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Bridgit Mendler
Bridgit Mendler
Biographical
Full Name

Bridgit Claire Mendler

Nickname(s)

Bridge

Gender

Female

Date of Birth

December 18, 1992

Place of Birth

Washington, D.C., United States

Height

5'7"

Eye Color

Brown

Hair Color

Blonde

Occupation

Actress, singer-songwriter & musician

Role

Juliet van Heusen

Bridgit Mendler (born December 18, 1992 age 31) is an American actress, singer, musician and songwriter.

In 2004, she began her career in the animated Indian film The Legend of Buddha, later starring in the films Alice Upside Down (2007), The Clique (2008), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) and Labor Pains (2009) as a teenager. In 2009, Mendler signed with Disney Channel and played Juliet van Heusen on Wizards of Waverly Place. Following the positive reception to her character, she landed the role of Teddy Duncan on the Disney series Good Luck Charlie, which ran from April 2010 to February 2014. Mendler also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth in 2011. Subsequently, Mendler portrayed Candace in the NBC sitcom Undateable (2015–2016) and Ashley Willerman in the musical television series Nashville (2017).

Mendler was featured on two singles released from the soundtrack of Lemonade Mouth, with both charting on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, Mendler released her debut studio album Hello My Name Is.... It went on to peak at number 30 on the Billboard 200, with over 200,000 copies sold. The record spawned the lead single "Ready or Not" (2012), which was certified Gold and Platinum in various countries. The follow-up single "Hurricane" (2013) did not achieve the same level of success but is still her second most popular single to date. Mendler released new music independently in 2016 and 2017. She also has links with several philanthropic projects and humanitarian causes. From 2010 to 2012, she served as ambassador to First Book, a campaign to encourage reading and gives books to children in need, and Give With Target, with Target Corporation to raise funds to reform schools in the United States.

Early Life[]

Mendler was born in Washington, D.C. She is the daughter of Sandra Ford-Mendler and Charles Mendler, and she has a younger brother named Nicholas. She moved with her family to Mill Valley, California, at the age of eight. It was there where she first expressed interest in acting and began working in plays. When she was eight years old, Mendler began taking part in local roles in both dramatic and musical theatre, and became the youngest performer in the San Francisco Fringe Festival. When she was 11 years old, she hired an agent to help her get acting jobs.

Career[]

2004–2008: Career beginnings[]

In 2004, Mendler got her first acting role in the animated Indian film The Legend of Buddha, in which she portrayed Lucy. When she was 13 years old, she got an acting role as a guest star on the soap opera General Hospital. She portrayed the dream child of character Lulu Spencer, in which the two have an argument on Mendler's character's birthday. The scene, lasting just under a minute, is later revealed to be a dream. That same year, Mendler was the voice of the character Thorn in the video game Bone: The Great Cow Race, which was based on the Bone comic series. In 2007, Mendler made her film debut in the film adaption of the Alice series, titled Alice Upside Down. Mendler starred alongside Disney Channel actress Alyson Stoner and Lucas Grabeel. Mendler portrayed the antagonistic role of Pamela, who is the rival of Stoner's character, Alice. For the film's soundtrack, Mendler provided backing vocals on the song "Free Spirit", performed by Stoner. Also in 2007 Mendler auditioned for Sonny with a Chance for the role of Sonny Munroe, but Demi Lovato was chosen. In 2008, it was announced that Mendler would play the role of Kristen Gregory in the film adaption of the popular teen novel series The Clique by Lisi Harrison. Mendler had the role of Kristen, a girl who attends OCD on a scholarship, and works hard to keep her good grades.

She also had begun working on a film with actress and singer Lindsay Lohan titled Labor Pains, which kept being pushed back due to various conflicts and problems. Though initially slated for a theatrical release, the film did not receive one in the US and was instead released as a TV film on ABC Family in 2009. The film did, however, receive a theatrical release in countries such as Russia, Romania, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, and Mexico. The film drew 2.1 million viewers, a better-than-average prime-time audience for ABC Family, and per the network, was the week's top cable film among coveted female demographic groups. She had a supporting role in the film Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

2009–2012: Good Luck Charlie and Lemonade Mouth

In 2009, Mendler became a recurring character in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. Mendler portrayed the role of Juliet Van Heusen, a vampire who later forms a romance with the character of Justin Russo. This lasts till the series finale. Mendler would go on to appear in eleven episodes total for the series, spanning from 2009 to 2012 when the series ended. In 2010, Mendler became the star of the Disney Channel Original Series Good Luck Charlie, centering on a teenage girl who makes videos for her baby sister to watch as she gets older. The series premiered on April 4, 2010, and was met with a positive critical reception and viewership. In the third season, Disney Channel announced that the series would feature a same-sex couple. This decision caused a protest from the conservative group "One Million Moms" asking Disney Channel not to air the episode. One of Disney's spokespersons told TV Guide the episode was "developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness." Disney aired the episode as planned. Other people including actors Miley Cyrus and Evan Rachel Wood expressed their support.

