How the Disney Channel Prepared Peyton List for Heathers

The School Spirits star is enrolled in Westerberg High as Heather Chandler through April 26.

April 09, 2026 By Gabby Macogay, Jeffrey Vizcaíno

School is back in session for School Spirits star Peyton List, who is currently playing the queen of Westerberg High, Heather Chandler, in the Off-Broadway revival of Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages.

While Heathers marks List’s theatrical debut, she has an extensive career in TV and film that spans back to childhood, first gaining popularity through playing Disney Channel darling Emma Ross in both Jessie and Bunk’d and now with her starring roles on Cobra Kai and School Spirits.

“I was doing that for seven years and working with all these fun multi-cam directors, people who have been in it for so long, writers who started in the multi-cam sitcom world doing a lot of comedy. So, it was a huge comedic boot camp,” List says. “Teaching the A side B side of a joke and that there’s a specific rhythm to comedy… It was a cool experience, and [you] learn similar things to theatre: cheating out, finding your light, all those things.”

List first saw Heathers at 17 years old while she was still working with Disney (adding that an apology was issued to her parents afterward for the mature content). In Playbill’s exclusive video interview, List discusses her childhood in the spotlight and how her roles onscreen helped prepare her for the demands and challenges that come with working onstage.

“I get the dream to want to play the mythic bitch. It’s funny, when I first saw the play, I was just so obsessed with Veronica and J.D., I kind of ignored the Heather Chandler role,” List shares. “Looking back, never did I think that would be the role, or that I would even be a part of this.”

List finishes her run April 26, but she's open to pursuing theatre again in the future, though with a caveat: "I need a long break, I don’t know how you guys do this! It’s such a beast, I’m so impressed.”