16 Facts About Former Child Star Dove Cameron

Dove Cameron is an up-and-coming actress, and she's not just a pretty face: this girl is seriously talented, and we can't wait to see where she goes next. Dove got her big break with the Disney Channel series Liv and Maddie, where she played the starring “roles” (more on that later!). Since then, she has continued to work with Disney-she plays Mal in the Descendants series, so if you want to see her sing, dance, and embrace her villain side, you should definitely tune in!

But Dove is slowly beginning to take on more and more projects outside of Disney, and she's handling her transition to more mature projects with grace. You won't see her up in the tabloids like other former Disney stars-nope, not Dove. She played Ruby Hale on the most recent season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and viewers and critics alike were impressed with her portrayal of the character. She has also starred in two live musical productions: Hairspray and Mamma Mia! So yes, this girl can sing-definitely be on the lookout for more music in the future!

You're about to see her name around a lot more often, so here are 16 fun facts about Dove Cameron.

16 Her Real Name Isn't Actually Dove

The first time you heard Dove Cameron's name, you probably wondered to yourself, “Wait, is that her real name? That's so cute!?” And we agree-her name IS super cute! But there's actually quite a story behind the name “Dove.” Dove opened up about her birth name and why she now goes by “Dove” instead, on Instagram.

She said that her birth name is actually Chloe. However, her dad always used to call her “Dove” or “Dovey” when she was growing up.

It was his cute little nickname for her. Although he passed away a couple years ago, Dove wanted to keep his legacy alive through her own life. Therefore, she decided to legally change her name to “Dove” as a way of honoring him.

15 She Started Her Acting Career By Playing Two Characters At Once

As you now know, Dove's acting career really kicked off when she landed the leading roles on the Disney show Liv and Maddie. And yes, we said roles, plural! According to Teen Vogue, Dove never expected that she would end up playing a set of twins when she auditioned for the show. When the idea for Liv and Maddie was conceived, they weren't looking for an actress to play twins! Dove auditioned for and was picked to play a totally different character. Then, the producers and directors decided to sit down and do some major rewrites that completely changed the direction of the show. They decided that audiences would like it better if the show was about a set of twins, and they told Dove she would now be playing both!

14 She Is Fluent In French

If you're a big fan of Dove, you may know that she's totally fluent in French. And she definitely looks French! However, she is not originally from France, and she certainly wasn't born there.

According to 'Entertainment Weekly', Dove spent a lot of time in Paris growing up. This is because she has French ancestry, and her parents wanted her and her sister to be in touch with their culture.

They helped her learn the language during those long visits. Her parents gave her more opportunities to travel and see the world-they also spent summers in India. What an interesting childhood! Dove says that these experiences helped her learn so much about the world and other cultures. She says that she really appreciates what her parents did for her.

13 She Is Open About Her Struggles With Anxiety

It is becoming more and more common for young people to be more open when they're struggling with their mental health, and this is a very positive change. It means the conversation about mental health is finally moving in the right direction-there's no reason to feel shame if you feel like you need help. Dove totally supports this, and she wants to let her fans know that she has been there, too. She told Entertainment Weekly that the first time she was recognized in public, she actually experienced a sudden wave of anxiety, freaked out, and had to duck into a store to hide and calm down. Dove is definitely not perfect, but she is honest about her low moments, and that's what makes her so relatable.

12 She Broke Off An Engagement With Her Co-Star, Ryan McCartan

Dove is still pretty young-only 22 years old!-but she already has a lot of life experience, especially when it comes to relationships. She used to be engaged to her Liv and Maddie co-star, Ryan McCartan. He played Maddie's boyfriend on the show, so no one was surprised when they got together in real life. The two of them ended up dating for three years and considering their youthful age, many believed that they started to rush to the next step of marriage.

Ryan announced their engagement on Instagram, but the post has been long deleted.

Although their relationship was adorable on TV, it was not meant to last in the real world. After being engaged for only six months, Ryan posted that Dove had decided she was no longer happy in the relationship. It was sad, but they have both moved on.

11 She's Now Dating Her 'Descendants' Co-Star Thomas Doherty

Clearly, Dove was not so lucky in love in the past-as we just discussed, she had to break off an engagement with Ryan McCartan because she realized the relationship was going south and she was no longer happy. But don't lose hope, because she found love again-this time around, she's dating her Descendants co-star, Thomas Doherty, and she could not be happier! According to an interview with Flaunt, Dove and Thomas are simply head over heels in love. Dove says that when they realized they both felt the same way, their worlds just turned upside down and their lives changed forever. Hmmm, maybe this time, Thomas will turn out to be “the one?” Well, all we've got to say is that we're rooting for them!

10 She Loves Musical Theater, Especially The Show 'Hamilton'

Dove has always been a huge fan of theater, and with her love of singing, it's obvious that she adores musicals especially! She has dipped her toes into the world of musicals recently, and she clearly feels right at home on stage belting out a tune.

She starred as Amber von Tussle in the production of 'Hairspray Live!', and she also appeared in the Hollywood Bowl production of 'Mamma Mia!'.

Yea, no pressure for her debuts or anything. She pulled off both roles easily, receiving plenty of praise for her work. However, she's also a fan of another popular musical you've probably heard of: Hamilton. According to HerCampus, Dove's former Liv and Maddie co-star, Jordan Fisher, joined the Hamilton cast, and Dove immediately went to go see him perform-what a cool coincidence!

