Note from Jennifer Leslie to Audra:
Thank you, again, for posting a story about her appearance. I wouldn’t have known otherwise!
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Disney star Debby Ryan stood in three-inch heels for three hours to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans at Von Maur at Perimeter Mall on Saturday.
“I’ve done crazier stunts in higher heels,” Ryan told 11Alive’s Jennifer Leslie after her appearance. “I actually get shin splints when I wear flats.”
PHOTOS | Disney Star Debby Ryan meets fans
Ryan plays the lead in the hit comedy “Jessie,” which is now in its third season on the Disney Channel. She plays a nanny for four wealthy children growing up in Manhattan.
“The show does really well, and it’s getting bigger and bigger,” Ryan said. “We have an amazing crew, amazing writers and amazing scripts.”
She added that the cast members have real chemistry, which she called “alchemy.”
Ryan will make another appearance for fans at the Von Maur at North Point Mall on Sunday, September 29, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama, but said this is her first visit to Georgia “as an adult.”
“I always tell people that I’m a vegan, except when I visit the South,” Ryan said. “The first thing we did when I got here was stop at Sonic.”
Her Saturday appearance drew boys and girls of all ages, from preschoolers to college students. “I’ve been told I’m a big fraternity crush, which is a little bit embarrassing,” Ryan said with a smile.
Ryan has a boyfriend named Joshua, who’s in a band on tour right now in Georgia. She’s also working on her first album with her brother Chase, who’s a music producer.
She’s planning another trip
to India for her charity work. Last year, she visited Udaipur, India, as an ambassador with Disney’s Friends for Change.
“I have such a heart for the people of India,” Ryan said. “I think it’s important to connect my fans to things that are close to my heart.”
Ryan, now 20, started acting at the age of seven. She has starred in two Disney movies, 16 Wishes and Radio Rebel.
After her mall appearance on Saturday, Ryan said she was ready to relax.
“I have a ripped t-shirt and jeans in a bag over there,” Ryan added.
If you or your children met Ryan on Saturday, send your pictures to Photos@11Alive.com, and we’ll add them to our photo gallery.
