipulation to the point where it became physical", and the experience inspired her to team up with Mary Kay and LoveisRespect for their "Don't Look Away" anti-domestic violence campaign.
In April 2016, Ryan was arrested for driving under the influence. She was initially charged with felony DUI, which was later reduced to two misdemeanors, and was released after posting $100,000 bail. On June 30, she pleaded no contest to reckless driving and was sentenced to three years of probation, community service, and attending a DUI program.
As of March 2023, Ryan and her husband live in Columbus, Ohio. On September 7, 2025, the couple announced via Instagram that they were expecting their first child. They announced the birth of their daughter on December 13, 2025.