Top 10 Child Stars Who Opened Up About the Price of Fame

Thanks to a meteoric rise on Disney Channel, Demi Lovato was a TV staple throughout her younger years. Unfortunately, their life behind the scenes was far from easy. Lovato suddenly left both her leading role on “Sonny With a Chance” and a concert tour in 2010. They ended up going to rehab to address their addictive behaviors and struggles with mental health in 2011. After Lovato’s stay, she publicly talked about those issues and directly spoke about her difficulties with disordered eating. The singer went on to share more details in their music, a self-help memoir and in documentaries. Lovato’s journey has had several bumps in the road. But she’s always been honest about what it takes to start over.

While Ariel Winter was still working on the smash hit “Modern Family”, her sister Shanelle Gray was making a case for why she should be the rising star’s legal guardian. This publicized court battle led the actress to open up about her mother’s bad behavior. Winter reported she had strict rules about her diet, friendships and even had to wear inappropriate clothes. Apparently, these restrictions were meant to keep the star famous. Outside of Winter’s turbulent relationship with her mother, she was also subjected to negative comments about her body. Winter has often talked about the power of body positivity and importance of taking care of one’s mental health. We think Alex Dunphy would be proud.

Miley Cyrus had no qualms about sharing the downsides of being in the public eye at a young age. After she put her breakout “Hannah Montana” role in the rearview mirror, the singer talked about her struggle to move on to more mature projects. Cyrus has spoken extensively about fans who want her to project the wholesome image she had when she was younger. Additionally, she’s talked about the hectic schedule and pressures she had to dress a certain way. Cyrus even compared aspects of the experience to the notoriously exploitative TLC show “Toddlers & Tiaras.” Cyrus definitely deserves to get her flowers after withstanding all that pressure.

After Nickelodeon child star Amanda Bynes moved from her self-titled show to projects like “She’s the Man” and “Easy A”, fans embraced her career direction. But the actress saw things differently. When Bynes looked back, she admitted that being typecast into playing quirky and innocent characters instead of landing mature parts bothered her. She also said she struggled so much with her body image in the spotlight that she relied on various substances before retiring. After years trying to work through legal issues and her mental health, Bynes was placed in a conservatorship. Fortunately, she got to a place where she was able to end that legal arrangement and focus on her passions again.

The late Aaron Carter’s financial struggles made tons of headlines over the years. According to the pop star, he constantly dealt with debt because his parents and managers took advantage. While coping with financial issues, Carter’s mental health struggles and legal problems made it difficult to achieve the heights of fame he had as a child pop star. He once revealed that he hoped a stint on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2009 would help give him a career boost. When the run didn’t give him the push he was hoping for, he turned to negative habits to help him cope. While working on a comeback, Carter tragically passed away in his home in 2022.

In the decade since ending his historic run as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe has spoken about some of the issues he faced as a young star of the franchise. The pressure of being one of the biggest child stars in the world eventually got to him. As Radcliffe reached a legal drinking age, he acknowledged in interviews that he began leaning more on alcohol to deal with being in the spotlight. He also said that his habits began to affect his work on the films. As the franchise wrapped up, Radcliffe worked hard to get and stay sober. Today, Radcliffe credits staying well-adjusted in the spotlight to surrounding himself with positive influences.

After starring in the beloved 1990s family movies like “Matilda,” Mara Wilson took a step back from Hollywood in the 2000s. She would later pen several articles about her experiences in the 2010s. In one op-ed, Wilson used her firsthand experience to offer up the reasons why the odds are stacked so highly against child stars. She also shared a detailed look at her childhood with a memoir “Where Am I Now?” In the book, she wrote about being pressured to look and act certain ways to get cast and be accepted. Wilson also discussed how hard it was to read the inappropriate comments people made about her. Over the last decade, she’s constantly voiced her support for other child stars who have faced adversity.

First rising to fame in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” Drew Barrymore’s childhood was anything but ordinary. At a young age, she was often brought to clubs and venues geared for adults that she shouldn’t have been able to get access to. Barrymore later said her behavior got so erratic that she was sent to a facility to address her addictive habits and mental health issues. The star later acknowledged that her experience there ultimately helped her turn things around. In the years since, Barrymore enjoyed a career resurgence and started hosting a successful talk show. On occasion, she will use her talk show platform to facilitate illuminating conversations about child stardom and teenage rebellion.

Years after Macaulay Culkin blew up as a child star, he revealed how difficult it was for him behind the scenes. According to the actor, trying to balance normal activities like school with filming schedules made shoots feel like more of a chore. Culkin also had to accept whatever role was chosen for him. On top of the pressures of fame, he’s been extremely honest about his rocky relationship with his parents. Culkin claimed that their focus on his earnings and career pushed his father in particular to mistreat him. Despite hitting a few rough patches, Culkin slowly started to make more Hollywood appearances in the late 2010s. Fortunately, Culkin’s past difficulties haven’t kept him from a happy and productive career.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Selena Gomez
The Disney Wiz “Felt Like a Joke” Before Getting More Mature Roles

Alyson Stoner
Missy Elliott’s Dancer Opened Up About Child Labor Laws

Cole Sprouse
He Had Difficulty Breaking Out of His “Suite Life” Image

Christy Carlson Romano
The “Even Stevens” Star Wasn’t Taught How To Save Her Money

Raven-Symoné
The “Cosby Show” Star Faced Body Shaming Behind-the-Scenes

Before Jennette McCurdy even released her 2022 memoir, she grabbed the world’s attention with its provocative title: “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” The book’s contents dove into the horrifying details about the actresses’ strained relationship with her mother. McCurdy’s mom pushed everything from dieting hard to constant Hollywood exposure. This caused the actress to develop body image issues while feeling the pressure to constantly perform. Outside of talking about her family in the book, McCurdy also highlighted Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider’s troubling behavior. Her brave testimony became an acclaimed and much discussed bestseller. Whether the book leads to lasting change remains to be seen. But it was a landmark work that spoke volumes to McCurdy’s resilience and bravery.