Demi Lovato’s newest documentary on Hulu, Child Star, reveals shocking truths about children growing up in the spotlight. The film opens by interviewing a handful of kids and asking them several questions, including what they wanted to do when they were older. Many of them provided fame-related occupations in anticipation of the harsh reality that no child truly understands what Hollywood is like at a young age. Child Star features several former child entertainers, including horror queen Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, and Kenan Thompson. Demi Lovato interviewed them, and they filled in some background information about growing up as a child entertainer.
Every former child entertainer who participated in Child Star has revealed shocking aspects of their experiences. Demi Lovato also gathered several experts, from knowledgeable writers to Harvard Law Faculty, and they provided additional information that shapes the uncomfortable reality of being a child star. Naturally, there are some things expected, such as substance abuse or lack of agency. Some reveals are already public knowledge, such as Demi Lovato’s time at a treatment center. However, there are several brutal truths that come with being a child star.
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10 The Introduction of Cable Changed TV For Kids
Nickelodeon Was The First TV Channel Catered To Kids Exclusively
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Nickelodeon was the first TV channel that catered exclusively to children. Nickelodeon began after the introduction of cable, which revolutionized television, especially for children. Beforehand, most TV shows did not include children; cable TV and Nickelodeon changed the game. Disney Channel was established just a few years later, and suddenly, there were many children’s TV shows and films. Cable TV also changed things for child stars. There was an increase in child actors with the birth of cable TV because, beforehand, it was far more difficult for children to get a foot in the door in Hollywood and stay there.
Viacom owned the Global Entertainment Group and the Paramount Motion Pictures Group, yet Nickelodeon was still their biggest moneymaker by a landslide.
A child actor would secure a role, but it did not guarantee a career; not everyone could be Shirley Temple, who had a slew of films. However, with cable TV and new channels such as Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, it became much easier for child actors to establish a career if they secured a job with one of those networks. Nickelodeon was so popular that it became Viacom’s most successful source of income. Viacom owned the Global Entertainment Group and the Paramount Motion Pictures Group, yet Nickelodeon was still their biggest moneymaker by a landslide.
9 Child Celebrities Are Treated As Commodities
Drew Barrymore, Demi Lovato, & Raven Symone Reveal How Child Celebrities Have No Agency
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Child stars do not have much agency, but the idea itself is unsurprising. However, this fact belongs to a bigger, more shocking part of child stardom: adults treat children as commodities. Raven-Symoné admitted to Demi Lovato that she often performed for her parents’ love and affection; they called Raven’s career “a family business.” Christina Ricci revealed that she only developed a real relationship with her mother when they were on the road, attending auditions to kickstart Christina’s career. Entertainment companies often merchandise children as much as possible once they begin working for them.
It is evident that almost no one sees child stars as their own people—they make the most money, so adults only view them as a means to an end. The entire concept of a child star involves children existing to entertain; they have no real purpose otherwise. As a result, Christina Ricci learned that the easier a child behaves on set, the more likely they will book additional roles. Children do not even have the space to be children because adults expect them to be well-behaved all the time.
8 Many Former Child Stars Disassociate From Their Childhood
The Burden Of Being A Child Star Was Too Much
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Child Star reveals that many former child actors do not remember their careers as such. Of course, Raven was three years old on The Cosby Show, and not many people remember significant details about their lives at that age. However, it was shocking to hear that Demi Lovato does not remember much of her time on Disney Channel because she had to disassociate from that period. When Demi Lovato asked Raven-Symoné to be part of this documentary, Lovato did not remember they had met before, when Raven-Symoné was a guest star on Demi Lovato’s show, Sonny with a Chance.
Child Star
is available to watch on Hulu in the United States, and Disney Plus for other nations.
