{"id":125669,"date":"2024-09-17T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T10:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/17\/demi-lovato-child-star-doc-biggest-reveals-from-christina-ricci-more\/"},"modified":"2024-09-17T10:00:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T10:00:44","slug":"demi-lovato-child-star-doc-biggest-reveals-from-christina-ricci-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/17\/demi-lovato-child-star-doc-biggest-reveals-from-christina-ricci-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Demi Lovato Child Star Doc: Biggest Reveals From Christina Ricci, More"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

Demi Lovato<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s Child Star<\/em> documentary provided a safe space for fellow actors Drew Barrymore<\/strong><\/a>, Christina Ricci<\/strong><\/a>, Raven-Symon\u00e9<\/strong> <\/a>and more to open up about the ups \u2014 and downs \u2014 of growing up in the public eye.<\/p>\n

The Hulu special, which premiered on Tuesday, September 17, featured Lovato, 32, sharing her experiences from child stardom while interviewing other actors about the pitfalls of fame<\/a>. Child Star<\/em> marks Lovato\u2019s directorial debut as she used the documentary to advocate for more protections to be put in place for kids getting involved in the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t end up where I am had I not made all the choices leading up to this point, but it came at a price,\u201d Lovato explained during the doc. \u201cThere is definitely not a manual on how to navigate this industry at such a young age.\u201d<\/p>\n

Child Star<\/em> pulled back the curtain<\/a> on struggles many kids catapulted into fame face such as substance abuse issues, money problems and difficulties transitioning their career<\/a> into adulthood.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Fall TV Preview 2024: Inside Must-Watch New and Returning Shows<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\tIt\u2019s the busiest time of the TV year with shows such as Grotesquerie and The Perfect Couple kicking off the fall season. The Perfect Couple, which is based on Elin Hilderbrand\u2018s novel of the same name, centers around a wedding weekend in Nantucket that doesn\u2019t go exactly as planned. Most of the details have been [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Keep scrolling for the biggest revelations from Lovato, her family and other former child stars from the Hulu doc:<\/p>\n

Demi Lovato<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>

\n Christina Ricci and Demi Lovato<\/span> Disney\/Victoria Time<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to directing Child Star<\/em>, Lovato made onscreen appearances as she interviewed each subject<\/a> featured in the documentary.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing on camera makes a lot of my body issues come up and when I\u2019m on camera I\u2019m hyper aware of that. It just makes me a little uncomfortable,\u201d Lovato admitted. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize that [fame] would have such a negative impact on my mental health. And unfortunately sometimes that looks explosive. Like an incident where you punch your backup dancer on an airplane or you overdose from heroin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lovato got her start acting on Disney Channel<\/a> before choosing to focus more on music. The shift has stopped Lovato from questioning her value based on the support she receives for her work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019m performing in a show and I see an empty seat, it really f\u2014- with me. Even on stage, I will see an empty seat and I am like, \u2018I\u2019m not good enough,\u201d she recalled. \u201cIt is this belief that was instilled in me as a young performer that I looked at my success as my self worth. I had a real hard time differentiating between the two. I dealt with a lot of need for external validation because I was equating my success to my self worth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Child Star<\/em> allowed Lovato to reflect on the downsides that came with her fame. She specifically recalled the trouble that began<\/a> when she started auditioning for roles when she was a kid living in Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bullying started. The popular girls started writing in the bathrooms, \u2018Demi is a whore.\u2019 All these nasty things,\u201d she revealed. \u201cThey had signed a suicide petition saying I should kill myself. It was passed around and people signed it. It was so extremely hurtful and that was a part of my motivation to follow my dreams because I knew it would get me out.\u201d<\/p>\n

