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China Anne McClain

China Anne McClain

Actor, also producer · Born August 25, 1998 (28) · Atlanta, Georgia, USA

China Anne McClain (born August 25, 1998) is an American actress and singer. McClain's career began when she was seven years old, portraying Alexis in the film The Gospel (2005), and then China James in Daddy's Little Girls (2007). She then received recognition for starring as Jazmine Payne in the television series Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2007–2012; 2020–present) and as Charlotte McKenzie in the film Grown Ups (2010); and became internationally known for starring as Chyna Parks in the Disney Channel television series A.N.T. Farm (2011–2014), and as Uma in the Disney Channel films Descendants 2 (2017) and Descendants 3 (2019). In 2018, McClain began starring in The CW superhero series Black Lightning (2018–2021) as Jennifer Pierce / Lightning. She also reprised her character Jazmine Payne on OWN's revival of The Paynes (2018). McClain began her musical career in 2005 as a member of the sister girl group the 3mcclaingirls with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn. Her first professional single was "Your Biggest Fan" with Nick Jonas on the soundtrack album Jonas L.A. (2010). In 2011, McClain signed with Hollywood Records both as a solo artist and with her sister girl group, known as the McClain Sisters. Her debut single as a solo artist was "Dynamite" which peaked at no. 2 on the US Kid Digital Songs, and her second single, "Calling All the Monsters", peaked at no. 1 on the same chart and earned 25,000 downloads within its first week of release. The A.N.T. Farm soundtrack album spent five weeks on the Billboard Kids chart in 2011 and sold 14,000 copies in its first week of release. Billboard also named her the sixth best-selling artist for digital kids' songs in 2012. In 2017, her single "What's My Name" from Descendants 2 peaked on several Billboard charts, and was certified gold, with 500,000 units sold, on November 10, 2017. In June 2020 her sister girl group changed their name to Thriii.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 25, 1998 (28)
From
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 32 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 2% in 30 days

What are China Anne McClain's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
42%
Self
18%
Society
14%
Morality
14%
Survival
7%
Power
3%
Ideas
2%
Friendship8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 9 · Serious 2 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 9 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 10 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6
Ally
1 of 6
Herald
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Joyful
8
Hopeful
10
Warm
8
Romantic
5
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch China Anne McClain's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for China Anne McClain's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

32 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 6 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Brewster's Millions: Christmas(2024)

    Producer · as Morgan Brewster

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Descendants: The Rise of Red(2024)

    as Uma

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Descendants: The Royal Wedding(2021)

    as Uma (voice)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Hubie Halloween(2020)

    as Miss Taylor

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Wicked Woods: A Descendants Halloween Story(2019)

    as Uma (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Descendants 3(2019)

    as Uma

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Blood Brother(2018)

    as Darcy

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Under the Sea: A Descendants Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Uma

  • Black Lightning(2018)

    Show 58 episodes · as Jennifer Pierce / Lightning

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Ten(2017)

    Executive Producer · as Meg

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Descendants 2(2017)

    as Uma

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Bilal: A New Breed of Hero(2015)

    as Ghufaira (Teen) (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Descendants: Wicked World(2015)

    Show 15 episodes · Songs · as Freddie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • How to Build a Better Boy(2014)

    as Gabby Harrison

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • VeggieTales in the House(2014)

    Show as Jenna Chive

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • Grown Ups 2(2013)

    as Charlotte Mackenzie

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Doc McStuffins(2012)

    Show 180 episodes · Theme Song Performance · as Tisha McStuffins (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • A.N.T. Farm(2011)

    Show 65 episodes · as Chyna Parks

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • R.L. Stine's the Haunting Hour(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Grown Ups(2010)

    as Charlotte McKenzie

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Hurricane Season(2009)

    as Alana Collins

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Jonas(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kiara

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows

  • A Dennis the Menace Christmas(2007)

    as Margaret

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Wizards of Waverly Place(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tina

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • House of Payne(2006)

    Show 325 episodes · as Jazmine Payne

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows

  • Daddy's Little Girls(2007)

    as China James

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Hannah Montana(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Isabel

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Madea's Family Reunion(2006)

    as Youth (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Kathryn Walling

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Kayla Vance

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Grown Ups 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Charlotte McKenzie

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 31 titles, 30 of them dated from 2003 to 2024; peak year 2017.

Biggest box office

Daddy's Little Girls (2007)

$32M worldwide

Highest rated

Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

Black Lightning (2018)

Film career

20032024

Peak 2017 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting31 of 31: 28 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score33rdProducing1 of 31: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew2 of 31: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

31 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and other crew overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

2000s9 · acting2010s17 · 17 acting · 3 crew2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 7% of 14 roles
0717

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do China Anne McClain's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 17; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th12

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 29 titles are Mixed.

  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

House of Payne (2006)

99th percentile spread · 51% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015)

Midcredits 91st · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 55/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is China Anne McClain's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and alcohol & drugs run lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles19–53 · median 24 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles19–38 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles8–33 · median 15 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles11–47 · median 15 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles19–43 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does China Anne McClain work with?

People who share at least 2 of China Anne McClain's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Booboo Stewart shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers