Growing up in a picturesque Wisconsin home, Kenzi Richardson admits she was once just another viewer glued to the Disney Channel. “I grew up watching Disney Channel, and I loved how it made me feel like all of the actors,” she tells The Bustle Booth, recalling the moment she realized she wanted to become “that for somebody.” The 15-year-old now lives that aspiration, having moved from fan to on-screen talent.
Landing a lead on Vampirina: Teenage Vampire
Richardson’s first major break arrived with the Disney Channel series Vampirina: Teenage Vampire. The show, based on the 2017 cartoon she adored as a child, returns for Season 2 on Oct. 6, featuring her as the titular high-schooler who juggles pop-star fame and secret vampire duties. While the premise may sound more layered than the classic Hannah Montana formula, Richardson openly credits the earlier series. “You could never outdo Miley Stewart,” she says, adding, “But I pulled a lot of inspiration for V from Hannah Montana. When V does her performances, she has this energy that just pulls her to life, like she’s not truly being herself until she is onstage, and I think that’s how Miley feels.”
Reviving Aquamarine for a new generation
Earlier this year, the Disney+ pilot Aquamarine announced Richardson in the lead role of Coral, the daughter of the original mermaid heroine. The project revisits the 2006 coming-of-age film, two decades after its release. Despite not being alive when the movie debuted, Richardson describes the original as a personal touchstone: “Sara Paxton, the original Aquamarine, was basically my whole influence when I was younger. I had colors in my hair, and I had my mom buy me fake fins and mermaid tails, and we’d go out swimming. I would watch with my friends at our little sleepovers, and the story between her, Claire, and Hailey was just so special.”
Filming only a single episode deepened her bond with Coral. “Ugh, I can’t even talk about her without blushing and smiling because she’s just the best,” Richardson gushes. “She’s grown up in Arizona her whole life, and now is trying to figure out this new beachy town. She doesn’t know much about her mom, so she doesn’t really know who she is yet, but she’s so curious, adventurous, and very, very creative with her art and music.”
Working alongside Emma Roberts and dreaming bigger
The pilot also reunites Richardson with original star Emma Roberts who reprises her role as Claire. Richardson admits a mixture of nerves and awe on set: “I was so scared to meet her, like, ‘I hope I say the right things. I don’t wanna mess up my lines in front of her,’” she confides. “But she was just this ball of light. Working on scenes with her was so incredible. I’ve already learned so much from her in this short amount of time.” The young actress hopes Disney+ will extend the pilot into a full season, continuing the story two decades later.
Beyond these projects, Richardson keeps her options wide open. She hints at releasing her own music outside the Vampirina universe and even jokes about the possibility of joining the Marvel superhero roster one day, echoing the career trajectory once charted by Zendaya. “I’m open to anything, but you know, maybe a Marvel superhero someday,” she says, underscoring her ambition to evolve while staying rooted in the Disney spirit.
Personal quirks and fan dedication
When she isn’t on set, Richardson shares a handful of everyday preferences from the Bustle Booth interview. She orders an iced matcha with a banana-bread-cloud latte on hot days and switches to a caramel macchiato or hot chocolate when the temperature drops. Her saved weather locations span from New York and Denver to Evergreen and Glendale, reflecting a love for varied climates. As a Libra, she jokes about indecision, and her go-to karaoke anthem is Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten.” Most importantly, she credits her supporters: “My fans are the reason that I keep going. I’ll open my phone, and somebody made the most adorable fan edit… I was bursting into tears. It was so special. I would do nothing without them, and I’m so honored to be that for people.”
Richardson’s journey—from a Midwest bedroom watching Disney to starring in its newest series—demonstrates how fandom can morph into representation. As she continues to explore music, acting, and perhaps even superhero capes, the teen star remains determined to be the figure young viewers once imagined for themselves.
