The Evolution of Ava Jean

On Disney Dreams, Industry Hustle, and Finding Her Own Voice

Photos by Frankie Marin, Styling by Tabitha Sanchez, Hair by Mashal Afzalzada, Makeup by Jill Powell, Shot at Lenur Studio

Top and skirt: Vintage

To look at Ava Jean’s career is to watch ambition and authenticity meet in real time. From cartwheels in the goalie box, to stepping directly onto set on Disney’s reimagined Camp Rock 3, the 21-year-old actor and musician has spent her life following an undeniable creative pull. Navigating an early move away from New York’s theater world, Ava forged her own path into the industry through online training, self-tapes, sheer persistence, and an unwavering belief in her craft—eventually earning a breakout role on A Week Away.

Now, with a high-profile premiere behind her and a studio full of deeply personal original music on the horizon, Ava sits down with Editor in Chief, Lucy Ivey to reflect on honoring her inner child, the power of cast camaraderie, and learning to value herself at every stage of the journey.

Lucy Ivey: Growing up, what was little Ava like?

Ava Jean: Little Ava made a lot of video stars, a lot of home videos. I was super musical from a very young age. My mom was a dancer, so I was just so immersed in the dance world and loved dancing. I was in soccer as a kid, and they had to pull me out because I used to do cartwheels in the goalie! So they got me into dance.

I loved DCOMs—I grew up watching Hannah Montana, Sonny with a Chance, all the classics. They got me into music. I fell in love with wanting to be a Disney pop star. Disney’s kind of the reason why I’ve been able to keep a childlike sense to myself, even as an adult.

Lucy: Was there a specific moment where you realized you wanted to pursue acting seriously?

Ava: My family moved from New York to North Carolina when I was young, and I was very distraught about it. I think because I grew up around a lot of Broadway performers, I felt like I was being taken away from something that was mine. We would come back and visit New York all the time, and my parents would take me to see Broadway shows. I saw Annie one time and just lost it—I was so upset because I wanted to be up on stage so badly.

At 14, that’s when I started pursuing it on my own. There was no acting training in North Carolina, so I started taking acting classes online. That’s when I really fell in love with it.

Lucy: Was there a scene or a moment in class where everything clicked for you?

Ava: The technicality of acting was something it took me a second to understand. I remember watching two scene partners in an on-camera class at my studio, Zach Barnett Studios. When they were done with the scene, I felt like I had just watched a movie. It felt so real to me, and they were so talented. That’s kind of the moment where I was like, "Dang, okay, this is something I can aspire to reach for."

Lucy: Was there a teacher or mentor who left a big impact on you during that time?

Ava: Zak Barnett, who I still train with to this day—he was the first person to call me an actor. Later, I was at Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Boot Camp with Kenny Ortega. I got chosen in class to do a monologue for the final showcase. Right before we all went on stage, he came behind the stage and went, "Okay, actors." I remember feeling so happy because I had been wanting to be seen as an actor for such a long time. It left a huge impact on me.

Lucy: You’ve really taken charge of your own career. What did that industry hustle teach you?

Ava: 16, 17, 18 year old Ava—I look up to her still! I think I was just so excited by the idea of creating and knowing I had so far to go. The possibilities for me were endless. It taught me discipline, and it created evidence that your dreams can happen. After three years of really working hard, I started to see the fruits of that.

Jacket and Jeans by Balenciaga

"16, 17, 18 Ava—I look up to her still. I was just so excited by the idea of creating... The possibilities for me were endless."

Lucy: Tell me about booking A Week Away and playing Savannah.

Ava: It was my first series regular ever, but fun fact: I was originally on the pilot as a skeleton-crew dancer! I knew the director, Alan, through Kristin Chenoweth’s boot camp. When I heard about a role in the show later on, I actually emailed him directly—which I would never tell anybody else to do!

Months later, I booked a Christmas movie with casting director Beverly Holloway separately, and she happened to be casting A Week Away as well. She gave me the audition off the back of that. I had a Zoom callback, and then I was going to Nashville a week later.

Lucy: How did you approach playing a "mean girl" dynamic like Savannah's?

Ava: I grew up with people like her who went through similar things with their families. The character actually gave me a lot of empathy for people who had been really mean to me in my life. I never viewed her as mean when I was shooting—I viewed her as wanting to control something that she had no control over. That feeling is so frustrating, when you just want something to work so bad and it’s not working. Knowing that I understood her gave me enough confidence to do the job.

Lucy: Let’s talk about Camp Rock. What was the audition process like?

Ava: I auditioned in June 2025. It was the coolest thing I had seen come through my email ever, because Camp Rock means so much to me. In my self-tape, I sang "Too Cool" and added a little choreography because I wanted to show I understood the character and the movie.

When I had the callback, they asked if I liked making TikToks and if I liked to dance—questions they would only ask if you were getting it! A week later, I was driving to set on Buffy, five minutes away, when I got the official call. I just freaked out.

Lucy: What did it feel like to step into that Disney world that you dreamed about as a kid?

Ava: As a kid, that’s what I wanted so badly. Obviously, dreams grow and change, but to honor a younger version of me that wanted that so bad—it just healed something in me. It was therapeutic.

Dress by Versace

"To honor a younger version of me that wanted that so bad and would watch those movies and be so inspired—it just healed something in me."

Lucy: Your character group has such a distinct physical style in the movie. How did you develop that?

Ava: That was not originally written in the script! After our table read rehearsal, Ella, Orlando, and I went home and thought about what we could do to make our characters funny and get laughs in the room. We came up with a bit of choreography and that "influencer formation" look where everything is placed, polished, and a little stiff. We brought it to the table read, it was received well, and our director, Veronica, helped us format what that would look like in the scenes.

Lucy: What was it like working with Disney veterans like Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, and Maria Canals-Barrera?

Ava: They set the tone for all of us on how to show up on set and be kind to one another. They created a family environment where I felt so safe, encouraged, and inspired. Camp Rock is not Camp Rock without Demi—her influence is what makes it feel so nostalgic and special. And Maria is a literal angel. She was a mom to Selena, a mom to Demi, and now a mom to all of us.

Lucy: What was the off-camera vibe with the rest of the new cast?

Ava: When I say I would do 10 Camp Rocks, I mean it! We went on shopping trips, ordered takeout, and went to the mall together. My parents weren't in Canada while we were filming, so the other cast families took me in—I would go have dinner at Ella and Orlando's house, or the moms would go on walks with me. I have never experienced anything like it.

Lucy: Beyond acting, you also write your own music. What does that creative outlet mean to you?

Ava: I’ve been writing music and playing piano daily since I was 14. Music can feel scarier than acting at times because it’s so close to your heart. Putting something you're feeling into poetry is a healing process. I’ve shared songs on TikTok from time to time, but now I’m actively recording music for official release.

Lucy: I love that so much. That sounds so cathartic. Looking back on everything so far, what advice would you give to your younger self?

Ava: I would tell her: "You’re valued for where you are at every moment."

With a growing screen portfolio, Ava Jean is entering a transformative new chapter. Yet despite her momentum, her focus remains grounded in creative growth and personal reflection rather than the fast-moving hype of Hollywood. As she transitions from playing memorable screen characters to revealing her own story through music, one thing is clear: Ava isn't just navigating her moment—she's owning it.