Now the star of the US network’s Wizards Of Waverly Place, the 18-year-old actress admitted that she had to battle to get to where she is today.
She told MTV News: "When I was 11, I had a casting director say to me, ‘You’re not strong enough to carry your own show. You’re not strong enough to be part of the Disney Channel’.
"I cried all the time afterwards, but I just kept on working hard. Whenever you have a goal, whether you want to be a doctor or a singer, people will find a way to bring you down."
She added: "I always tell people that if you have something you’re really passionate about, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it."