You remember the high-pitched "Oh my gosh!" and the synchronized hair flips. If you grew up in the mid-2000s, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle was the face of the popular-but-painful clique. As Ashley Dewitt on Hannah Montana, she spent years playing the ditzy antagonist to Miley Stewart. But honestly, if you only know her as the girl who couldn't remember which locker was hers, you’re missing the most interesting parts of her career.
She isn't just a Disney relic.
Actually, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle comes from a bloodline of entertainment royalty in the Philippines. Her grandmother is the legendary Sylvia La Torre, the "Queen of Kundiman." Think of it this way: while she was playing a mean girl on the Disney Channel, she was carrying the weight of a massive musical legacy on her shoulders. That’s a lot of pressure for a teenager.
The Disney Days and the "Mean Girl" Typecasting
Most people first saw her alongside Demi Lovato in Camp Rock. She played Ella Pador, the lip-gloss-obsessed designer who eventually finds her backbone. It’s funny because Ella was supposed to be a "mean girl" too, at least at first.
Disney found a niche for her. She had this specific energy—bubbly, slightly vapid, but strangely likable.
Between 2006 and 2011, she was everywhere. She was in Cake on CBS, she was guest-starring on Just Jordan, and she was basically a permanent fixture in the Disney Channel Games. But here’s the thing: being a "Disney kid" is a double-edged sword. You get the fame, but you also get the label. People assume you can’t actually sing or act beyond the script.
Anna Maria proved them wrong by pivoting to something much harder: Broadway.
📖 Related: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
The Godspell Breakthrough
In 2011, she did something most Disney stars are terrified of. She went to New York. She joined the revival of Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell. This wasn't a "celebrity cameo" role. She was part of the core ensemble, singing "Day by Day" every single night.
Imagine going from a soundstage in Burbank to the Circle in the Square Theatre. No retakes. No auto-tune. Just raw vocals in the round.
It changed the narrative. Critics realized she wasn't just a face for teen magazines; she was a powerhouse vocalist. She wasn't playing Ashley Dewitt anymore. She was playing herself, and honestly, she was great.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Career
People often ask, "Where did she go?"
The truth is, she didn't disappear. She just grew up. In 2019, she married Scott Kline Jr. and eventually became a mother. In the industry, there's this weird obsession with constant output. If you aren't in a Marvel movie every two years, people think you've retired.
But Anna Maria has been working steadily in different lanes:
👉 See also: Why ASAP Rocky F kin Problems Still Runs the Club Over a Decade Later
- Voice Acting: She’s lent her voice to shows like Higglytown Heroes.
- Indie Films: She appeared in projects like The Message (2020) and Camp Arrowhead.
- Philanthropy: She’s been a long-time supporter of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.
She also stayed incredibly connected to her Filipino roots. In 2026, the conversation around Fil-Am representation is louder than ever, and Anna Maria was one of the early pioneers of that in the mainstream "teen" space. She paved the way for the Olivias and the Hailees.
Living a "Normal" Life in a Viral World
The transition from child star to functional adult is a minefield. We’ve seen it go wrong a hundred times. But Anna Maria Perez de Tagle seems to have navigated it by choosing privacy over clicks.
She stays active on social media, but it’s not the curated, frantic "look at me" energy you see from influencers. It’s a lot of family, a lot of faith, and the occasional throwback to the days of Camp Rock.
It’s refreshing.
Why Anna Maria Perez de Tagle Still Matters in 2026
You might think she's just nostalgia bait. You'd be wrong.
She represents a specific era of entertainment where you actually had to perform. There were no TikTok shortcuts back then. You had to go on tour with the Jonas Brothers and sing live in front of 60,000 people. You had to handle the grueling schedule of a sitcom and the high-stakes environment of a Broadway stage.
✨ Don't miss: Ashley My 600 Pound Life Now: What Really Happened to the Show’s Most Memorable Ashleys
Her longevity isn't about being the biggest star in the world. It’s about being a consistent, talented professional who didn't let the industry break her.
If you want to support her work or learn from her journey, here are the best moves:
- Revisit the Godspell Cast Recording: If you only know her Disney songs, listen to her version of "Day by Day." It’s a total 180 from her TV persona.
- Watch "The Message" (2020): It shows a more mature, dramatic side of her acting that wasn't allowed to breathe during her Disney years.
- Follow her for the right reasons: Watch her social platforms for her fashion design work—she’s been making her own clothes for years, which is a talent many fans overlook.
She's a reminder that you can have a "peak" in your teens and still have a whole, fulfilling life afterward. That's a win in my book.
The industry is different now, but the talent required to survive it remains the same. Anna Maria has plenty of it. Whether she's on a stage in New York or raising her daughter, she’s doing it with a level of grace that’s pretty rare in Hollywood.
Actionable Insight: If you're a fan of the "Disney era," don't just wait for a reboot. Follow the artists into their new ventures. Supporting independent films and theater is how you keep the careers of talented performers like Anna Maria Perez de Tagle thriving. It’s about the art, not just the mouse ears.