How Gen Z’s Childhood Heroes have Taken Over the World

The Start of Something New

It’s 2008 and Miley Cyrus belts out “The Climb,” while Selena Gomez sticks a magic wand her boot and Justin Bieber serenades YouTube. Flash forward, and these former child stars have done more than grow up—they’ve taken over.

But for many Gen Z-ers, they’re more than pop culture legends—they’re childhood heroes. With a unique relationship to nostalgia, the fiercely loyal generation raised by these icons might have assisted in their cultural revolution.

For context, Gomez rose to fame in 2007 as the lead in Wizards of Waverly Place. Instagram launched three years later and achieved 500 million active users by 2016, which marks the year Vanity Fair announced Gomez as “the most followed person on Instagram.”

Nine years later, she’s been dethroned by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and demoted to “most followed woman.” Which, even so—a former Disney kid succeeds one of history’s greatest players of the world’s most popular sport… Clearly her reach goes beyond Wizards fans.

We’re All in This Together

You see, what makes these icons different from other childhood stars was their impeccable timing. They had the opportunity to grow up alongside their fanbase during the prime era of kids’ sitcoms, inspiring moments like “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana,” when Miley Stewart (Cyrus) and Raven Baxter (Simone) shared digs with Ashley Tisdale’s character and the Sprouse twins. Gomez even had her first kiss on the set of that show.

Even more, this crew of kid superstars didn’t just smooch on-camera. They actually went out with one another, making casting like Camp Rock, featuring the Jonas Brothers and Joe’s then-girlfriend, Demi Lovato even more iconic for fans in their age-range.

And like an onion, the layers were infinite—Imagine little girls everywhere flipping through the new issue of TigerBeat magazine, taking in what really felt like the inside scoop on how Swift was supporting Gomez in her latest tiff with Bieber.

At that point was the cultural reset of the “Call Me Maybe” video—Long before content houses, there were just kids that were really famous, actually hanging out and even dating one another. So when they collaborated outside of the Disney and Nickelodeon studios, it really meant something.

Then came a pivotal moment: the launch of Instagram.

Before we understood social media’s impact and immortality, it really felt like the teens of the 2010s had a direct line of contact to their favorite celebs. And this line connected them to some pretty personal moments.

Instagram didn’t just give these stars a platform—it gave fans a front-row seat to their lives.

Is it Too Late Now to Say Sorry

For instance, despite his active stop-and-start romance with Gomez, Bieber casted model Cindy Kimberly in her breakout role as his crush…on Instagram. Odd as it sounds, he frequently used his following to locate and fetch beautiful girls.

Here’s why that matters: social media was a far less PR-controlled culture at the time. Cyrus, fresh off the plate of being America’s sweetheart as Hannah Montana, posted photos wearing nothing but whipped cream, and Grande shared a shot of her receiving a cheeky peck from Bieber. Years of following their favs on cross-over episodes prepared the same viewers to tune into real-life dramatized intersections, strengthening the loyalty of their fanbases.

This is why you’ve never met a nosier, more fandom-fueled generation than Gen Z.

For instance, remember when the Selenators and Lovatics first went to war, incited by Lovato’s jealous comment about Gomez and Swift’s friendship?

Neither Gomez nor Lovato understood the power they held. They were sparking a feud—one that went far beyond their momentary conflict—sending thousands of little girls into the battlefield.

Legend has it, some Lovatics remain in the trenches of Gomez’s comment section today.

Some May Say I Need to be Afraid of Losing Everything

Naturally, there comes a time in every child star’s life when they have a big decision to make: Reinvent themself or preserve their innocent image.

The most jarring—and culturally defining—rebrand was Cyrus’s: known as her “Banger’s Era.”

Ringing in the 2011 year by hanging up her blonde “Hannah” wig, nobody expected the sweet southern belle to shock the world just two years later—appalling self-appointed authorities everywhere, by humping a foam finger and lighting a joint on the stage of the 2013 MTV VMAs.

She’d become a woman, much like 19-year-old Bieber stepped into his reputational manhood by resisting arrest after driving a rented Lamborghini under the influence.

And let’s not forget Ariana Grande’s developmental stage of stardom—when she swapped out her red hair for a high pony. And true to form, she’d officially left childhood behind the day a donut shop released its security footage, showing Grande lick donuts on-display, exclaim “What the fuck is that?” (It was a fresh batch), and then the grande finale: “I hate America.”

After all, nothing says “finding yourself” like an edgy phase—a universal rite for anyone wrestling with newfound responsibility and restless youth—even for those who were homeschooled on-set.

And it’s that element which further embeds them into culture—their fans were going through it too. Sure, they had considerably less money—but when they needed validation, they turned to the figures they’d always been relies on.

This is Real, This is Me

Not to mention, these mistakes and scandals were relatably imperfect. If they had publicists perfecting their image, they were either failing or pure genius. 

This is the making of a deep fan base—ones who feel involved in their struggles and successes, curating loyalty and borderline obsession—it’s a huge contribution to Swift’s supremacy. She was the youngest person to ever sign a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, appealing to girls everywhere—girls that identified with her.

And identification is a powerful thing—it is who and what you feel like you are. And ultimately, these stars were uniquely positioned in a bygone time of entertainment and a fleeting moment in technology to really become cultural touchstones for an entire generation.

Same Old Love

Now, there’s been over a decade of stardom for these icons and since, they’ve achieved world domination.

Obviously, Gen Z has a significant influence on culture today—from starting viral TikTok trends to getting 15-year-old shows rebooted. This is because they’ve been developed alongside media and tuned in ever since they can remember—it’s personal.

“Nostalgia is an emotional experience that unifies, “ Dr. Krystine Batcho, professor of psychology said on the Speaking of Psychology podcast. “It helps unite our sense of who we are, our self, our identity over time.”

According to Batcho, younger generations—like Millennials and Zoomers—experience more historical nostalgia, which, as her research suggests, is usually triggered by dissatisfaction with the present.

“Data suggests that nostalgia facilitates our understanding of meaning in life, and so in a way, when we look at all the reboots and people going back to the past, it might be telling us that people aren’t 100% satisfied with the current lifestyle,” Batcho said. “There’s something that might be missing on a much more, pragmatic, lower level.”

If you’re an American Zoomer, this might resonate, since you’ve probably experienced a significant amount of unprecedented, life-defining events. A lifetime of school shootings, increased political polarization, 2-3 recessions with a global pandemic in-between, paved the way to being spat out into a seemingly impossibly housing and job market—which is all… really heavy.

Is it such a surprise that today’s 20-somethings cling to the idea of a pop star alter ego?

Life’s What You Make it, So Let’s Make it Rock

Besides, did little Miley Cyrus know she would become the youngest recipient honored as a Disney Legend? Did 15-year-old Selena Gomez predict she’d reach billionaire status by her early 30s? Teen Ariana Grande had only dreamt of being cast as Wicked’s Glinda, let alone in a 2-part major motion picture, breaking over 9 records.

They aren’t just the faces of their childhoods; they are proof that reinvention is survival, that success can come in waves, and that growing up doesn’t mean letting go—it means carrying the best parts forward. As Gen Z steps into adulthood, they aren’t just looking up to their heroes; they’re walking alongside them, rewriting what longevity, influence and legacy really mean.