Christy Carlson Romano and Shia LaBeouf played one of the most beloved sibling duos in early 2000s Disney Channel history, but their first meeting was not exactly instant chemistry. On the“Sorry We’re Cyrus”podcast, Romano recalled meeting LaBeouf for the first time and being“very put off,”simply because the two were so different. She was fourteen, raised in a strict Italian-American family, and showed up to set highly prepared. He was a cool Venice Beach kid with two-toned hair who seemed destined to become Louis Stevens.
What looked like a mismatch on paper turned into TV magic.“Even Stevens”ran from 2000 to 2003, with Romano filming 65 episodes plus a TV movie. She also pointed out that the show stayed popular because Disney kept it in reruns for a decade, which meant residuals kept flowing for a while. The creator reportedly felt their dynamic was meant to be, and the fans clearly agreed.
These days, Romano said she and LaBeouf have drifted apart, though they still occasionally trade comments on social media and wish each other the best. It’s the classic story of two people who came from different worlds, made something iconic, and moved on to different chapters. So which one were you growing up: a Ren Stevens who followed every rule, or a Louis Stevens who made your own? Sound off in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
