Inside Christy Carlson Romano's Life Today
The following article includes mentions of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.
Remember those good ole '90s and '00s celeb initials? There was JTT (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), EVD (Erik von Detten), PCD (The Pussycat Dolls), and CCR, who was totally unrelated to the popular classic rock band. However, Christy Carlson Romano was a rock star in her own right. "Even Stevens," "Kim Possible," and "Cadet Kelly" were her Disney Channel claims to fame. As she brought laughter and important lessons to cable audiences, Romano became a part of a special chapter in Disney Channel history. She's talented beyond the screen, too, famously performing as Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway.
CCR knows you're nostalgic, but maybe she is, too. Why else would she cook up bacon with "Beans" or bake a pizza with a Lawrence brother (Andy, in case you were wondering)?
Like many other former child stars, Romano has taken the time to navigate adulthood and craft her professional persona. She's kept her finger on the pulse of nostalgia and built a YouTube empire, but contrary to what you might imagine, she didn't do it overnight. Encompassing her bustling brand and social media presence, here's a look inside Christy Carlson Romano's life today.
Christy Carlson Romano got married and graduated from college
Brendan Rooney and Christy Carlson Romano enjoyed their New Year's Eve wedding in Alberta, Canada, away from the paparazzi. Romano told The Knot all about the couple's Banff nuptials and the importance of their December 31, 2013, date: "In my head, all women are Disney Princesses, so I'm [a] huge nerd when it comes to magical moments. But the date also holds poetic significance to my husband and me." She explained, "We are both huge holiday people, but New Year's Eve is a moment where everyone stops and reflects on the blessings they have with those around them. Love is eternally renewed by being married on this day, and I couldn't think of a more positive omen for a marriage."
The newlyweds settled into married life, and CCR appears to have joined Instagram in 2014, christening her account with a pensive selfie. Romano was very focused on completing her studies at Columbia University (which is where she met her husband) and would post photos of projects she was working on at the time.
One pic was from a collaboration with Steven Anthony Lawrence, who played Beans, the hilarious, bacon-loving boy from "Even Stevens." Romano described the project as a documentary about child actors, a topic that she has remained passionate about throughout the years. In 2015, she graduated with her bachelor's degree in film studies from Columbia's Barnard College and posted a celebratory selfie.
A Christmas Eve baby for Christy Carlson Romano
Christy Carlson Romano Instagrammed her way through her pregnancy in 2016. She took all your standard IG mom photos with her growing baby bump and posed for sponsored posts with various baby products. The glowing mother-to-be also wrote a blog series for People Babies and shared those updates with her social media followers.
On June 23, 2016, Romano and her husband, Brendan Rooney, got all dolled up for the premiere of the 100th Disney Channel Original Movie. The DCOM brand began in 1997 and has since become a cornerstone of many childhoods. "En route to baby's first #redcarpet," the actor shared on Instagram, adding, "How appropriate that it's for @disneychannel #DCOM #adventuresinbabysitting #Disneyfam."
CCR is "Disneyfam," indeed. Her love for her characters certainly didn't cease when the star's shows concluded. She connected with her devoted fans by attending Comic Cons throughout her pregnancy, often hanging out with co-star Will Friedle, the Ron Stoppable to her Kim Possible.
When Romano's first daughter, Isabella Rooney, was born on December 24, 2016, her elated mother told People, "Joy doesn't begin to express how we feel this Christmas! Isabella is the greatest thing to ever happen to us and we are truly grateful to all those who have supported us during this special and momentous time."
Call her, beep her, if you wanna reach her
As Christy Carlson Romano focused on her family, she slowly began taking on more podcast appearances. She shared that her first pod episode was on "Unhappy Hour with Matt Bellassai" in 2017. The host asked Romano what she'd been doing — "besides having a child," of course. As she chatted with Bellassai, the actor recalled slowing down during her pregnancy and was a little annoyed by people's judgmental comments about her living like "a normal person."
At this time in her life, Romano described herself as "not a public person, and a public person." She knew what it was like to live her life in front of cameras, but she also seemed to have found some layer of privacy in her personal life. Even so, the star would share special pieces of her past, including her first (adorable) commercial for Warm 'n Tender toys. She leaned into the nostalgia craze that was mounting on Instagram with throwback Disney Channel memories and behind-the-scenes photos — even one with Hilary Duff that she captioned, "Flashback to... AH!!! WHAT ARE WE WEARING?!?!?! (And yes, that is an OG flip phone)."
Motherhood was Romano's introduction to sponsored social media posts; she was interested in baby products and reached out to companies for brand partnerships. "I sort of stumbled upon doing anything that had anything to do with getting paid to produce and create content," she said on her YouTube channel.