9 Her Parents Were Both Artists

Growing up as a creative kid can be kind of tough. Sure, you get to do arts and crafts in school, and you have more time to read your favorite books and watch your favorite movies. But if you say that you want to be an artist when you grow up, not everyone will be supporting-people may think you're just dreaming and letting your imagination go wild. However, Dove was lucky-her parents were both artists themselves, so they understood and supported her ambitions. According to US Weekly, Dove's mother is a poet and a novelist, and her father was a cook and a pianist. And on top of all that, her parents also co-owned a jewelry business together! It's no wonder she's so talented.

8 She Was Bullied In School Growing Up

Dove may be living a charmed life in Hollywood now, but it wasn't always this way. She had to make it through periods of darkness to get where she is now. If you struggled to get through high school because you felt like you didn't fit in, Dove totally understands how you feel, because she was once in the same position. So don't lose hope-the future is brighter than whatever you're going through today! According to Seventeen magazine, Dove says that she was bullied throughout high school, and other girls were very cruel to her. No one should have to deal with the nastiness that she put up with, but she made it through with a smile on her face. She says to never let a rude person pull you down to their level.

7 She Is Originally From Seattle

It's easy to assume that Dove is originally from Los Angeles-blonde Disney star with a great singing voice? She must be California born and raised, right? Nope! Dove is actually originally Seattle.

She grew up on Bainbridge Island, which is a short ferry ride away from downtown Seattle.

According to the Seattle Times, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother when she fourteen so that she could audition for more shows and further her acting career. However, she says that she still misses her hometown and loves to return to Washington for short visits! Her busy schedule keeps her on the go most of the time, but it's sweet that she never forgets where she came from and is always happy to get the chance to come home.

6 She Feels A Little Awkward About Being Famous And Looked Up To

Dove is definitely happy with her life and her career, even though it means she has basically zero privacy! She's very open about everything going on in her life with her fan base, and she truly loves her job as an artist.

However, according to Flaunt magazine, Dove feels a little uneasy about the way people view celebrities compared to everyone else.

She says that she doesn't want anyone to put her up on a pedestal just because she is famous and appears on screen-she feels that they are just setting unrealistic standards and that celebs are just people like us at the end of the day. As we said, she definitely loves her job, and there's no doubt that she's living her dream-she just knows she's not perfect!

5 She Always Keeps Things Positive On Social Media

If you feel like social media is full of nothing but negativity these days, you need to follow Dove Cameron and break up your feed. She is known for her sunny, positive disposition, and she rarely posts anything negative. Seriously, if you want to boost your mood, just check out her Twitter and her Instagram. She posts on a daily basis, so if you just can't get enough of Dove, you definitely need to be following her! Her posts are like little rays of sunshine in contrast to all of the gloom and doom that you normally see on social media. Many people turn to social media just to vent, but Dove is all about spreading positive energy and making her fans smile every single day!

4 She Loves To Travel

If you follow Dove on Instagram, you know that she spends a lot of her time on the road, going from place to place for work commitments and personal fun. Such is the life of an actress, right? As we mentioned earlier, Dove did get to travel a lot as a kid. According to US Weekly, she got to spend her summers in India, where her parents worked in their jewelry business.

She says that these days, she still loves airports, even though she has to be on the go as often.

And according to Flaunt, Dove says that these days, she still needs the freedom to travel just for fun, even though she's so busy. She says that sometimes, she just has to jet off to Europe and get away from it all!

3 She Has Tiny Hand Tattoos

Dove actually has one tattoo on her pinky and one on her ring finger! Yes, they're both quite small and subtle, but still very cute! According to Steal Her Style, Dove has a tiny “X” tattoo on her pinky, and her friend Kelsie has an “O” tattoo. They got their tattoos during Dove's birthday celebrations in Las Vegas! According to Body Art Guru, Dove's sun tattoo also has some meaning behind it. It's based off a line from her favorite musical, The Light in the Piazza. She says that the tattoo also symbolizes life and new beginnings. It's certainly very fitting for her bright, sunny personality! Dove's tattoos are both quite classy, and it's easy for her to cover them up when she is appearing in Disney Channel productions.

2 She Would Love To Join The Cast Of 'Riverdale'

So, apparently celebs really are just like us-Dove has revealed that she's obsessed with the show Riverdale, and we love knowing that she's right there binge watching like everyone else. Who doesn't love Riverdale? Riverdale is based off the original Archie comic series, and Dove says she was a huge fan of the comics. Naturally, she would love to take part in the show someday.

She revealed in an interview with 'Shine On Media' that she would totally play the role of Sabrina if the casting director ever reached out to her.

Look, we didn't think we could love the show anymore, but if Dove happens to make an appearance on Season 2, the series will be even better. We've got our fingers crossed!

1 She Is Coming Out With An Album Soon

Clearly, Dove has an incredible voice: who else could carry those tunes in Hairspray Live! and Mamma Mia! If you've loved hearing Dove sing on Liv and Maddie and in the Descendants films, get ready for some good news! Dove is currently working on her first solo album. According to Just Jared Jr., she has recently signed a deal with Columbia Records. She is super excited to be working with Columbia, and she thinks that her fans will be very excited to hear the new music she puts out! So far, the only thing that's confirmed is that she will be releasing a single called “Talks About” in the near future, but she says that this may not be the first single off the album. Looks like she may have a few surprised up her sleeve!

References: instagram.com, teenvogue.com, ew.com, hercampus.com, flaunt.com, usmagazine.com, seventeen.com, seattletimes.com, twitter.com, stealherstyle.com, bodyartguru.com, youtube.com, justjaredjr.com