Demi Lovato’s former Camp Rock costar, Alyson Stoner, also disassociated from her time as a child actor, given the mental health struggles she endured at the time. A significant reason involves how teen magazines used to alter photos of child stars—including Stoner—to remove “blemishes” from their skin, even though nothing was wrong with their appearances. According to Alyson Stoner, the life span for famous people is 14 years younger than the average person, and they are four times more likely to die by suicide. Disassociation is essential for former child stars to create healthy adult lives.
7 Kenan Thompson Lost Most Of His Fortune To A Con Artist
A Con Artist Tricked Kenan Thompson’s Family Into Believing He Was A Tax Accountant
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Kenan Thompson was in Kenan & Kel and All That, becoming one of Nickelodeon’s biggest stars in the 1990s. So, it was shocking to learn that he lost most of his fortune to a con artist. Thompson lived in Florida, where there were no laws protecting a child star’s income, and unfortunately, his parents were duped by a man who claimed to be a tax accountant. However, he ran off with the money, and Kenan Thompson lost most of his fortune. It was jarring to lose everything he had built, almost as if his career at Nickelodeon was for nothing.
6 Child Stars Abuse Alcohol & Drugs For Escapism
Drew Barrymore & Demi Lovato Were Given Drugs As Children
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It is no surprise that many child stars turned to drugs and alcohol, but it is shocking because it was easy for child stars to obtain illegal substances. Drew Barrymore remembers one of the first times she used drugs was with her mom’s friend when she was only 10 years old. Demi Lovato would tell the adults around her that if “[they were] going to work [her] like an adult, [she was] going to party like one.” Lovato has been open about her struggles with substance abuse, but it was horrifying to learn how accessible drugs were for kids.
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Christina Ricci also spoke about turning to drugs and alcohol as a teenager because it gave her a sense of control that she did not have anywhere else in her life. It is heartbreaking to learn how fame affects so many children and how the industry deeply wrongs children by handing them illegal substances. Many other former child stars endured substance addictions, including Lindsay Lohan, Aaron Carter, whose cause of death was drug-related, Amanda Bynes, Macaulay Culkin, and more.
5 Child Celebrities Are Branded As The Characters They Played
Nickelodeon & Disney Forced an Image On Their Child Entertainers
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Child Star revealed that entertainment companies will brand their child entertainers the bigger they become. An obvious example is Hannah Montana, given that Miley Cyrus portrayed the titular character. At one point, Hannah Montana earned over a billion dollars at Disney, proving how successful this type of marketing was. Disney Channel and Nickelodeon pushed their stars to brand themselves as their characters. This was such a significant tactic that Demi Lovato still wakes up and thinks about how to act based on her “brand image,” even all these years later.
4 Nickelodeon Owned Everything Jojo Siwa Produced Except For Social Media
Jojo Siwa’s Life Was Run By Nickelodeon
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JoJo Siwa began her career in Dance Moms, but shortly afterward, she signed a contract with Nickelodeon at 14 years old. Most recently, she starred in the horror film All My Friends Are Dead. In Child Star, JoJo Siwa revealed that she had no rights to anything she did under her contract with Nickelodeon. Every partnership Siwa established, every piece of merchandise, every song, and every business deal all belonged to Nickelodeon. The only thing JoJo Siwa owned the rights to was her social media accounts.
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It is shocking to learn that JoJo Siwa essentially owned nothing, given how merchandised she was during her tenure at Nickelodeon. Even today, not many parts of JoJo Siwa’s life belong solely to her. Siwa revealed that she posts 250 to 300 times daily on Snapchat because her followers want to see everything she does. Whether it is an early morning selfie, a glimpse at her lunch, or an errand she runs, JoJo Siwa records her entire life. She got used to this routine because it was how she established and maintained her career at Nickelodeon.
