Even though she had the looks and makings of a bubblegum pop superstar, à la Britney Spears, Alyson Michalka relied on her conservative Christian upbringing and passion for rock-n-roll to stand out amongst other teen stars of her generation. Michalka began her career in acting, appearing in high-profile Disney Channel projects, including the comedy series "Phil of the Future" (2004-06) and the television film, "Cow Belles" (2006). She also launched a successful music career alongside her sister Amanda as the duo Aly & AJ, fusing pop melodies with rock instrumentations on hit albums such as 2007's Insomniatic. Michalka shed her good girl image in 2010 with a string of independent projects, including feature films and an angst-filled role on The CW series, "Hellcats," a bold move that reinvented her career and showed her lasting potential in Hollywood.