If you grew up during the early 2000s, you probably have a very specific, slightly blurry memory of eight teenagers in a recording studio wearing oversized headphones and cargo pants. They were belts-and-all singing a pop-rock cover of "Circle of Life."
It was the peak of the Disney Channel Circle of Stars era.
Honestly, looking back at it now in 2026, it feels like a bizarre time capsule. This wasn't just a music video. It was a massive branding exercise designed to sell the Platinum Edition DVD of The Lion King. But for us, it was the Avengers-level crossover we didn't know we needed. You had the face of the network, Hilary Duff, sharing a microphone with Raven-Symoné and the guy from Even Stevens. It was chaotic. It was earnest. It was aggressively 2003.
Who exactly was in the Disney Channel Stars Circle of Life lineup?
People often misremember the cast because Disney did a second version of the "Circle of Stars" a few years later for Cinderella. But the original 2003 "Circle of Life" crew was the "OG" squad.
The lineup was basically a "Who’s Who" of the millennial childhood:
- Hilary Duff (fresh off Lizzie McGuire)
- Raven-Symoné (That’s So Raven)
- Christy Carlson Romano (Even Stevens and the voice of Kim Possible)
- Orlando Brown (That’s So Raven)
- Anneliese van der Pol (That’s So Raven)
- Tahj Mowry (Smart Guy and Kim Possible)
- Kyla Pratt (The Proud Family)
- A.J. Trauth (Even Stevens)
There is something kinda funny about seeing A.J. Trauth and Christy Carlson Romano—who played siblings who hated each other on Even Stevens—standing in the same room pretending to be best friends while singing about the savanna.
The weird "Behind the Scenes" vibe
The video itself is pretty simple. It’s a lot of "studio footage" where the actors are supposedly recording their parts. You’ve got Hilary Duff looking very Metamorphosis-era with her highlights, and Raven-Symoné giving it 110% on the vocals.
But if you look closely at the footage, you’ll notice they aren't always in the same room. A lot of those shots were spliced together. A common misconception is that this was a live performance. It definitely wasn't. It was a highly produced track meant to give The Lion King a "hip" update for the Radio Disney crowd.
What’s wild is that this version actually charted. People liked it! It wasn’t just a DVD extra; it was a staple of the Disney Channel commercial breaks for months. If you stayed tuned in after an episode of Kim Possible, you were almost guaranteed to see Orlando Brown pointing at the camera while singing about the "path unwinding."
Where the Circle of Life stars are in 2026
It has been over 20 years. Let that sink in. The "kids" in that video are now in their late 30s or early 40s.
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Hilary Duff basically became the blueprint for the successful transition out of child stardom. Between How I Met Your Father and her business ventures, she’s doing just fine. Raven-Symoné never really left Disney, coming back for Raven’s Home and becoming a staple on The View for a while.
Then you have the more low-key paths. Anneliese van der Pol is a literal Broadway powerhouse. Christy Carlson Romano has carved out a massive niche for herself as the "Queen of Disney Nostalgia" on YouTube and via her podcasting network, often talking about how stressful these "Circle of Stars" days actually were behind the scenes.
Orlando Brown’s journey has been a bit more public and difficult, though fans were happy to see him recently looking healthier and working on new projects. Tahj Mowry and Kyla Pratt have both stayed consistently busy in the industry, with Kyla recently reviving The Proud Family for a new generation.
Why we still talk about this specific cover
There’s a reason this specific keyword—circle of life disney channel stars—still gets searched today. It represents the last era of "monoculture" for Disney fans.
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Before streaming, every kid with cable was watching the same ten people. This music video was the ultimate proof of that. It didn't matter if you were a Lizzie fan or an Even Stevens fan; you were watching this video.
It also marked the beginning of Disney’s "synergy" obsession. They realized they could use their TV stars to sell their movies, and their movies to sell their TV stars. It’s the same logic that eventually gave us High School Musical and Miley Cyrus.
Key Takeaways for the Nostalgic Fan:
- Check the DVD bins: If you find the 2003 "Platinum Edition" Lion King DVD, the music video is usually tucked away in the "Backstage Disney" menu.
- Spotify exists: The track is actually on the Disneymania 2 album if you want to add it to your workout playlist for the pure 2000s energy.
- Watch the outfits: If you want a masterclass in 2003 fashion (butterfly clips, denim on denim, and spiky hair), this video is better than any fashion magazine from that year.
If you’re looking to scratch that nostalgia itch even further, go back and watch the 2005 version for "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes." It’s got the Sprouse twins and Ashley Tisdale, and it’s just as delightfully dated.
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Next Steps for Your Nostalgia Fix:
Dig through your old DVD collection to see if you still have the Lion King Platinum Edition or check the "Extras" section of The Lion King on Disney+; occasionally, they rotate these old music videos into the "Behind the Scenes" sections of the classic films.