Kay Panabaker Biography: Age, Husband, Net Worth, Movies, Disney Shows, Sister, Height

Kay Panabaker, a former American actress turned zoologist, gained prominence in the early 2000s for her roles in Disney Channel projects and family-friendly films.

Best known for portraying Jenny Garrison in the 2009 reboot of Fame, Debbie Berwick in Phil of the Future, and Nikki Westerly in Summerland, she showcased her talent across television and film before retiring from acting in 2012 to pursue a career in zoology.

Profile

• Full Name: Stephanie Kay Panabaker
• Stage Name: Kay Panabaker
• Born: May 2, 1990
• Age: 35 years old
• Birthplace: Orange, Texas, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Zoologist, Former Actress
• Height: 5 feet 1 inch (1.55 m)
• Parents: Donna Panabaker (née Mayock), Harold Panabaker
• Siblings: Danielle Panabaker
• Spouse: Charles Cornett II
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $1 million to $2 million USD

Early Life and Education

Kay Panabaker was born on May 2, 1990, in Orange, Texas, USA, grew up in a family that valued creativity and education.

The younger daughter of Donna Panabaker (née Mayock) and Harold Panabaker, a sales executive, she was raised alongside her older sister, Danielle Panabaker, a fellow actress known for The Flash.

She attended Crone Middle School in Naperville, Illinois, for sixth grade before moving to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue acting.

Her ethnicity is mixed (English, Irish, German, Lithuanian, Scottish, Welsh, Norwegian, Dutch), and no public information confirms her religious beliefs.

Career

Kay Panabaker began her acting career in 2001 with a voice role in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., preceding her sister Danielle‘s screen debut.

She landed guest roles in television, including Port Charles (2002) as Sara, ER (2002) as Melissa Rue, 7th Heaven (2002) as Alice Brand, The Brothers Garcia (2003) as Carrie Bauer, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004) as Lindsey Willows.

Her breakout role came in 2004 as Nikki Westerly in The WB’s Summerland (2004–2005), a drama about orphaned children, earning her a Young Artist Award.

She played Debbie Berwick, a quirky foil to Pim Diffy, in Disney’s Phil of the Future (2004–2005) and starred in Disney Channel movies like Life Is Ruff (2005) as Emily Watson and Read It and Weep (2006) alongside Danielle.

Her film roles include Dead Heat (2002) as Sam LaRoche, Nancy Drew (2007) as Georgie, and Moondance Alexander (2007) as the titular character.

In 2009, she portrayed Jenny Garrison in the Fame reboot, followed by roles as Young Kitty Walker in Brothers & Sisters (2010) and Samantha Caldone in Cyberbully (2011).

Her final acting role was Rosa in Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta! (2012).

After retiring, Kay pursued zoology at UCLA and has worked as a zookeeper at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since 2016, focusing on animal welfare and conservation.

Social Media

Instagram Handle: @kaypanabaker Twitter Handle: @KayPanabaker

Personal Life

Kay Panabaker, 35, married Charles Cornett II on February 6, 2022, and resides in Florida, where she works at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Standing at 5 feet 1 inch, she maintains a private personal life, sharing limited details beyond her marriage.

She has no children and keeps her romantic history discreet, though she was previously linked to actor Chad Broskey, with whom she shared three dogs.

Her close bond with her sister, Danielle Panabaker, is well-documented, with the sisters supporting each other’s careers.

Kay is passionate about animal welfare, enjoys painting, yoga, hiking, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Filmography:

• Monsters, Inc. (2001) – Additional Voices
• Dead Heat (2002) – Sam LaRoche
• Temptation (2003) – Supporting Role (Short Film)
• Nancy Drew (2007) – Georgie
• Moondance Alexander (2007) – Moondance Alexander
• The Prince and the Pauper (2007) – Supporting Role
• Fame (2009) – Jenny Garrison
• The Lake Effect (2010) – Supporting Role
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta! (2012) – Rosa

Television:

• Port Charles (2002) – Sara
• ER (2002) – Melissa Rue
• 7th Heaven (2002) – Alice Brand
• The Division (2003) – Susie Jenkins
• The Brothers Garcia (2003) – Carrie Bauer
• Angel (2002–2003) – Guest Roles (“Forgiving,” “Habeas Corpses”)
• Summerland (2004–2005) – Nikki Westerly
• Phil of the Future (2004–2005) – Debbie Berwick
• Life Is Ruff (2005) – Emily Watson
• Medium (2005) – Elisha
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004) – Lindsey Willows
• Read It and Weep (2006) – Jamie Bartlett
• The Winner (2007) – Guest Role
• Two and a Half Men (2007) – Guest Role
• The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2007) – Guest Role
• Brothers & Sisters (2010) – Young Kitty Walker
• No Ordinary Family (2010–2011) – Daphne Nicole Powell
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2011) – Vicki Harris
• Cyberbully (2011) – Samantha Caldone

Net Worth

Kay Panabaker, a former actress and current zoologist, has an estimated net worth of $1 million to $2 million USD.

Her wealth stems from her acting career, including roles in Summerland, Fame ($77 million box office), and Disney Channel projects like Read It and Weep and Phil of the Future.

Additional income came from voice work in Monsters, Inc. ($577 million box office) and endorsements.