China Anne McClain: American Actress & Singer

China Anne McClain: American Actress & Singer

Verified Macro Creator — Acting & Music

Actress, Singer

Los Angeles

From child roles in Tyler Perry's House of Payne to playing Uma across Disney's Descendants franchise and Lightning in The CW's Black Lightning, China Anne McClain has built a two-decade acting and music career alongside her sisters in Thriii.

About China Anne McClain: American Actress & Singer

China Anne McClain was born August 25, 1998, in Decatur, Georgia, to music producer Michael McClain, and began her career at age seven playing Alexis in the 2005 film The Gospel, followed by China James in Daddy's Little Girls (2007). She gained early recognition as Jazmine Payne on Tyler Perry's House of Payne and as Charlotte McKenzie in Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2, before becoming globally known as Chyna Parks on the Disney Channel series A.N.T. Farm (2011-2014). She went on to play Uma across Disney's Descendants film franchise and starred as Jennifer Pierce / Lightning on The CW's Black Lightning (2018-2021). Alongside acting, McClain has pursued music since 2005 as part of the sibling girl group with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn, first known as the McClain Sisters and now performing as Thriii; her solo singles 'Dynamite' and the gold-certified 'Calling All the Monsters' both topped Billboard's Kid Digital Songs chart, and her Descendants song 'What's My Name' was certified gold with 500,000 units sold.

Date of Birth1998-08-25
ProfessionActress, Singer
NationalityAmerican
Zodiac SignVirgo
Genderfemale
LanguagesEnglish

Career Journey

2005
Film debut and starting music with her sisters

McClain made her film debut at age seven in The Gospel and began her music career as part of the sibling girl group with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn.

2011–2014
A.N.T. Farm and Hollywood Records

She became globally known as Chyna Parks on Disney Channel's A.N.T. Farm, signed with Hollywood Records, and released the gold-certified single 'Calling All the Monsters.'

2017–2024
Descendants franchise as Uma

McClain achieved further breakthrough success playing Uma across Disney's Descendants film franchise, with her song 'What's My Name' certified gold.

2018–2021
Black Lightning

She starred as Jennifer Pierce / Lightning on The CW's superhero series Black Lightning before leaving the show in 2020.

Top Categories

Lifestyle

Achievements & Milestones

7M
Instagram followers
Gold
Certification for 'Calling All the Monsters' and 'What's My Name'
3
Descendants films starring as Uma
2005
Began acting and music career at age seven

Media & Features

Billboard Patch Decatur-Avondale Estates GA press

FAQs

Who is China Anne McClain?

China Anne McClain (born August 25, 1998) is an American actress and singer known for A.N.T. Farm, playing Uma in Disney's Descendants franchise, and starring as Lightning in The CW's Black Lightning.

What music has China Anne McClain released?

She has released solo singles including the gold-certified 'Calling All the Monsters' and performs with her sisters as the group Thriii, formerly known as the McClain Sisters.

How many followers does China Anne McClain have?

As of 2026, she has around 7 million followers on Instagram.

Latest News

McClain continues performing with her sisters as the group Thriii and remains active in acting and music, with her Instagram highlighting ongoing charitable work including support for the Cameron Boyce Foundation.