Carly Schroeder

Carly Schroeder is an American former actress who later served in the U.S. Army. Born in Valparaiso, she was hired by ABC in 1997 to play Serena Baldwin on the General Hospital spin-off Port Charles, a part that brought two Young Artist Award nominations and a Young Star Award nomination. She appeared as Melina Bianco on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire and took the role into The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003). Her first feature was the thriller Mean Creek, in which she played Millie; the film took the Humanitas Prize at Sundance and its ensemble cast won a special distinction from the Independent Spirit Awards. She led Gracie (2007), and Eye of the Dolphin earned her Best Child Actor at the International Family Film Festival and Best Emerging Actress at the 2007 Kids First Awards. She joined the Army in 2019, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and holds the rank of captain in the infantry.