10 Most Shocking Reveals From Demi Lovato’s Child Star Documentary

Demi Lovato’s newest documentary on Hulu, Child starReveals 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 grew up. Many of them have provided celebrity-related occupations In anticipation of the harsh reality that no child really 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, some things are expected, such as substance abuse or lack of agency. Some revelations are already public knowledge, such as Demi Lovato’s time in a treatment center. however, There are some brutal truths that come with being a child star.

10

The introduction of cable changed TV for kids

Nickelodeon was the first television channel exclusively for children

Nickelodeon was the first television channel exclusively for children. Nickelodeon started after the introduction of cable, which revolutionized televisionEspecially for children. Previously, most television shows did not include children; Cable TV and Nickelodeon changed the game. Disney Channel was founded only a few years later, and suddenly there were many children’s television shows and films. Cable TV also changed things for child stars. There was an increase in child actors with the birth of cable television because, previously, it was much more difficult for children to get a foot in the door in Hollywood and stay there.

A child actor would certainly have a role, but it did not guarantee a career; Not everyone can be Shirley Temple, who has a lot 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 the 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, but Nickelodeon was still their biggest moneymaker by a landslide.

9

Child celebrities are treated like commodities

Drew Barrymore, Demi Lovato, & Raven Symone Reveal How Child Celebrities Have No Agency

Child stars don’t 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 trade children as much as possible once they start 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 see them as a means to an end. The whole concept of a child star involves children to entertain; They have no real purpose otherwise. As a result, Christina Ricky learned that the easier a child behaves on set, the more likely they will book additional roles. Children don’t 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

Child star reveals that many former child actors do not remember their careers as such. Of course, Raven was three years old The Cosby ShowAnd not many people remember significant details about their lives at that age. However, it was shocking to hear that Demi Lovato Doesn’t Remember Much About Her Time On Disney Channel Because She Has To Dissociate From That Time. When Demi Lovato asked Raven-Symoné to be a part of the documentary, Lovato didn’t remember that they had met before, when Raven-Symoné was a guest star on Demi Lovato’s show, Sunny with a chance.

Demi Lovato’s first Camp Rock Costar Alyson Stoner also disassociates from her time as a child actor because of the mental health struggles she endured during that time. A significant reason involves how teen magazines used to change photos of child stars – including Stoner – to remove “blemishes” from their skin, although nothing is wrong with their appearances. According to Alyson Stoner, The life span for famous people is 14 years younger than the average personAnd they are four times more likely to die by suicide. Dissociation 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

Kenan Thompson was in Kenan & Kel And All thatShane was 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 the income of a child star, 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 and drugs for escapism

Drew Barrymore and Demi Lovato were given drugs as children

It’s no surprise that many child stars turn to drugs and alcohol, but it’s shocking because It was easy for child stars to obtain illegal substances. Drew Barrymore remembers that one of the first times she used drugs was with her mother’s friend when she was only 10 years old. Demi Lovato would tell the adults around her that if “[they were] went to work [her] as an adult, [she was] Went to party as one.” Lovato has been open about her struggles with substance abuse, but it was horrifying to learn how accessible drugs are to kids.

Christina Ricci also talked about turning to drugs and alcohol as a teenager because it gave her a sense of control that she didn’t have anywhere else in her life. It is heartbreaking to learn How celebrity affects so many children and how the industry deeply wrongs children by giving them illegal substances. Many other former child stars have endured substance addiction, including Lindsay Lohan, Aaron Carter, whose cause of death was drug-related, Amanda Bynes, Macaulay Culkin, And more.

5

Child celebrities are branded like the characters they played

Nickelodeon and Disney forced an image on their child entertainers

Child star revealed that Entertainment companies will brand their child entertainers the bigger they become. A clear example is Hannah MontanaGiven that Miley Cyrus portrayed the titular character. at one time, 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. It was such a significant tactic that Demi Lovato still wakes up and thinks about how to play based on her “brand image,” even all these years later.

Jojo Siwa’s life is led by Nickelodeon

JoJo Siwa started her career in Dance momsBut soon after, she signed a contract with Nickelodeon at 14 years old. Recently, she starred in the horror film All my friends are dead. in Child starJoJo Siwa revealed that She has no rights to anything she has under her contract with Nickelodeon. Every partnership that Siva 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.

It’s shocking to learn that JoJo Siwa essentially owned nothing because she was merchandised during her tenure at Nickelodeon. Even today, not many parts of JoJo Siwa’s life belong only 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’s an early morning selfie, a glimpse of her lunch, or an errand she’s running, 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

In 1938, the United States Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure a child’s welfare is protected, putting strict 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 starsMeaning companies can overwork and exploit them as they see fit. Paying children for their work was also a serious issue. It was not always guaranteed, and parents often stole their children’s money.

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 Kogan account, which commemorates 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 feed permanently changed her relationship with Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon Cut Out Jojo Siwa

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. Siva was the first child star to come out while still being a child star. Although Siva received love and support from her followers and peers, Nickelodeon was different. The president called JoJo Siwa and asked what she was going to do next. He framed it to sound like JoJo Siwa’s sexuality would be a significant issue for Nickelodeon.

Afterwards, Siva had to call every single company she had a business deal with to assure them that she was perfectly fine. Moreover, Siva admitted that Nickelodeon essentially cut you off moving forward. The network didn’t even invite her to the Kids’ Choice Awards, an event JoJo Siwa was a staple for attending. It’s heartbreaking to learn that young LGBTQ+ stars can’t 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 creators industry will be worth half a trillion dollars in two years

And there are no laws to protect child content creators

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 caused content creation to expand exponentially, opening a space for child content creators in the industry. in two years, The content creation industry will be worth over half a trillion dollarsMuch 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 creators of child content, 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 been passed in several states – including Illinois, Ohio and California – but not enough work has been done to protect child content creators, such as Child star Points. An activist named Chris McCarty, along with several congressmen, are leading the way, and hopefully more laws will be introduced soon to protect the children.

Source: Nasdaq, American Addiction Centers, SAG-AFTRA