Bridgit Mendler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bridgit Mendler
Mendler in May 2013
Born	Bridgit Claire Mendler (1992-12-18) December 18, 1992 (age 32) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS) Harvard University (JD)
Occupation	Actress singer entrepreneur
Years active	2004–present
Works	Discography songs recorded concert tours filmography
Spouse(s)	Griffin Cleverly ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1
Relatives	Christine Blasey Ford (aunt)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop R&B alt pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboard keytar
Labels	Hollywood Black Box

Bridgit Claire Mendler (born December 18, 1992) is an American entrepreneur, and a former actress and singer. She first became known as a child actress. She continued acting into adulthood. She also had a successful music career in the 2010s.

After studying at MIT and Harvard, she co-founded a satellite data company. This happened between 2017 and 2024. Her journey is a great example of someone changing careers successfully.

Mendler's early acting roles include the movies Alice Upside Down (2007) and The Clique (2008). She also appeared in Labor Pains (2009). In 2009, she joined Disney Channel. She played Juliet van Heusen on Wizards of Waverly Place (2009–2012).

She became very famous for her main role as Teddy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie (2010–2014). She also starred in the Disney Channel movie Lemonade Mouth (2011). Later, she appeared on the NBC show Undateable (2015–2016). She was also in the ABC/CMT music series Nashville (2017). Her last acting role was in the Netflix comedy series Merry Happy Whatever (2019).

Mendler started her music career by singing songs for the Lemonade Mouth soundtrack in 2011. She signed with Hollywood Records that same year. Her first album, Hello My Name Is... (2012), reached number 30 on the Billboard 200 chart. It included popular songs like "Ready or Not" and "Hurricane". These songs became platinum and gold hits.

She then went on two concert tours: Live in Concert (2012) and Summer Tour (2013–2014). Later, she released an extended play called Nemesis (2016). This was released independently with the Black Box record label. It reached number 46 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart. She then toured again for the Nemesis Tour (2016–2017).

From 2010 to 2012, Mendler was an ambassador for First Book. This group helps children get books and encourages reading. She also worked with Give with Target to raise money for schools in the United States. She was a student and researcher at the MIT Media Lab from 2017 to 2023. She is also working on her PhD at MIT. In 2024, she became the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space. This is a company that works with satellite data. She also earned a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Early Life and Education

Bridgit Mendler was born in Washington, D.C.. When she was eight years old, her family moved to Mill Valley, California. This is where she first became interested in acting. She started performing in local plays. At eight, she was the youngest performer in the San Francisco Fringe Festival. When she was 11, she hired an agent to help her find acting jobs. Bridgit Mendler's aunt is psychologist Christine Blasey Ford.

In the 2010s, Mendler studied anthropology at the University of Southern California (USC). This was in Los Angeles, California. She took one class at a time to fit it around her acting career. She wanted to learn about things outside of entertainment. In 2013, she studied Medieval Visual Culture and medical anthropology. She felt grateful for her unique career path. She left USC in 2016. In May 2017, she was named one of the 2017 MIT Media Lab's Director's Fellows.

In May 2018, she shared on Twitter that she started a graduate program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She wanted to improve social media. She felt there could be a more caring way to connect with fans. In 2020, she earned a Master of Science degree from MIT. Her master's paper was about solving problems in social media. She then started working on her PhD at MIT. In 2022, she was studying at both Harvard Law School and MIT. In May 2024, she received her law degree from Harvard.

Career

Acting Roles

In 2004, Mendler got her first voice acting job. It was for an animated Indian film called The Legend of Buddha. She voiced young Buddha. When she was 13, she had a guest role on the TV show General Hospital. She played a dream child in one scene. That same year, she voiced a character named Thorn in a video game. The game was based on the Bone comic series.

In 2007, Mendler made her movie debut in Alice Upside Down. She played Pamela, a rival to the main character. She also sang backing vocals for a song in the film. In 2007, she auditioned for Sonny with a Chance. The main role went to Demi Lovato.

In 2008, Mendler was cast as Kristen Gregory in The Clique. This movie was based on a popular teen book series. Kristen was a hard-working student on a scholarship. She also worked on a movie with Lindsay Lohan called Labor Pains. This movie was released on TV in 2009. It was popular with female viewers. She had a small role in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

In 2009, Mendler became a regular on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place. She played Juliet Van Heusen, a vampire. Juliet had a romance with Justin Russo, played by David Henrie. Mendler appeared in eleven episodes until the show ended in 2012.

