Shelby Simmons is an American actress best known for playing Ava King in the Disney Channel series Bunk’d, a role she held across 52 episodes from 2019 to 2024.
She got her start on television with guest roles across Nickelodeon and Disney series before landing a main cast spot on Netflix’s Prince of Peoria in 2018.
Who is Shelby Simmons?
Shelby Simmons is an American actress from Richmond, Virginia, who has built a steady career across youth-oriented television and film since 2017.
Her work spans Netflix, Disney Channel, and Disney+, and she has also appeared in theatrical and streaming films.
Her most prominent television role came as Ava King on Bunk’d, the Disney Channel summer camp comedy.
She joined the main cast in season four and stayed through season five, later returning for the series finale in 2024.
On film, Simmons played Hillari Kimble in the 2020 Disney+ movie Stargirl, starring opposite Grace VanderWaal.
She also appeared in the 2020 faith-based film Selfie Dad as Hannah Marcus. In 2025, she took a role in the major studio romantic fantasy A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, directed by Kogonada and starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell.
Simmons is also a Christian and has spoken openly about her faith. She is an active pet owner with a dog and a white rabbit.
Early Life of Shelby Simmons
Shelby Simmons was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, and developed a love of performing through school plays from a young age.
Her favorite early role was playing Princess Fiona in a middle-school production of Shrek.
After her initial spark for performing, she and her family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she pursued professional acting. Her siblings include a brother named Nicolas and a sister named Alyssa.
She graduated from high school in 2020, marking the milestone with a post on Instagram on May 25, 2020. Beyond that, Simmons has kept the details of her education largely private.
Shelby Simmons Age / Birthday
Shelby Simmons is 24 years old as of 2026, born on February 6, 2002. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius, a sign often linked with independence and creative thinking.
At 24, she is actively expanding her career from Disney Channel to broader film and television projects.
Shelby Simmons Ethnicity and Nationality
Shelby Simmons is American by nationality, born and raised in Virginia. She is of mixed ethnicity.
Her family background and American upbringing are central to how she grew up, and she has remained close to her siblings throughout her career.
Shelby Simmons Height and Weight
Shelby Simmons stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, which is approximately 1.70 meters. Her weight is not publicly confirmed.
Her stage presence and on-screen confidence have been noted by casting directors across her television and film work.
Shelby Simmons Career
Early Roles (2017-2018)
Simmons made her professional acting debut in 2017 with a guest role in the Nickelodeon series Game Shakers. That same year, she landed the lead role of Courage in the TV movie The Bugaloos.
By 2018, she had taken on guest spots in both School of Rock and Henry Danger, two popular Nickelodeon series.
That year also brought her first recurring television role: Natalie in the Disney Channel series Andi Mack, appearing across three episodes in the second season.
Her major television breakthrough came in 2018 when she joined the main cast of Netflix’s Prince of Peoria as Sydney Quinn.
Sydney was described as a straight-A student with a wild side. Simmons held the role across 18 episodes through 2019.
Bunk’d and Stargirl (2019-2022)
In 2019, Simmons joined the main cast of Bunk’d on Disney Channel as Ava King, appearing in seasons four and five.
The role became her most sustained and recognizable television work, with a total of 52 episodes across her run.
She also reprised the character Ava King in a guest appearance on the Disney Channel series Raven’s Home in 2020.
That same year, Simmons played Hillari Kimble in the Disney+ film Stargirl, directed by Julia Hart and starring Grace VanderWaal.
The film was an adaptation of Jerry Spinelli’s novel of the same name. Selfie Dad, also released in 2020, featured Simmons as Hannah Marcus.
In 2021, Simmons appeared as Aubrey Hook in Descendants 3. She also returned to Bunk’d for the fifth season that year.
In 2022, she provided the voice of Mia in the animated Disney film Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again and played Claire in the Nickelodeon movie Snow Day.
Simmons returned to Bunk’d once more in 2024 for the series finale, reprising her Ava King role.
Transition to Film (2025-Present)
In 2025, Simmons appeared in two films. One Stupid Thing, based on the book of the same name, featured her as Sophia.
She was cast in the role in December 2023, and the film also starred Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Corey Fogelmanis.
That same year, she appeared in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, the romantic fantasy film directed by Kogonada and released by Sony Pictures on September 19, 2025.
The film starred Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Kevin Kline, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Simmons played the Stage Manager, a supporting role in the wide-release studio production.
In 2026, she appeared in The Gates as Tiffany. She also has the interactive slasher film Slay Day in post-production, where she plays Renee.
Two additional projects, The Lonely Diners Club and the TV series Group Chat, are also in various stages of production.
Shelby Simmons Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Network / Studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Game Shakers | Shanelle | Nickelodeon |
| 2017 | The Bugaloos | Courage | TV Movie |
| 2018 | Andi Mack | Natalie | Disney Channel |
| 2018-2019 | Prince of Peoria | Sydney Quinn | Netflix |
| 2019 | Henry Danger | Joss Moss | Nickelodeon |
| 2019-2024 | Bunk’d | Ava King | Disney Channel |
| 2020 | Selfie Dad | Hannah Marcus | Pure Flix |
| 2020 | Stargirl | Hillari Kimble | Disney+ |
| 2020 | Raven’s Home | Ava King | Disney Channel |
| 2021 | Descendants 3 | Aubrey Hook | Disney Channel |
| 2022 | Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again | Mia (voice) | Disney+ |
| 2022 | Snow Day | Claire | Nickelodeon |
| 2025 | One Stupid Thing | Sophia | Film |
| 2025 | A Big Bold Beautiful Journey | Stage Manager | Sony Pictures |
| 2026 | The Gates | Tiffany | Film |
Shelby Simmons Boyfriend
Shelby Simmons and actor Jace Norman were reportedly linked romantically after the two appeared together at the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.
Some sources indicate the two dated between 2019 and 2021, though neither publicly confirmed the relationship at the time.
As of 2026, Simmons has not publicly confirmed being in a relationship. She keeps her personal life largely private and focuses primarily on her acting career.
Shelby Simmons Net Worth
Shelby Simmons’ estimated net worth is $1 million as of 2026. Her income comes primarily from her acting work across Disney Channel, Netflix, Nickelodeon, and Disney+.
Her longest-running television role, Ava King on Bunk’d, spanned 52 episodes, making it her most consistent source of income during the early phase of her career.
Film roles in Stargirl, Selfie Dad, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, and One Stupid Thing have added to her earnings.
Simmons has also taken on brand endorsements and has appeared in advertisements for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure campaign, supporting breast cancer awareness.
Those public-facing brand partnerships represent an additional income stream alongside her screen work.
Shelby Simmons Social Media
Simmons maintains an active presence on Instagram and other platforms. Her IMDb profile lists her full acting credits across television and film since 2017.
Conclusion
Shelby Simmons began her career at 15 with guest roles on Nickelodeon, and within two years she had landed main cast spots on both a Netflix series and the longest-running Disney Channel summer camp comedy.
Her 2025 appearances in One Stupid Thing and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey show a clear move into wider theatrical and studio-level film work.