In 2011, she starred as Olivia White, the lead role in the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth, watched by 5.7 million viewers on its premiere night. Mendler performed numerous songs for the film's soundtrack, which was released on April 12, 2011 by Walt Disney Records. The first single released from the soundtrack, titled "Somebody", was released on March 4, and peaked at number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, "Determinate", charted in numerous other countries and peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview with Kidzworld Media, Mendler confirmed that there will not be a sequel to Lemonade Mouth, commenting: "There’s not [going to be a sequel to Lemonade Mouth] unfortunately. We had such a great experience working on the movie, and they tried to figure something out for a sequel, but everyone at Disney felt like the movie had completed its story in the first movie. It was a great experience, and I loved working with the cast members and still see them frequently." In 2011, Mendler had the supporting role of Appoline in the straight to DVD film Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. Mendler recorded the song "This Is My Paradise" for the film, which was released as a promotional single on January 11, 2011, with a music video directed by Alex Zamm.

On March 31, 2011, it was confirmed that Mendler had signed with Hollywood Records, and had begun working on her debut album. Also in 2011 Mendler also starred the Disney Channel Original Movie Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!, which premiered on December 2, 2011. The song "I'm Gonna Run to You" was co-written and performed by Mendler, and was also featured in the film and released as promotional single on November 12, 2011. Mendler later co-wrote and sang the Disney's Friends for Change Games anthem called "We Can Change the World", released as her third promotional single on June 11, 2011. In 2012, she guest-starred in the television series House as Callie Rogers, a homeless runaway teenager with a mysterious illness. She also made a guest cameo in Canadian teen drama Degrassi in the Season 11 episode "Don't Panic (1)" as Clare and Alli's friend Emily Quagmire, in their civics class; she can also be seen in the show's opening sequence sitting on Jake's red truck alongside Alli and Clare. She voiced the lead role of Arrietty in the American English dub of The Secret World of Arrietty, and she recorded a song, "Summertime," for the movie, which was released as a promotional single on February 2.

2012–2015: Hello My Name Is... and Undateable[]

In Summer 2012, Mendler confirmed that the title of her official debut single was "Ready or Not", written by Mendler herself, Emanuel "Eman" Kiriakou and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. The song was released for digital download on August 7 and for radio airplay on August 21, 2012. "Ready or Not" peaked at 49 in the United States and 53 in Australia, but at number seven in the United Kingdom and within the top twenty of the charts in Belgium, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand. The song received platinum certification in the United States and Canada and Gold in Denmark, New Zealand and Norway. Mendler ventured on her first headlining tour, Bridgit Mendler : Live in Concert, supporting her first studio album. The tour primarily reached only North America and she played at state fairs, music festivals and Jingle Ball's concerts series. Mendler's debut album, Hello My Name Is..., was released on October 22 by Hollywood Records and all the songs were written by Mendler with collaborators, included 12 tracks in standard version and 15 in deluxe edition. Mendler was also involved in its production. The album peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200 and sold less than 200,000 copies in the country.

Internationally "Hello My Name Is .." debuted in a few countries including Poland, Australia, United Kingdom, France and Spain. Mendler's vocals have been compared to Lily Allen, Cher Lloyd, Jessie J and Karmin. She released two promotional singles on the album: "Forgot to Laugh" and "Top of the World". On February 12, 2013, her second single, "Hurricane", was released for radio airplay. The song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 in the United States. On April 2 Mendler released a remix single version and, on June 21, an EP remixed. Also in June Mendler debuted her second tour, the Summer Tour, reaching only the United States. On April 30 she released the extended play Live in London, by Universal Music, recorded at a special performance in the United Kingdom. It on Mendler's VEVO On November 16, 2013 was premiered the music video for acoustic version of "Top of the World", directed by Matt Wyatt. She recorded it on her own, independent of Hollywood Records, and filmed in Griffith Park, in Los Angeles.

