Former Disney Stars Christy Carlson Romano and Kyla Pratt Reflect on Child Stardom Ahead of ‘Special Forces’ Premiere

Former Disney stars Christy Carlson Romano and Kyla Pratt credit their early experiences as child actors for helping them navigate the grueling challenges of Fox’s reality competition show, ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.’ The show, which premiered on Jan. 8, pits celebrities against extreme physical and mental challenges designed by British special forces.

‘I think that we got to read the room really quickly around us when things were critical,’ Romano told Fox News Digital. ‘We knew how to blend in, be there for people. We were really compassionate a lot of times because we knew we weren’t physically the strongest. We led with our emotions and our ability to connect.’

Pratt echoed Romano’s sentiments, adding that growing up in the entertainment industry instilled a sense of resilience and determination. ‘We also don’t like letting people down,’ Pratt said. ‘Growing up in this industry, there’s a different pressure that puts on you. You’re like, ‘No, I’m going to do it. I’m going to make it happen. I’m not going to be the one that messes it up.”

The duo joined a star-studded cast, including Stephen Baldwin, Brody Jenner, Denise Richards, and Olympic athletes like Landon Donovan and Jordyn Wieber, to face challenges such as navigating Wales’ rugged terrain, enduring freezing ocean drills, and participating in a hostage rescue scenario.

Romano, a fan of the show, noted that child stars often possess a unique resilience. ‘It doesn’t surprise me that they’ve had other child performers on this show because we really are way more resilient than people realize,’ she said. ‘I’m always rooting for us, like every season.’

Pratt, known for her roles in ‘The Proud Family‘ and ‘Dr. Dolittle,’ shared that people often compliment her for turning out ‘regular’ despite her early fame. ‘I feel for the ones that had to experience a different journey,’ she said. ‘We took certain things in and learned from them and didn’t let them affect us negatively.’

The show’s emphasis on teamwork resonated with both actresses. ‘This is about teamwork,’ Romano said. ‘A lot of the things you do on this show are geared towards bringing each other up so that everyone can succeed.’ Pratt added that the shared experiences created a strong bond among the cast. ‘As soon as we experienced one thing that was similar together, it was like, OK, we all got each other. We had each other’s backs.’

Other cast members, like motocross racer Carey Hart, also found the experience transformative. Hart, who has faced numerous injuries in his career, said the show allowed him to push himself physically again. ‘This was a great experience for me to get back into a situation where I can just lay it on the line,’ he said. ‘I can put it all out there, go 100%, because so much of my life I can’t physically do that anymore in my day job.’

Stephen Baldwin, known for his roles in ‘The Usual Suspects‘ and ‘The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas,’ credited his faith for helping him through the challenges. ‘I’m a super faithful guy, and every day I get up and I read my Bible,’ Baldwin said. ‘Thank goodness, because there was nothing that was going to prepare me for ‘Special Forces.”

‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ airs Wednesdays on Fox, with new episodes available to stream the next day on Hulu.