Plenty of child stars get stuck as the character audiences met first. Peyton List didn't. The girl who played the fashion-obsessed Emma Ross on Disney Channel is now better known to a lot of viewers as Tory Nichols, the most volatile fighter in Cobra Kai, and as the lead of the supernatural mystery School Spirits. That second wave of fame is why her name still comes up constantly in 2026, and why the questions about her money, her family and her relationship haven't gone away.
Peyton List, By the Numbers
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Peyton Roi List |
| Work | Actress, model, producer |
| Born | April 6, 1998, in Florida, United States |
| Age | 28 in 2026 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | About 5 ft 6.5 in to 5 ft 7 in (roughly 1.69 to 1.70 m) |
| Estimated net worth | $8 million to $10 million (Icon Polls estimate) |
| Partner | Jacob Bertrand (public since 2022) |
| Siblings | Twin brother Spencer List, younger brother Phoenix List |
| Signature roles | Emma Ross in Jessie, Tory Nichols in Cobra Kai, Maddie Nears in School Spirits |
Holly Hills and Emma Ross: The First Act
List started the way many working child actors do: modeling, commercials and small screen parts. Her early film credits include 27 Dresses, but the role that made young audiences recognise her was Holly Hills, the crush in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.
Then came Jessie. As Emma Ross, the eldest of the wealthy Ross kids, she was stylish, a little vain and reliably funny. It's the kind of sitcom part that can define an actor for a decade. She carried the character into the spin-off Bunk'd, which stretched her Disney run further and cemented her with a generation of viewers who were roughly her own age.
That overlap matters. The kids who watched Jessie grew up alongside her, which is a big reason they were willing to follow her somewhere darker.
Tory Nichols Changed the Conversation
Cobra Kai was the pivot. Tory Nichols is angry, loyal, ambitious and carrying a lot of pain, and List played her without asking the audience to like her. For many viewers it was the first time they saw her as a dramatic actress rather than a sitcom kid who had grown up.
It was also a smart choice of vehicle. Cobra Kai had a huge streaming audience and a fanbase that argues about its characters endlessly. Landing a role that sparks that kind of debate does more for a career than a dozen safe parts.
School Spirits and a Lead Role of Her Own
If Cobra Kai proved she could handle intensity, School Spirits proved she could carry a show. As Maddie Nears, a teenager stuck in the afterlife trying to work out what happened to her, List sits at the centre of the story rather than in an ensemble. Her credits outside television point the same way, with genre projects such as The Thinning, Light as a Feather and Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman.
Put together, her career reads in three clear stages: child model and early film actor, Disney Channel star, then young adult lead in streaming and film. Few of her Disney peers have made all three work. If you think she belongs among the screen's standout performers, make the case in our best actresses of all time fan vote.
The Money Question
Icon Polls estimates Peyton List's net worth at $8 million to $10 million in 2026. That is an estimate, not a figure she has ever confirmed, and her actual salaries for Jessie, Cobra Kai or School Spirits have not been made public.
The range reflects steady work rather than one windfall: years of Disney Channel episodes, film credits, major streaming roles, modeling, producing and brand work. What stands out is consistency. She has been employed on screen since childhood, and long careers compound in a way single hits rarely do.
Height, Age and Why Fans Keep Asking
List is usually listed at about 5 feet 6.5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches, around 1.69 to 1.70 metres. She tends to look taller in red carpet photos, which is probably why the question comes up so often. Born on April 6, 1998, she is 28 in 2026.
Her age is part of her appeal. She has done her growing up in public, but she has also been deliberate about building an adult identity, choosing roles that push against the polished image Disney gave her.
Jacob Bertrand: A Relationship With Backstory
List's partner is actor Jacob Bertrand, who plays Eli Moskowitz, better known as Hawk, in Cobra Kai. The two had known each other for years before going public in 2022. Long before Cobra Kai, they worked together on the Disney Channel film The Swap.
Fans like the story because it mirrors their careers: two actors who started in younger-audience projects and moved into tougher roles, partly on the same show. Beyond that, List shares relationship updates selectively. There is no public information showing she is married or has children.
A Family of Performers
Acting runs through the List household. Her twin brother, Spencer List, has his own screen credits, and their younger brother, Phoenix List, has also worked as an actor. Peyton is the most widely recognised of the three, but it was very much a family affair from the start.
Her parents are John List and Suzanne List, and they backed their children's early careers. Peyton went to school in New York and later in California while balancing auditions and sets. For all her visibility, she keeps most of her private life offline, and her public image rests on her work and her style rather than drama. That restraint has served her well.
Quick Answers
Is Spencer List really Peyton List's twin?
Yes. Spencer is her twin brother, and he is also an actor. Their younger brother is Phoenix List.
Which role made Peyton List famous?
Emma Ross in Disney Channel's Jessie made her a household name, though Tory Nichols in Cobra Kai reshaped how adult audiences see her.
Is Peyton List still acting in 2026?
Yes. She remains active in acting and entertainment, with School Spirits keeping her in front of streaming audiences.
