Bridgit Mendler, a former Disney Channel actress, recently announced a new venture into space. Her startup, Northwood Space, plans to build satellite ground stations to transfer data from space to Earth efficiently. This project is just another one of Mendler’s ventures after many years of studying at prestigious universities like The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
Mendler’s story is a breath of fresh air amidst the turmoil many of her fellow child actors have faced post-childhood stardom. Last month, the four-part docuseries “Quiet on Set” highlighted several reports of abusive and toxic environments on the children’s television network Nickelodeon, according to NPR. Mendler, however, managed to stray away from the Hollywood life of fame and focus on her goals beyond acting.
Mendler began her Disney career in 2009 as Juliet Van Heusen, a vampire on the hit series “Wizards of Waverly Place.” The following year, Mendler got the lead role in “Good Luck Charlie,” a series following the life of Teddy Duncan as she makes video diaries filled with life lessons for her younger sister, Charlie. Lasting four years with four seasons and a Christmas movie, the show received positive reviews from all audiences and was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards.
During her acting career, Mendler recorded many songs for different films. Two songs she sang for her movie “Lemonade Mouth” charted on the US Billboard Hot 100. She made her official debut in 2012 with the release of her song “Ready or Not,” a catchy pop tune accompanied by a music video that garnered over 225 million views. After the release, Mendler was listed at #16 on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list in 2012. Her next hit came shortly after, with “Hurricane,” a song that combined pop and rap to create an experimental single to promote her debut album “Hello My Name Is…” The song reached number one on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 list and garnered 188 million views on its music video.
To this day, social media users continue to praise her songs. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, joke about the success she would have today if she continued singing. Similarly, fans applaud Mendler’s dedication to education. A post on X jokes about her academic accolades by claiming that Mendler will one day be President.
Praise for her work ethic does not come without warrant. Four years after her hit show “Good Luck Charlie” ended, Mendler started her journey in higher education. In 2018, she announced her enrollment in a graduate program in Media Arts and Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2021, she began studying for a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, where she became the co-president of the Harvard Space Law Society for the 2022-2023 school year. According to Mendler’s LinkedIn, she’ll complete her degree this year.
After staying out of the spotlight for many years while earning her degrees, Mendler sent fans into a frenzy in November 2022 after a cryptic post on X. Mendler simply wrote, “K, sit tight for news.” The post gained over 83,000 likes with many fans hoping for an immediate follow-up. Almost a year and a half later, Mendler finally announced the post was about her new satellite data company, Northwood Space.
Mendler worked alongside her husband and Chief Technology Officer Griffin Cleverly, and Shaurya Luthra, head of software, to develop the startup. According to CNBC, the three received $6.3 million from various venture investors to help them get started. Mendler described the company’s vision as, “a data highway between Earth and space.”
In addition to branching out into space, Mendler also announced a more personal accomplishment. She revealed she adopted a child around Christmas in 2022 after becoming his foster mom in 2021. Over 381,000 people liked her announcement, and many fans shared their congratulations on becoming a mother and wished her and her family well. One user replied to Mendler with a question we’re all asking ourselves, “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Mendler began her career entertaining and inspiring millions of children. As her audience grew up, so did she, creating a one-of-a-kind career with success in every field she explored. Her fans will continue to grow and, as they do, will continue to admire her work in music, film and space as they wait to see what’s next for Mendler.