After her big break on Barney & Friends<\/em>, Lovato booked Disney\u2019s Camp Rock<\/em> franchise and the Sonny With a Chance<\/em> series. The onscreen opportunities combined<\/a> with her music ventures caused her to burnout \u2014 and affected her mental health as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was part of my disassociation that I don\u2019t remember so much of my show,\u201d she noted later in the doc. \u201cBut I do remember how difficult I was to work with because I was in so much pain and I was hurting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lovato also spoke about the pressure that came with being labeled a role model, adding, \u201cI had to be so conscious of everything that I did as a Disney kid. You obviously couldn\u2019t cuss or swear in public. You couldn\u2019t be seen with red solo cups because it could insinuate that there is alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the height of her child stardom, Lovato entered a treatment facility<\/a> after punching backup dancer Alex Welch<\/strong>. She completed in-patient treatment in 2011 and publicly discussed her past struggles with bulimia, self harm and substance abuse issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a situation where I came to the conclusion that I needed help,\u201d Lovato said in the Hulu doc about her first stint in rehab. \u201cIt was like I am getting punished and I felt so hopeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2018, Lovato suffered an overdose, which resulted in<\/a> health complications including multiple strokes, a heart attack, and brain damage. Lovato entered an in-patient rehab facility after being released from the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinding drugs was easy, that was the only way I knew how to escape. But I was dealing with something much bigger than I could see,\u201d she shared at the end of the documentary. \u201cI get a lot of anxiety when I think about how close I came to not being here at all. I just tapped out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madison De La Garza<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Demi<\/div>

\n Demi Lovato and Madison De La Garza, 2011.<\/span> Alberto E. Rodriguez\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lovato\u2019s mother, Dianna De La Garza<\/strong>, sisters Madison De La Garza<\/strong> and Dallas Lovato<\/strong> and fianc\u00e9 Jordan Lutes<\/strong> appeared in several scenes of the documentary as well. At the end of Child Star<\/em>, Demi and Madison, 22, candidly discussed how their relationship evolved since they have both gotten to a better place<\/a> in their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes me sad that this was something we were all battling with individually whilst standing next to each other,\u201d Madison said about how she, Demi and their mother privately battled with eating disorders<\/a>. \u201cEspecially because it was originally the focus of my role on Desperate Housewives and then became the focus of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cI somehow believed that I was struggling with this completely and entirely on my own. Which was just not the cast at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Madison and Demi recalled not seeing each other often when their respective careers blew up. They promised each other that they would make an effort now.<\/p>\n

Kenan Thompson<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The comedian, 46, began his career as a cast member<\/a> on multiple projects at Nickelodeon. From there, Thompson joined Saturday Night Live<\/em> in 2003 \u2014 and has since remained the longest-tenured cast member in the show\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat first commercial when they paid me, it was $800,\u201d Thompson told Demi about his journey. \u201cI was 12 so that may as well have been a million dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Thompson\u2019s star continued to be on the rise<\/a>, he went from \u201crags to riches and then back to rags\u201d again.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Florida they didn\u2019t have the same labor laws. My mom met this dude either through church or the community who claimed to be good at getting you out of your tax problems. He was basically a con artist and ran away with my biggest earnings up to that point,\u201d Thompson revealed. \u201cBy the time it was discovered, it was at the end of that Nickelodeon tenure. It was devastating because I discovered it in front of others. I was going to buy a house in Atlanta \u2014 my first home \u2014 and he didn\u2019t show up with the f\u2014\u2014 check.\u201d<\/p>\n

JoJo Siwa<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Siwa, 21, became a household name<\/a> after a stint on Dance Moms<\/em> turned into her collaborating on multiple projects with Nickelodeon.<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically I signed an umbrella deal for everything so they owned all my rights to everything. Except social media,\u201d Siwa shared with Demi. \u201cWe were very smart to be able to keep that separate. But if I had like a brand deal, I had to get it approved by Nickelodeon. But they owned everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Siwa came out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community<\/a> in January 2021 \u2014 and her career suffered as a result.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t realize I guess that no child star \u2014 who is still a child star \u2014 had ever come out before. The president of the network called me and was like, \u2018What are we going to tell the kids? What are we going to tell kids and parents?\u2019 And he was like, \u2018Well you need to have a call with every retailer and tell them you are not going crazy,’\u201d she claimed. \u201cSo I did and I had a call with every retailer. \u201d<\/p>\n

