You remember the bacon. Everyone does. That high-pitched, slightly nasal voice screaming about breakfast meats while barging into the Stevens’ kitchen uninvited. For a generation of kids growing up in the early 2000s, Bernard "Beans" Aranguren was the ultimate "Cousin Oliver" archetype—the weird neighbor kid who stayed way past his welcome. But if you look at beans even stevens today, the nostalgia has taken a sharp, complicated turn into real-world drama that has nothing to do with Disney Channel tropes.
Steven Anthony Lawrence, the man behind the vest and the bowl cut, is 35 now. He isn’t just some former child star living off residuals or signing autographs at mid-tier conventions. In early January 2026, he became the center of a massive social media firestorm involving Universal Studios Hollywood. It wasn't about a reboot. It was about something much heavier.
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The Universal Studios Firing: What Actually Happened?
Honestly, the internet lost its mind when Lawrence posted a photo of his Universal Studios work ID next to a Toad costume. He wasn't there as a guest. He was actually working there as a performer and dancer—a job he says he genuinely loved. But the caption on that post was a bomb. Lawrence alleged that he was fired in retaliation for reporting a "suspected pedophile" around children at the park.
"I delayed posting this for about a month because I was hoping we could find some sort of amicable solution," he wrote. He went on to tag his bosses and HR, essentially scorched-earthing his relationship with the theme park. He even told his followers he’d never allow his own kid to go to Universal Studios Hollywood based on what he knows.
Universal didn’t stay quiet for long. They fired back with a statement to outlets like People and TMZ, claiming they investigated his concerns and found them "inaccurate and without merit." They basically said he wasn't fired for whistleblowing, though they didn't explicitly list his "real" reason for termination in the public statement.
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A Divided Workplace
Then things got messy. The comments section of his post turned into a digital battlefield. While his former co-star Christy Carlson Romano (Ren Stevens herself) jumped in with a "Good for you Steven!" to show support, others weren't so kind.
Several people claiming to be his former coworkers at the park started calling him out. One person described him as a "menace to work with," alleging he had a bad attitude and was difficult with the backstage crew. It’s a classic "he-said, they-said" situation that makes the beans even stevens today conversation a lot more nuanced than just "former child star does the right thing."
Life After the Bacon Obsession
People often wonder why Lawrence disappeared from the A-list while his co-star Shia LaBeouf went on to Transformers and indie darling status. It wasn't just a lack of roles. Life hit him hard. Around the age of 21, he actually stepped away from the industry to care for his father, who was battling cancer.
That's why you might have seen those viral photos of him working at a Sunvalley Mall Santa photo booth back in 2015. People assumed he’d "fallen off," but he later explained he took the job because his dad loved Christmas. It was a way to feel close to him during a period of deep grief.
Lawrence has always been pretty transparent about the "business of the business." He’s spent years:
- Teaching acting classes to underprivileged kids for as little as $40 a week.
- Hosting a bipartisan YouTube talk show called The Rice and Beans Show.
- Advocating for political causes, even fundraising for various campaigns.
He’s not "Beans" anymore. He’s a guy who has been through the Hollywood ringer and seems more interested in teaching technique than chasing a Marvel cameo.
The Reality of Child Stardom and Hair Loss
One thing that genuinely surprised fans over the years was Lawrence’s physical transformation. He started losing his hair at 14. By his early 20s, he looked significantly different from the kid who annoyed Louis Stevens.
He’s talked about this openly, noting that it changed the types of roles he was offered. He went from being the "cute, quirky kid" to being cast in things like Kicking & Screaming or The Cat in the Hat, and eventually, the roles just thinned out. But he’s stayed active in the community, often appearing on podcasts or doing 1:1 virtual lessons via platforms like Koji.
Why the "Beans" Legacy Persists
There is something about that specific era of Disney Channel—the "golden age" of Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire—that people refuse to let go. Lawrence knows this. He’s on Cameo, he does the "You're watching Disney Channel" wand motion for fans, and he embraces the meme.
But the 2026 allegations against Universal have added a layer of "truth-teller" or "troublemaker" to his persona, depending on who you believe. It’s no longer just about a kid who likes bacon; it’s about a grown man navigating the complexities of employment, corporate safety, and the lingering shadow of being a household name before he could drive.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Observers
If you’re following the beans even stevens today saga, here is how to actually stay informed without falling for the clickbait:
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- Check the Source: Don't just read the Instagram captions. Look for the official statements from Universal and the rebuttals from the legal teams involved. The "coworker" comments on social media are unverified, so take them with a grain of salt.
- Support the Craft: If you want to support Lawrence’s actual work, look into his acting seminars. He’s been a vocal proponent of teaching "real" technique rather than just "making faces for the camera."
- Separate the Character from the Person: It’s easy to meme him, but Lawrence has dealt with significant personal loss and the harsh reality of being a working actor in Los Angeles.
- Watch the Legal Space: These kinds of retaliation claims often end up in court or mediation. If a lawsuit is filed, that’s where the actual evidence (or lack thereof) regarding the "suspected pedophile" claims will come to light.
The story isn't over. Whether Lawrence is a whistleblower standing up for child safety or a disgruntled employee is still being debated in the court of public opinion. Either way, the "Beans" we knew is gone, replaced by a man who isn't afraid to burn bridges if he thinks it's the right thing to do.