Jason Dolley, Mendler, and Bradley Steven Perry in October 2010

In 2010, Mendler became the star of the Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie. She played a teenage girl who made video messages for her baby sister. The show started on April 4, 2010, and was very popular. In 2011, she starred as Olivia White in the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth. Over 5.7 million viewers watched it on its first night. Mendler confirmed there would not be a sequel to Lemonade Mouth. She felt the first movie told a complete story.

In 2011, Mendler also voiced Appoline in the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. She starred in the Disney Channel movie Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas! in December 2011. In 2012, she was a guest star on the TV show House. She played a homeless teenager with a mysterious illness. She also voiced the main character, Arrietty, in the English version of The Secret World of Arrietty.

In 2014, Mendler joined the cast of the NBC comedy series Undateable. She played Candace, an optimistic waitress. Candace and Justin, played by Brent Morin, dated on the show. In 2015, NBC renewed the show for a third season. This season had live episodes. Justin proposed to Candace during a Backstreet Boys concert, and she said yes. The show was later canceled.

In 2016, Mendler was cast as Ashley Willerman on the TV series Nashville. In 2017, she was cast in a TV pilot called Thin Ice. The network did not pick up the show. She appeared in the Netflix comedy movie Father of the Year in 2018. In 2019, Mendler was in the Netflix comedy series Merry Happy Whatever.

Music Career

Mendler sang many songs for the Lemonade Mouth soundtrack. It was released in April 2011. The song "Somebody" reached number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Another song, "Determinate", was also popular. Mendler recorded "This Is My Paradise" for Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. It was released as a promotional song in January 2011.

In March 2011, Mendler signed with Hollywood Records. She started working on her first album. She co-wrote and sang "I'm Gonna Run to You" for Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!. She also co-wrote and sang "We Can Change the World" for Disney's Friends for Change Games. This song raised money for charity. For The Secret World of Arrietty, she recorded a song called "Summertime".

Mendler performing on her debut tour, Live in Concert, in 2012

In summer 2012, Mendler announced her first official single, "Ready or Not". She wrote it with Emanuel "Eman" Kiriakou and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. The song was released in August 2012. It reached number 49 in the United States and number seven in the United Kingdom. It became platinum in the US and Canada. Mendler went on her first tour, Bridgit Mendler: Live in Concert. She performed at fairs and music festivals.

Her first album, Hello My Name Is..., was released in October 2012. Mendler wrote all the songs with other artists. The album reached number 30 on the Billboard 200. Her singing style has been compared to artists like Lily Allen and Jessie J.

In February 2013, her second single, "Hurricane", was released. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. In June, Mendler started her second tour, the Summer Tour. She also released an extended play called Live in London. In 2014, she performed new songs like "Fly to You" and "Deeper Shade Of Us" during her tour.

Mendler performing at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2017, for the Nemesis Tour

In 2016, Mendler started working on new music. She worked with producers like Mitch Allan and Steve Mac. In August 2016, she announced her new single, "Atlantis", featuring Kaiydo. It was released on August 26. She then released "Do You Miss Me at All" in November. Both songs were on her EP Nemesis, released on November 18. She said this project was very personal to her. She hoped it would show fans a new side of her after Disney. She went on the Nemesis Tour from 2016 to 2017. In 2017, she released two more singles: "Temperamental Love" and "Diving".

Entrepreneurship

Logo for Mendler's company Northwood Space

In 2023, Mendler and her husband started a company called Northwood Space. It is a satellite data startup. She is the CEO of this company. It is based in El Segundo, California. The company plans to make many satellite ground stations. Mendler said the idea came to her during the COVID-19 lockdowns. They started with $6.3 million from investors.

Mendler explained her career change in an article. She felt a "disconnect" with entertainment. She wanted to explore research and make a different kind of impact. She said music is her first love. But she felt lonely in the artistic community sometimes.

Other Ventures

Helping Others

Mendler visiting a school in Baltimore, Maryland, to donate $25,000 for Target's campaign in 2012

In 2010, Mendler became an ambassador for First Book. This group helps children by giving them books. In 2011, she joined Disney's Friends for Change. This program encourages people to help the environment. She released a song, "We Can Change the World," which raised $250,000. She also participated in the Disney's Friends for Change Games. Her team helped raise money for UNICEF.