Siwa continued: \u201cEverything after I had come out had changed. The way they communicated with me, worked with me and how they developed my work.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dancer specifically pointed to how she was excluded from the Nickelodeon Kids\u2019 Choice Awards<\/a> in 2022 after being part of several iterations prior to her coming out. She accused the network of blackballing her. (A source close to Nickelodeon told Variety at the time that Siwa not receiving an invite was an \u201chonest mistake.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Siwa later broke down for Demi how she posts hundreds of times a day on Snapchat after she evolved from her days as a child star. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing left for me at the end of the day,\u201d she admitted about her career.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n
\"Former<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Former Nickelodeon Stars’ Candid Quotes About Working at the Network<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\tOver the years, former Nickelodeon stars have opened up about their journey as child actors at the network \u2014 and not everyone had the same experience. Jennette McCurdy shocked her fans when she revealed that she wasn\u2019t thrilled about her time on iCarly. \u201cI did the shows that I was on from like 13 to [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Alyson Stoner<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During Demi\u2019s time at Disney, she shared the screen with Stoner, 31, on multiple Camp Rock<\/em> movies.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember one time you followed me into the bathroom and I had been purging. And you picked up on it because you were in tune with those behaviors. You followed and talked to me,\u201d Demi said while the former costars addressed their individual battles with eating disorders. \u201cI was really grateful that someone didn\u2019t just shun me or shame me. I felt like you were very understanding. That was definitely where I was like, \u2018Oh f\u2014, someone knows.\u2019 But I was also really grateful you were there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stoner said they went through similar issues<\/a> when they promoted Camp Rock<\/em>, adding, \u201c[That] was a really dark time for me with my eating disorder. [It is the] only sense of safety and control that you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

While discussing their ups and downs, Stoner admitted that their friendship with Demi had been complicated. \u201cJust like I was trained to be at your beck and call and whatever you want from me, I will provide,\u201d they noted.<\/p>\n

Stoner and Demi subsequently drifted apart in between the two Camp Rock<\/em> films.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt so hard to access you in that way. We lost that thread of trust, closeness and it didn\u2019t seem like you wanted to be reached either at that point,\u201d Stoner recalled. \u201cThe last few years of working together felt really challenging. The treatment did feel drastically different. I do remember a sense of walking on eggshells and so there was definitely a lot of fear of a blowup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later in the doc, Stoner spoke of their own issues in the industry<\/a> \u2014 specifically the problems involving money, saying, \u201cI uncovered that people in my surrounding network had been taking money without me knowing for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macaulay Culkin<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
Robin Marchant\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Home Alone<\/em> star, 44, didn\u2019t take part in the documentary but the director of the movie, Chris Columbu<\/strong>s, shared his perspective on Culkin\u2019s complicated success.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went from shooting Home Alone and nobody cared. Then in the course of a year, Macauley Culkin became a huge star. That was unexpected,\u201d he recalled. \u201cWhen I was young, I had some pretty rough experiences with other films I had done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Columbus, 66, brought up Culkin\u2019s public issues with his father<\/a>, adding, \u201cOnce we wrapped, I didn\u2019t know what was going on. Suddenly I realized parents had to be a big part of it. I couldn\u2019t have him go home to a really shaky environment for the sake of a film. It wasn\u2019t worth it. It is as important to cast the parents as it is to cast the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Culkin sued his mother, Patricia Brentrup<\/strong>, and father Kit Culkin<\/strong> at age 15 to remove them as his legal guardians. He chose to hire an executor for his finances \u2014 his family\u2019s accountant \u2014 until he turned 18. Macauley and his brother Kieran Culkin<\/strong> have both publicly confirmed their ongoing estrangement<\/a> from their father over the years.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n
\"A<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>A Comprehensive Guide to the Culkin Siblings: From Macaulay to Kieran<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\tMacaulay Culkin was the first in his family to become a household name \u2014 but he isn\u2019t the last. Before scoring his breakout role as Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, Macaulay was surrounded by actors in his family. His father, Kit Culkin, was a Broadway actor who appeared in several theater productions. Kit\u2019s brother Terry [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Drew Barrymore<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barrymore\u2019s breakout role was in Steven Spielberg<\/strong>\u2018s 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial<\/em><\/a> but she had been working for years before that.<\/p>\n

