Demi Lovato is reflecting on their past as a child star and the “guilt” they feel over their behavior during that time. In a recent interview promoting their new documentary, “Child Star,” Lovato shared how their early experiences in the entertainment industry affected their treatment of others.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Lovato, now 31, opened up about the trauma they endured as a young actor, which they believe contributed to their less-than-kind behavior on and off set. The documentary explores these issues in depth and features Lovato’s directorial debut.
“I didn’t realize that child stardom could be traumatic — and it isn’t traumatic for everyone, but for me, it was,” Lovato admitted. Reflecting on their time working on the Disney Channel show “Sonny with a Chance” and the TV movie “Camp Rock 2,” they expressed regret over how their struggles impacted their interactions with those around them.
Lovato recalled, “I think about people in the wardrobe department on my TV show because I’d go in there in bad moods all the time, and I worry about guest stars that came on or the other actors or the people during ‘Camp Rock 2.’” They added, “It’s easy to excuse that behavior because I was so young and in so much pain, but I’m really remorseful, and that’s a guilt that stays with you forever.”
Their experience also affected their family life, as Lovato was the primary breadwinner at a young age. “Having the child be the breadwinner almost inherently changes the dynamic of a family,” Lovato explained. “I mean, they’d try to ground me, but I was an egotistical child star, and I thought I was on top of the world. I’d be like, ‘But I pay the bills,’ and what do you say to that?”
Lovato’s reflections have led them to advocate against children entering the entertainment industry. In a 2022 interview with Spin magazine, they emphasized, “No child should ever be in the limelight. It’s too much pressure. There’s an absence of childhood that you never get to experience.”
The documentary “Child Star,” set for release on September 17, features other former young celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, Raven-Symoné, Alyson Stoner, and JoJo Siwa, sharing their own experiences of growing up in the public eye.
