Before this blonde bombshell starred in movies, authored a New York Times best selling novel, became a platinum-selling recording artist and launched her own clothing lines, she rose to fame as iconic child actress on a wildly successful TV series.
She was born in Houston and split her time in San Antonio, two places where her father owned a chain of convenience stores. She fell in love with acting as a young girl and moved to Los Angeles with her sister and mother. After landing small parts and commercial gigs, she finally caught her big break and was cast as the title role on a Disney Channel show.