Pop star Demi Lovato recently released a documentary titled “Child Star” on Hulu, in which she interviews former child stars about the impact of early fame on their lives. Celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, Kenan Thompson, JoJo Siwa, Alyson Stoner, and Raven-Symoné share their experiences of growing up in the spotlight. The documentary sheds light on the challenges and drawbacks of early stardom, following recent scrutiny of the child entertainment industry. It also addresses the need for better protections for children in the entertainment industry.
Demi Lovato’s directorial debut in the documentary involved co-directing alongside Nicola Marsh, known for her work on Apple TV+ docuseries “Omnivore” and Showtime docuseries “The 12th Victim.” The documentary explores Lovato’s career trajectory, with her reflecting on her teenage stardom in Disney Channel’s “Camp Rock” and “Sonny With a Chance.” Lovato candidly discusses her struggles with differentiating her self-worth from her success, her grueling schedule, and the pressure of external validation. She also opens up about her experiences with burnout and dissociation during various projects. Additionally, the documentary includes heartfelt apologies from Lovato to former colleagues for her past behavior. This documentary is one of several that Lovato has made over the years, shedding light on her personal struggles with addiction, self-harm, mental health, and the challenges of fame.
Keenan Thompson, a long-time cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” discussed the challenges of childhood fame, emphasizing that it’s not a normal experience for young actors and their families. He stressed the importance of understanding the unique lifestyle that comes with fame at a young age. Thompson also highlighted the value of having a mentor to guide child actors through the experience. Additionally, he shared his personal experience of facing financial challenges, including being a victim of theft by a financial adviser. Thompson candidly described the drastic shift from prosperity to financial struggle, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of fame and fortune.
Christina Ricci, known for her roles in “The Addams Family” and “Casper” as a child, has spoken about her experience as a child actor. She described acting as an escape from her troubled home life and found emotional safety on set. Ricci also mentioned feeling isolated as a child actor, unable to relate to other kids about her work. She emphasized the lack of agency and control in her early career and turned to drugs and alcohol as a teenager to cope with her feelings of powerlessness. Ricci also highlighted the impact of a child actor’s workload, which can be influenced by perceptions of the child and their parents.
Drew Barrymore has spoken about her struggles with boundary-setting as a child star. Coming from a famous family of actors, Barrymore entered the entertainment industry at a very young age. She mentioned that her first job was a commercial when she was just 11 months old. Reflecting on her experience starring in “E.T.: The Extraterrestrial” at the age of 7, Barrymore described it as a “life-changing” experience and praised director Steven Spielberg. She expressed gratitude for the boundaries set by Spielberg, stating that she didn’t fully appreciate their significance until she was an adult. Barrymore also discussed the challenges of being a child star, highlighting the pressure to open oneself up to everything and the associated mental toll of feeling like a commodity.
A former child star, Stoner, who gained fame as a dancer in Missy Elliott’s “Work It” music video and later appeared in various Disney Channel productions, recently spoke about their struggles with self-esteem. Stoner, who uses they/them pronouns, revealed that seeing their airbrushed pictures in teen magazines during their childhood fame negatively impacted their self-image. They also opened up about battling an eating disorder while promoting “Camp Rock” in Europe as a teenager. In addition, Stoner disclosed that people in their network had been taking money without their knowledge for years. Stoner has been vocal about the challenges of child stardom and has created a podcast called “Dear Hollywood” to explore the effects of fame on child development.
Raven-Symoné revealed that she experienced significant pressure to financially support her family from a very young age, starting with her role on “The Cosby Show” at just 3 years old. She began acting at 16 months old and understood the importance of maintaining her job for financial stability. As one of the youngest Black women to have a show named after her during her time on “That’s So Raven” on the Disney Channel, she felt immense pressure in her role. Raven-Symoné also expressed the impact of parental aspirations on a child’s performance, highlighting how children may feel the need to perform for their parents’ approval and affection.
JoJo Siwa, the multi-talented dancer-actor-singer who gained fame through “Dance Moms” and her YouTube channel, experienced a shift in how she was treated after coming out as part of the LGBTQ community. Siwa mentioned that Nickelodeon’s interactions with her changed, as did their approach to her work, following her public disclosure. However, Nickelodeon’s spokesperson denied any change in their treatment of Siwa and stated that they have consistently supported her, citing their successful collaborations, including a JoJo-themed Pride collection at a major national retailer.