On June 28, 2014, Mendler began the second leg of her Summer Tour, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. On that date, she sang one of her new songs, "Fly to You", about a relationship that was said to be on the rocks but worth fighting for. On July 5, she performed another new song, "Deeper Shade Of Us", with disco influences. On November 25, 2014, Mendler was announced as a member of the main cast of the NBC comedy series Undateable in season two. She portrays the character Candace, an unlucky and undefeatably optimistic waitress, who becomes part of the main group. During the season, Candace and Justin, played by Brent Morin, were dating. After initial reports, it was confirmed on July 2, 2015, that Mendler left Hollywood Records earlier in the year.

In early 2015, NBC renewed with Mendler for a third season that consisted entirely of live episodes, which premiered October 15 of that year. In the season Justin proposes to Candace during a Backstreet Boys show and she accepts. On November 13, 2015, minutes before air time, a decision was made to pre-empt the then-upcoming live program due to the November 2015 Paris attacks. The next week, the live episode references were made about the attack as a tribute. Following the third season, it was announced that NBC had cancelled the series.

2016–present: Nemesis and Merry Happy Whatever[]

In 2016, Mendler produced her second studio album. Mendler discussed some of the producers and songwriters she was working with for the new album, including Mitch Allan, Dan Book, Alexei Misoul, Augie Ray, Beloryze, TMS, Ina Wroldsen, and Steve Mac. On August 4, 2016, Mendler announced the title of her new single, "Atlantis", featuring Kaiydo, which was released on August 26, 2016. The EP, Nemesis, was released on November 18. In October 2016, Mendler was cast as Ashley Willerman on the fifth season of the CMT television series Nashville.  On February 3, 2017, Mendler announced her new single, "Temperamental Love" featuring Devontée. The music video was featured the YouTuber Jam in The Van. On February 10, Mendler was cast in lead role of the Fox comedy television pilot Thin Ice, created by Elizabeth Meriwether, but the network ultimately passed on the pilot in May. On August 25, 2017, Mendler released the third single from her upcoming album titled "Diving" with American group RKCB. The official music video was released hours after the release of the song.

She appeared in the Netflix comedy film Father of the Year along with David Spade, Joey Bragg, Matt Shively and Jackie Sandler, which was released July 20, 2018.

In November 2019, Mendler appeared in the eight-part Netflix comedy television series, Merry Happy Whatever, along with Dennis Quaid, Ashley Tisdale, and her Undateable co-star Brent Morin.

Personal Life[]

Relationships[]

In October 2019, Mendler announced via Instagram that she had married her long-term boyfriend Griffin Cleverly.

On March 27, 2012, Shane Harper said in an interview with Officially the Hottest that he was dating Mendler. Harper told the interviewer that they became friends early in Good Luck Charlie and began dating in May 2011. In an interview with Cambio in September 2012, Mendler stated that it took two years between her meeting Harper and beginning to date him. To Classicalite, Mendler talked about dating Harper, and said it took time for them to begin something, because she needed time to think. She said, "We knew each other for a while, were friends for a long time. I think everybody was very respectful about it and wanted to make sure that it wouldn't be weird." In November 2015, Mendler revealed that she had ended her relationship with Harper.

Education[]

Mendler has a degree in anthropology from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California. In 2012 Mendler joined USC's anthropology class. She decided to study art after two members of her band joined her at USC. In an interview with Brian Mansfield of USA Today, Mendler said: "My plan right now is just to do one class at a time and see how that goes. I'm just going to study something that will be interesting and doable from the road and just take care of my general education courses for now. I want to know something outside of what I do." In 2013, she chose anthropology and studied Medieval Visual Culture, and medical Anthropology. To the University Star, Mendler said USC was important so that she doesn't have a formulaic career: "I think seeing that college life and what that would've been like, it does make you wonder what sort of lifestyle that would be, but I'm really grateful for what I have, and I think it's cool that, because my career path is not as formulaic, I can kind of decide when I want to take time off to do certain things." In 2016 she graduated as an anthropologist. Mendler has doctorate plans, inspired by her mother, doctor of public policy.

In May 2017, Mendler was announced as one of the 2017 MIT Media Lab's Director's Fellows. In May 2018, she announced on Twitter that she started a graduate program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a focus on improving social media: "As an entertainer, for years I struggled with social media because I felt like there was a more loving and human way to connect with fans." In January 2019, Mendler indicated that she was enrolled in a class at Harvard Law School. In 2020, she completed her graduate degree at MIT and began working on her Ph.D with MIT's Center for Constructive Communications and Social Machines group.

Related Links[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Mendler writes with her left hand but plays the guitar with her right hand.[1]

References[]

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