In 2012, Mendler won an award from Common Sense Media. She was named Role Model of the Year for her work against bullying. She also attended a UNICEF concert in New York to raise money. In July 2012, Mendler became an ambassador for Give With Target. This campaign raised money to improve schools in the United States. Target invested $5 million and gave grants to 100 schools. Mendler was excited to help kids get what they needed for school.

Mendler with children-in-need in Baltimore, in 2012

In March 2013, Mendler was part of a campaign called Delete Digital Drama. It worked with Seventeen magazine to stop cyberbullying. She said bullying is not fun and words can be very hurtful online. She also worked with Acuvue to mentor a contest winner. In October 2013, Mendler hosted We Day for the Free The Children Foundation. This group helps build schools for children in need.

In November 2013, Mendler joined the World Challenge Marathon. This race raised money for the Save the Children Foundation. This group helps children with health problems. In March 2014, Mendler traveled to Guatemala for another Save the Children project. She helped children in poor communities. She also launched Baby Sit In. This encouraged teens to help parents and give babies a healthy start. Save the Children thanked Mendler for her humanitarian work.

Endorsements

In 2012, Mendler partnered with Target. They released a clothing line called D-Signed by Teddy Duncan. It was inspired by her character on Good Luck Charlie. The collection included clothes and accessories for girls. In 2013, a Spring edition was also released. Mendler also worked with The Hunt, a fashion app. In 2014, she partnered with Clean & Clear skincare products. She appeared in commercials for their "real beauty" campaigns.

Artistry

Musical Influences

Mendler has said that Bob Dylan is her biggest musical influence. She admired how he wrote playful lyrics that still felt important. She also liked that he spoke for a whole generation. Her favorite Dylan song is "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Mendler also mentioned Etta James, Elvis Presley, B. B. King, Lily Allen, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. She loved that they had "soul in their voices." Other influences include Elvis Costello, The Delfonics, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Van Morrison. She also said the R&B group Salt-N-Pepa was an early influence.

Mendler has cited Bob Dylan (left), Florence and the Machine (center) and Feist (right) as her musical influences.

The hip hop band Fugees also greatly influenced her music. Her song "Ready or Not" was inspired by their song "Ready or Not." For her album Hello My Name Is..., she was inspired by indie pop singers Ingrid Michaelson and Feist. She also liked pop artists like Maroon 5, No Doubt, and Beyoncé. She saw Jamie Foxx as a role model for having both acting and music careers.

Mendler is influenced by British neo-soul artists. She listed Ellie Goulding, Florence and the Machine, and Lianne La Havas as influences. She also mentioned Natasha Bedingfield and Amy Winehouse. In 2013, she admired Adele's unique musical style. She was also influenced by Canadian artists Feist and Tegan and Sara. She even covered Tegan and Sara's song "I Was a Fool". In 2014, she mentioned Nelly Furtado and Joni Mitchell as influences for her second album.

In acting, Mendler has been influenced by Jamie Foxx, Natalie Portman, and Rachel McAdams. She admired McAdams for playing many different roles. She also respected Christian Bale's dedication to his acting. Mendler also mentioned Lindsay Lohan as a great actress.

Songwriting and Style

Mendler's songs are often about her own experiences. Her first single, "Ready or Not," is about being confident. It encourages people to go after what they want. Her album Hello My Name Is... talks about relationships, breakups, and self-confidence.

She enjoys writing songs and creating music. She wants to make "timeless songs" that last. She doesn't want to make music that just sounds like everyone else. She wants to grow as an artist.

Mendler has a vocal range of 3.4 octaves. She is a mezzo-soprano. She plays guitar, keyboard, and keytar. Her voice has been described as "strong and sweet" and having a "metallic tone." Her music is mostly pop and reggae fusion. It also includes elements of R&B, funk, and hip hop soul. She prefers to mix different styles into her music. Her voice and style have been compared to Lily Allen.

Personal Life

From 2011 to 2015, Mendler dated her former co-star Shane Harper. In October 2019, Mendler announced on Instagram that she married Griffin Cleverly. In February 2024, Mendler shared that she became a mother to a 4-year-old boy. She started fostering him in 2021 and adopted him in late 2022.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

• Bone: The Great Cow Race (2006) as Thorn

Discography

• Hello My Name Is... (2012)

Tours

• Live in Concert (2012)
• Summer Tour (2013–2014)
• Nemesis Tour (2016–2017)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Bridgit Mendler para niños