The project gave Ryan the opportunity to become Disney Channel's youngest-ever director.
Debby Ryan is looking back at her time as a Disney Channel star and director fondly. This year marks the 11th anniversary of her show, Jessie, premiering and the actress says the series not only inspired her to branch out in her entertainment career but also gave her confidence onscreen.
Ryan spoke with ET's Cassie DiLaura Wednesday at the premiere of her forthcoming film, Spin Me Round, and couldn't help but get nostalgic over her breakthrough role in the industry and explain how Disney entrusted her to become the network's youngest-ever director.
When asked about the ways Jessie shaped her career, Ryan said, "Countless ways, probably in ways that I haven’t made eye contact with, but Jessie was the first time I felt that I was in rhythm with Disney Channel."
Jessie premiered in 2011 and held a four-season run on the famed kids' network. The series followed Ryan as she rebels against her father, leaves the small town in Texas where she grew up on a military base, and heads to New York City. There, she accepts a job as a nanny and moves into a multimillion-dollar penthouse on the Upper West Side with the wealthy Ross family, taking care of their four rambunctious children.
Now, over a decade after Jessie became a small-screen hit, Ryan is explaining how the series was a huge opportunity for her behind the scenes.
Ryan revealed that Disney gave her the opportunity to work on the show in a directional capacity. "It really showed an amazing amount of faith in me, I just feel very fortunate," Ryan said.
Now, Ryan's latest project, Spin Me Round, is set to hit theaters, VOD and streaming on AMC+ on Aug. 19.
The star-studded cast includes Ryan, Alison Brie, Audrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, Tricia Helfer, Fred Armisen and many others. The feature is directed by Plaza's husband, Jeff Baena.
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