Demi Lovato‘s directorial debut, Child Star, is finally here. The documentary opens up about the complexities of growing up in the public eye, and gives voice to multiple other child stars such as Drew Barrymore, Raven-Symoné and more.
Keep reading for the biggest revelations in the doc.
The Hulu special, which premiered on Tuesday, September 17, showcased Demi as she reflected on her experiences with child stardom and interviewed other actors about the challenges of fame. The documentary is serving as a platform for Demi’s advocacy, calling for increased protections for children entering the entertainment industry.
“I’m so proud to make my directorial debut with this documentary that sheds light on the complexities of child stardom, a topic that is very close to my heart,” Demi told The Hollywood Reporter during a profile posted in August.
They continued, “I hope viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and pressures faced by young people in the industry so we can achieve our goal of creating a safer and more supportive environment for future generations young talents in entertainment, social media and beyond.”
Along with Demi, Drew and Raven, other actors who will be included in the doc consist of Alyson Stoner, JoJo Siwa, Kenan Thompson and Christina Ricci.
“I want to thank our cast for being so vulnerable with their stories,” Demi said of the doc to the magazine. “And our contributors for sharing their knowledge to help push the conversation forward.”
The 31-year-old singer and actor, who landed her first on-screen role when she was around 10 years old on Barney & Friends, knows a thing or two about growing up in the public eye.
“I didn’t realize that child stardom could be traumatic — and it isn’t traumatic for everyone, but for me, it was,” she says in the doc. “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,” she added. “And 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.”
Scroll through our gallery below to uncover the biggest revelations from Demi’s Child Star:
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