This article cotains mentions of child substance and physical abuse, and suicide.

Child Star, Hulu's newest documentary directed by Demi Lovato and Nicola Marsh, explores the harsh reality of being a child star. From no agency to being overworked to abuse, children endure a lot to act, sing, and dance. At the beginning of the film, Lovato and Marsh recruited a handful of children to discuss their interpretation of fame and what they wanted to be when they were older. Demi Lovato also ed former Disney Channel costars to ask if they would participate in this documentary to recount their childhood experiences working for Disney Channel.

However, there are child stars that Demi Lovato recruited for this documentary from other sources, including Nickelodeon, movies, and content creators. Many former child entertainers it shocking reveals in Child Star, discussing various aspects of the industry with Demi Lovato. All these former child actors are still active in the industry today, having formed their own paths since childhood. However, it does not change the unique experiences they endured as children in the Hollywood spotlight. The group of celebrities Lovato gathered is a diverse set that fills in the gaps of what it is like to be a child star.

Demi Lovato

August 20, 1992

• Years Active: 2000-Present

Although Child Star is Demi Lovato's project, she is also the main subject of the documentary. Although other former child stars talk about their experiences, Child Star provides the most information about Lovato's childhood career, beginning in Texas with Barney & Friends and eventually moving to California for Disney Channel's Camp Rock and Sonny with a Chance. Demi Lovato has been open about her struggles with substance abuse, mental health, and eating disorders. However, Child Star puts her struggles into perspective, portraying how her career as a child actor shaped her world.

Despite everything Demi Lovato has endured, she is glad about where she is today. However, she also recognizes that her child stardom was a deeply traumatizing experience, with damage that has lasted until today. Lovato's biggest reveal in Child Star is how easy it was for her to acquire drugs. She often told the adults around her: "If you are going to work me like an adult, I'm going to party like one." She was also not easy to get along with during her Disney Channel years because of how much she was hurting.

Kenan Thompson

May 10, 1978

• Years Active: 1994-Present

Kenan Thompson rose to fame when he ed Nickelodeon's comedy sketch show All That. He established his career as a teenager in the 1990s with the children's network, eventually starring in a Nickelodeon sitcom, Kenan & Kel. Thompson spoke about how lucky he was to have proper mentors throughout his time at Nickelodeon, whether it was his drama teacher, church , or trusting adults in the industry. His most shocking reveal involves losing his entire fortune when his Nickelodeon ended because a con artist scammed his family by posing as a tax ant.

Drew Barrymore

February 22, 1975

• Years Active: 1976-Present

Drew Barrymore has been in the spotlight her entire life, beginning at just 11 months old when she starred in her first commercial. Her career has been non-stop since then, but she became famous when she starred in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. During Drew Barrymore and Demi Lovato's discussion in Child Star, Barrymore talked about ability, believing she was responsible for all her actions despite adults putting her in an environment that is poisonous for child stars. Adults treated Drew Barrymore as if she were a commodity, never viewing Barrymore as her own person.

Being treated as a commodity led to a stint in rehab when Barrymore was just 13 years old. The most shocking reveal from Drew Barrymore in Child Star is one of her first experiences with illegal substances—her mother's friend gave her drugs and got high with Barrymore when she was only 10 years old. It was jarring to hear how adults often fail child entertainers, allowing them to fall victim to drug addiction, severe mental health issues, and abuse. It was even more heartbreaking that Drew Barrymore put much of the blame on herself.

Christina Ricci

February 12, 1980

Christina Ricci's road to fame was unstable because of her home life. She began attending auditions when she was 7 years old, booking her first role in Mermaids with Cher at just 10, and then The Addams Family at 11. Since then, Christina Ricci has starred in a plethora of films, especially during the 1990s as a child star. Other films include Casper, Now and Then, and That Darn Cat. Ricci spoke about Cher mentoring her as a child star, having met movie star Cher on the set of Mermaids. Unfortunately, Christina Ricci still suffered from substance abuse.

The most shocking thing Christina Ricci revealed in the documentary was her family's instability—her father was an abusive former cult leader, while her mother did not form any relationship with Ricci. In fact, Christina Ricci spoke about how she bonded with her mother for the first time while on the road to auditions because at home, her mother was absent and reclusive. When Ricci's mother took her to auditions, the adult began forming a personality, which allowed Christina Ricci to bond with her mother at last.

JoJo Siwa

May 19, 2003

• Years Active: 2013-Present

JoJo Siwa began her career doing dance competitions and reality TV shows—she participated in Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition as a competitor in 2013 and starred in Dance Moms. During this time, JoJo Siwa began a YouTube channel as a content creator and released a song, "Boomerang." Siwa went viral, resulting in g a contract with Nickelodeon. JoJo Siwa spoke to Demi Lovato about the excessive merchandise she was part of and the details of her Nickelodeon contract. The most shocking thing Jojo Siwa revealed was the fallout of coming out while still being a child star in early 2021.

Alyson Stoner

August 11, 1993

• Years Active: 2001-Present

Alyson Stoner has been in the spotlight since she was eight, spending most of her childhood at Disney Channel. However, she had other projects, including Cheaper by the Dozen, dancing for Missy Elliott, and Step Up. Stoner opens up in Child Star about her own struggles with mental health and eating disorders, discussing the bond she shared with Lovato during their early days of Camp Rock. The most shocking thing Alyson Stoner revealed is that famous people have a shorter life span than non-famous people, and a famous person is four times more likely to commit suicide.

Raven-Symoné

December 10, 1985

• Years Active: 1989-Present

Raven-Symoné had quite a career as a child star, beginning at three years old on The Cosby Show. Raven-Symoné jumped from sitcom to sitcom—after The Cosby Show, she was a main character in Hangin' with Mr. Cooper before finally landing That's So Raven in the early 2000s. Raven-Symoné has also starred in multiple Disney Channel Original Movies, showcasing her acting, singing, and dancing skills. Raven-Symoné spoke about her family's involvement in her career in Child Star. Her most shocking reveal is that Raven-Symoné felt her entire purpose was to entertain and please her parents.