A new brand, a new baby for Christy Carlson Romano
Although Christy Carlson Romano had an internet presence before 2018, some of her old fans weren't entirely sure what she was up to. That year, she uploaded a video to Instagram that launched her new brand as a content creator. "You would think that I'd be good at this, but I'm, like, not good at this," Romano joked at the beginning of the video. She reintroduced herself and said, "Some of you may be wondering what I have been up to. I am a mom!"
The star explained that she enjoyed writing blogs for People Babies during her first pregnancy, so she decided to carve out her own corner of the Internet. Some of her longtime fans were having kids, too, so the vlog-slash-blog was a way to connect with them. CCR's official website, now archived, featured Romano's family life, home decor, cooking and entertaining tips, and sponsored content. "What I found really interesting about the content process was, I could utilize my production knowledge, use my love of fashion and aesthetic and decorating or cooking, and starting to find my own voice," Romano shared on YouTube.
Her second daughter, Sophia, was born in February 2019. Romano and her husband, Brendan Rooney, posed with the newborn for People. The mom called Sophia "Zen-like" and added, "Izzy is already so in love with her baby sister. We can't wait to watch them grow to become best friends."
We went to the moon in 1969 -- again
Christy Carlson Romano enjoyed life with Brendan Rooney and their little girls while she kept her creative juices flowing online. Though Romano had been on YouTube previously (the site notes that she joined in 2012), her channel was a new phenomenon, and for nostalgic Disney Channel fans, it was a big deal. In summer 2019, Romano welcomed viewers and teased her "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" series.
The very first video in this series was with none other than Will Friedle — Eric Matthews from "Boy Meets World," Duncan Fletcher from "My Date with the President's Daughter," and Ron Stoppable from "Kim Possible." Over 2.5 million people watched Friedle and Romano bond over "KP" memories and whip up Ron Stoppable's famous "naco" (nachos inside a taco, or "happiness rolled up in more happiness," as Friedle said).
CCR followed this model for many "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" videos, cooking and reminiscing with now-grown-up child stars from every corner of pop culture. Whether they were her Disney co-stars, former Nickelodeon rivals, or network TV sitcom legends, Christy's guests told all kinds of behind-the-scenes stories while taking turns as her sous chef. It's safe to say the show was a hit with her fans, and the nostalgia high was palpable. Perhaps her biggest feat of 2019 was pulling off a new music video to recreate "We Went to the Moon in 1969," reuniting with Principal Wexler (George Anthony Bell) and Ruby Mendel (Lauren Frost) for the "Even Stevens" musical number.
The show must go on for Christy Carlson Romano
"Christy's Kitchen Throwback" made a lot of sense for an early-2000s star. When asked about her concept for the series, Christy Carlson Romano told InStyle, "So many people were [asking], 'What have you been up to? What are you doing?'" She explained that those questions were too frequent for her "to not think and say, 'There's obviously a need here that people have.' When you look around, the nostalgia buzz is everywhere, and it was really just growing."
The coronavirus pandemic halted Romano's in-person production schedule on "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" for a time, but she was able to resume the series with precautions in place. The last episode of "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" that she posted was with Jaleel White, Steve Urkel himself, in February 2021. She supplemented her content library with virtual conversations. Sticking with the foodie theme, the actor created a "Snacks and Reacts" series in which guest stars would eat mysterious foods (like surprise jelly beans for Beans from "Even Stevens") as they reacted to old footage of their movies or shows.
Pre-pandemic, Romano had been vlogging date nights with her husband, Brendan Rooney. Sometimes they would go out to eat or shop, but there was also that time when they rented a Lamborghini for a video. Though dates weren't the main focus in the midst of COVID-19, Rooney remained involved in Romano's content as a producer. He even cooked alongside her for the couple's "Bucket List Bistro" series for Taste of Fox.
Analytics don't lie
Changes in the life of the Romano-Rooney family necessitated a shift in their YouTube content. They relocated from Orange County, California, to Austin, Texas, during the pandemic. Christy Carlson Romano announced the move on Instagram in November 2020: "About five years ago @thebrendanrooney and I came to Austin for the first time and fell in love. We both said to each other, 'We're moving here one day.' Well, that day has come. We're happy to now call Austin home."
The move likely made it difficult to continue an in-person series with nostalgic stars, and "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" was getting expensive, too. Romano told Vanity Fair, "We dumped money into budgets. We dumped money into guest fees and day rates. It was like a real production."
In their time as a YouTubing couple, Romano and Rooney have tested out a few alternatives to their flagship throwback show. With Rooney behind the scenes, CCR got back in the kitchen for some celebrity impersonations, and the couple has worked together on camera to film blindfolded bake-offs with guests. After a brief return to "Christy's Kitchen Throwback," they tried a series of generous gestures with fans and subscribers, giving away cash and other prizes to those who won their games. Something wasn't quite right, though, causing the husband-and-wife team to reevaluate their content strategy. Romano told Vanity Fair that she and Rooney paid attention to analytics, employing search engine optimization and examining the reasons that a given video is popular.
