Call her, beep her, if you wanna reach her. Twenty years ago, Christy Carlson Romano moved from New York to L.A. to become a Disney Channel star. (You might recognize her from her iconic roles as Ren in Even Stevens, the voice Kim Possible, or as Captain Jennifer Stone in Cadet Kelly.) Christy was the first person to star in a Disney Channel show, movie, and animated series at the same time. “Anything they needed me for, I was their girl,” says the 36-year-old. “I wouldn’t change it.”

Now that she’s conquered movies, Broadway, and TV, Christy is taking on her next challenge: YouTube. She called us from her studio (aka her home) to chat about the early aughts, the pressure of being a good role model, and who she’d love to have on her channel.

When you think of the early 2000s, what trends stick out in your mind?
Butterfly hair clips. A lot of lip gloss. MAC and Urban Decay… like a lot of Urban Decay lip gloss and eye shadows. Oh my goodness…. Jellies! Flared pants and belly chains… I never got one because it was way too naughty, but belly button rings were really big.

Before Even Stevens, you worked on Broadway and starred in movies. What was it like to go from musicals and film to the Disney Channel?
I had only done “serious work” before Disney. I was in a Woody Allen movie, and a lot of New York-based films, which not very many people know about me. I remember I was told [by another actress] that if I went to Disney Channel, it would be “career suicide” because it would mean all of the serious work I had done before would just go away. But I thought it was a really great opportunity. I mean, who would say no to being the star of a series? Going to L.A. was never a goal or a dream, it was just work. It just seemed like the next challenge for me.

As a star on the Disney Channel, did you feel pressure to be a perfect role model?
I really embraced having a brand that was so positive for young women. I think even more so with Kim Possible… I got to live out my fantasies with her. Portraying Kim allowed me to find my voice as a feminist. Even though I didn’t really fully understand what feminism was until I went to college at Barnard, it was definitely the beginning. [Playing Kim] gave me something to feel proud of.

Did you ever want to be “less Disney”?
For a while, I definitely struggled with wanting to be edgy. Everyone was doing Maxim cover photos, and I was kind of begging for them to even take my pictures. I felt like the ugly girl in the cafeteria, because Maxim wouldn’t exploit me on their guy mag. It was such a weird place to be, because here I am feeling like a super-empowered person, but at the same time, I so badly wanted to be [in that magazine]. That makes you crazy, and it’s so stressful. But as I grew older, I came to appreciate the things that I had done.

Would you support your kids if they wanted to be actors?
Right now, I’m just concerned with keeping them safe.

Looking back, which character was your favorite to play?
I think the characters I looked up to the most were Belle from Beauty and the Beast [on Broadway] and Kim Possible. But the character I relate to the most would be Ren, for sure. Ren and I were going through parallel experiences with boys and stuff like that. So I relate to her personally, and I brought a lot of myself into the episodes. I didn’t know that I was creating a brand, but as it turns out, that brand was a really positive one. A lot of people responded to the character, and I think they still respond to her… It was a pivotal time for Disney Channel, and for me.

How so?
I was told that [the musical episode] of Even Stevens is part of Disney Channel history, because it was [so] popular, it made them want to do more musical stuff… like High School Musical. It was really gratifying, because the writers were writing to my strengths because they knew I had been on Broadway. So I felt really proud that I could be part of TV history in that way.

Did you ask to sing the Kim Possible theme song? Did you know to advocate for your own strengths at work, even though you were a kid?
I definitely asked over time. I would say, “I have an interest in singing,” because at the time, I was looking into being a recording artist, so I wanted to lay the groundwork for that to happen. And they were supportive of that. I think they wanted to keep me happy.

And now you have a YouTube channel where you host Disney Channel alumni. What’s it like to reconnect?
My show is a safe space where we just want to have fun, make food, and embrace the good… It’s been wonderful to be able to say, “Hey, I’m doing something really great on YouTube. I remember you from Disney, and I want you to be a part of this.” It’s a really great way of delving into the past.

Is there anyone from Even Stevens or Kim Possible that you’d love to have on the show?
Oh, yeah. I want Beans (his name is Steven Anthony Lawrence) to come on! I’m trying to get him and I guess he’s busy, but I would love for him to be on the show. So maybe when everything clears up…

Any chance we’ll see Shia LaBeouf?
We’re just in totally different places. I respect his life journey, like any good sister would. But I think he’s moved on from [Disney]… but the bottom line is that he’s always welcome to come and be a part of anything I do. I would love to work with him again and he’s always welcome.