3 The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 Did Not Include Child Entertainers
The Shirley Temple Act Excluded Child Stars, But Jackie Coogan Paved The Way To Ensure Payment For Child Entertainers
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In 1938, the United States Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure a child’s welfare is protected, putting severe restrictions on child labor in place. However, this bill excludes a critical group of children: child entertainers. The Shirley Temple Act nullifies labor laws applying to child stars, meaning companies can overwork and exploit them as they see fit. Paying children for their work was also a serious issue. Fair wages were not always guaranteed, and parents often stole their children’s money.
|
States That Have Coogan’s Law |
Variation |
|---|---|
|
California |
Parents must open a Coogan bank account with a Californian bank. |
|
Illinois |
Parents must open a Blocked Trust Account (no bank specified), where 15% of a child star’s earnings must reside. |
|
Louisiana |
Parents must open a Blocked Trust Account (no bank specified) only if a child makes more than $1000 for a job. |
|
New Mexico |
Parents must open a Blocked Trust Account (no bank specified) only if a child makes more than $1000 for a job. |
|
New York |
Parents must open a UTMA or UGMA compliant trust account in any state, with California’s rules applying |
Jackie Coogan suing his mother for the money he earned was the catalyst for changing wages for child actors. Coogan’s Law guaranteed that child entertainers would receive a fixed percentage of the money they earned as a child when they turned 18. Until a child turns 18, the money resides in a special bank account called a Coogan account, reminiscent of the child actor who changed circumstances surrounding child stars and their earnings. Currently, there are five states that have a variation of Coogan’s Law: California, New York, Illinois, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
2 Jojo Siwa’s Coming Out Instagram Reel Permanently Changed Her Relationship With Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon Cut Out Jojo Siwa
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One of the most shocking revelations in Child Star is JoJo Siwa’s coming out story and how it changed her relationship with Nickelodeon. In January 2021, JoJo Siwa posted a video singing “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga to indicate coming out. Siwa was the first child star to come out while still being a child star. Although Siwa received love and support from her followers and peers, Nickelodeon was different. The president phoned JoJo Siwa and asked what she would do next. He framed it to sound like JoJo Siwa’s sexuality would be a significant issue for Nickelodeon.
Then, Siwa had to call every single company she had a business deal with to reassure them that she was perfectly sane. Furthermore, Siwa admitted that Nickelodeon essentially cut her off moving forward. The network did not even invite her to the Kids Choice Awards, an event JoJo Siwa was a staple for participating in. It is heartbreaking to learn that young LGBTQ+ stars cannot be themselves without severe repercussions from the companies they work for. Going forward, Nickelodeon and other companies catering to children need to do better to support their child stars.
1 The Content Creator Industry Will Be Worth Half a Trillion Dollars In Two Years
And There Are No Laws To Protect Child Content Creators
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The most shocking revelation in Child Star involves the content creation movement on the internet. Most children today prefer to watch videos on YouTube and TikTok instead of classic TV shows and movies. This shift has led content creation to expand exponentially, opening up a place for child content creators in the industry. In two years, the content creation industry will be worth over half a trillion dollars, much more money than the entertainment industry makes. Child stars are now content creators instead of actors or singers.
Worst of all, Coogan’s Law does not apply to child content creators, meaning that there is no law or regulation in place to protect child content creators. It is much easier for adults, including parents, to exploit children without any legal consequences. Legislation has moved forward in some states—including Illinois, Ohio, and California—but not enough work is being done to protect child content creators, as Child Star shows. An activist named Chris McCarty, along with some Congressmen, are leading the way, and hopefully, more laws to protect these children will be implemented soon.
Source: Nasdaq, American Addiction Centers, SAG-AFTRA
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Child Star explores the experiences of former child stars, highlighting the challenges of growing up in the spotlight. Utilizing celebrity interviews, verite scenes, and archival footage, it deconstructs the stages of early fame and examines the entertainment industry’s evolution over the last hundred years.
Director Demi Lovato , Nicola Marsh Cast Demi Lovato , Drew Barrymore , Christina Ricci , Kenan Thompson , Raven-Symone , JoJo Siwa , Alyson Stoner , Chris Columbus , Madison De La Garza , Dianna de la Garza