\u201c[I started working at 11-months old.] It was a Puppy Chow commercial and I have never stopped working since then except for when I was institutionalized by my mother,\u201d Barrymore, 49, told Demi about being placed in rehab at 13 and spending 18 months in an institution. Barrymore was put back into rehab in 2014 and one year later she petitioned for emancipation.<\/p>\n

The actress opened up about being born into the famous<\/a> Barrymore family, adding, \u201c[My dad] was so cool \u2014 he was lethally, deadly cool. Toxically cool. [My mother] knew she needed to get away from him. He was dangerous and on a lot of drugs. Then she is just this single mom raising a baby in 1975 with no money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew continued: \u201cI wonder why did my mom think it was a good idea for me to go into this. Was it because she wanted to be an actress herself? Was it because my dad and his family were actors?\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew has previously spoken about her complicated relationship<\/a> with her father, who left the family when she was six months old. The duo reconciled before John\u2019s death in 2004 but she cited Spielberg, 77, as more of a father figure during her formative years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did not have a father and he was the person who made me feel like all of a sudden I wanted to be my best for,\u201d Drew explained to Demi about her bond with Spielberg. \u201cThere was no authority in my life so I loved any boundary he set for me. It didn\u2019t hit me until I was an adult that, \u2018Oh, that is how parents are supposed to make you feel.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Drew, who has been outspoken about her past issues with drugs and alcohol<\/a>, revealed she \u201cused to get high\u201d with her mother\u2019s friend when she was only 10 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would give weed to me and her son,\u201d Drew said in the doc. \u201cI can\u2019t believe how much I respect life knowing that I disrespected it so many times. I have done s\u2014 no one knows I did. That is so crazy that somehow nobody found out about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christina Ricci<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ricci\u2019s roles in Mermaids, The Addams Family<\/em> films and Casper<\/em> made her a child star as she dealt with a difficult home life behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really unhappy in my home life and at school. I was really bored and I was getting into really crazy trouble at 7. As soon as I started going on auditions every day after school with my mother, all of that stopped,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut what I really loved is getting to go with my mom on the bus to New York. My mother was kept in a place in my home where she was not present. As soon as she and I got out of the house, she had a personality. We became very close.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ricci, 44, referred to her childhood as \u201cvery chaotic,\u201d saying, \u201cMy father was a failed cult leader and so he had all that really crazy narcissism that goes along with someone wanting to run a cult. He was very physically violent. There was never any peace in my house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being on set was an escape for Ricci. \u201cI knew nothing totally insane was going to happen. No one was going to get really mad and pretend to drive the car into a wall,\u201d she revealed. \u201cFor me there was a refuge of emotional safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ricci\u2019s star continued to rise<\/a>, she recalled \u201cimmediately\u201d going to drugs and alcohol.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember feeling like there was any other way to be happy,\u201d she admitted. \u201cIf you felt like you had absolutely no control over your like, that is one of the few things you actually had control over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raven-Symon\u00e9<\/h3>\n
\n
\"Biggest<\/div>
YouTube\/Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Symon\u00e9, 38, being in front of the camera started as soon as she was an infant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew it was work immediately. My parents made sure that I understood this was a job. I get paid for it and you show up professionally,\u201d she shared. \u201c[You know what money is] when you are told how much you are getting paid for the job that you do. So I knew at 3 how much I was making and I understood it was a job. If you lose it, you don\u2019t make that money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Symon\u00e9 was asked whether she considered herself the breadwinner<\/a>, to which she replied, \u201cWe call it a family business. Everybody has a job within the family business. Nobody likes to say one person is the breadwinner or not. Read through those lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cSometimes the parent\u2019s dreams might bleed into the child\u2019s. And you get so enmeshed. Parents forget that young kids are performing for their parents\u2019 love and affection. It is a lot of money and money does crazy s\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

Symon\u00e9 notably starred on The Cosby Show<\/em> before transitioning to Disney Channel with her own show, That\u2019s So Raven<\/em>. However, Symon\u00e9 no longer remembers her experience from some of her earlier projects when she was still a child.<\/p>\n

\n
\n