Christy Carlson Romano spills the tea
In August 2021, Christy Carlson Romano traveled down a new path — literally, she walked in the woods. The actor began an intimate vlog series in which she tells her life story and makes cultural commentary, one video at a time. Her first piece in this style, "The Truth About The Disney Channel," was an exception to the outdoor jaunt that viewers have come to expect. Romano goes to Starbucks for an iced chai latte and spends most of the vlog driving a Tesla as she speaks candidly about her time working for the Mouse. The mom revealed that she enjoyed being on the channel and "believe[s] in the magic" of Disney so much that she'd like to work with the company as an adult.
Disney Channel fans were hooked, and they would learn more about their favorite childhood actors through several vlogs, including "The Truth About Disney Circle of Stars" (all about this iconic "The Circle of Life" music video from 2003). Romano also opened up about her adolescence with a vlog titled, "Am I Irrelevant?" She begins the video by saying, "So people have called me a has-been? What does that even mean?" CCR then invites us into her storage unit to leaf through her photos and other mementos, and she concludes that she is relevant to the people in her life who matter — herself and her family.
With each surprising video, it didn't take a rocket scientist to discern that Romano's proverbial spaceship was ready for blastoff.
CCR's videos are the talk of the town
Christy Carlson Romano began to garner attention from the press for her frank storytelling and eye-catching titles on YouTube. A little video called "Why I Don't Talk to Shia LaBeouf Anymore" has nearly 2 million views at the time of this writing. Romano opens up about her working relationship with LaBeouf, but she does not discuss the abuse allegations made against him by FKA Twigs. BuzzFeed News profiled Romano and said that she has chosen not to talk about the matter in a public setting.
Two other oft-mentioned Romano videos are "How I Lost Princess Diaries To Anne Hathaway" and "How Katy Perry Got My Record Deal." At first glance, those titles might seem a bit surprising. ET told the YouTuber that her videos were being called "clickbait." Romano answered, "They are clickbait ... except that they're not, because I said they deliver on the promise of whatever I'm saying, but they don't do it in a way that hurts people." She expressed a desire to help others and said her candid videos were "a lot more rewarding than other content that I've made."
While news outlets might be hitting the highlights, not many seem to notice that Romano's husband, Brendan Rooney, has been busy creating similar YouTube videos of his own. He talks about his experiences as a veteran, a parent, and a former California resident (spoiler alert: the Rooneys aren't planning to go back to Hollywood; they like Texas).
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
The actor discusses her mental health
Before her "Christy's Kitchen Throwback" launch, Christy Carlson Romano wrote a piece for Teen Vogue titled "Christy Carlson Romano: My Private Breakdown." The article mirrors some of the subjects she would later include in her walk-and-talk YouTube videos: losing thousands of dollars to a psychic, struggling with alcoholism, and dealing with self-doubt. "It's hard for people to understand that oftentimes child actors appear to have an inflated ego to make up for the fact that they have no idea who they really are underneath it all, a defense mechanism that many young people are familiar with," Romano wrote.
She has discussed child stars frequently in her videos. "When you're an actor, you have a lot of things to focus on, mostly yourself. I consider it a narcissistic purgatory," Romano said in her "Why I Don't Have Celebrity Friends" episode. She explained, "You think, 'Oh yeah, I'm gonna have so many friends because I'm in the public eye,' but it ends up being pretty lonely."
CCR has detailed other experiences on her channel that still affect her — for example, she endured panic attacks as a Broadway actor. Performing live has been a source of anxiety for her, even during her run as Belle on "Beauty and the Beast." Romano expressed her respect for the musical theater community and shared her desire to return to the stage. "I want my kids to know that mommy can perform live," she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
What's next for Christy Carlson Romano?
Christy Carlson Romano has been transparent about her vlog-making. She won't reveal her camera person (husband Brendan Rooney is a common guess), but she has revealed why she makes her videos and what she hopes to accomplish. In her "How I Deal With My Haters" installment, Romano laid it all out: "Making videos is a way of connecting with people. ... it helps people to talk about subjects that maybe they've experienced or they know people that have experienced. "
While recognizing "all the support," Romano also responded to negative feedback. In her "Haters" video, she refuted ideas that she is "unhinged" or operating off of "an ego." "These vlogs are a vulnerable representation of my life, and they're geared towards helping you; they're not geared towards hurting you or making you feel strange feelings," she said. What's more, the actor tweeted in fall 2021: "Funny how people [who] ask 'what have you been up to?' are some of the same people asking me to quiet down...like pick one or click away. You are impossible to please."
Despite its challenges, vlogging suits Romano's life and family. "This is giving me the freedom to enjoy my life with my girls. If I had to be on a set all day and I was there for 12 hours a day, I would literally lose their childhood," she told BuzzFeed News, adding that she's "kind of getting the best of both worlds."