Hulu has released the trailer for Child Star, a documentary exploring the experiences of former Hollywood child actors as they grew up in front of the camera. The documentary is co-directed by Nicola Marsh and debutant director Demi Lovato, who rose to fame in her teens through the Camp Rock films.
Recently, many documentaries such as Gary, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV and Showbiz Kids have tackled issues surrounding child actors and fame. Child Star examines the impact of celebrity status on some notable figures from Hollywood.
Set to release on September 17, this Hulu original features former child stars Christina Ricci, Alyson Stoner, Raven-Symoné, Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, and JoJo Siwa, with Lovato as narrator and interviewer.
Child Star aims to bring forth the child actors’ struggle in Hollywood
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lovato explained her decision to create the documentary, noting the need to explore her early career to transition smoothly into the next stage of her life:
I need to figure out why I entered this industry in the first place.
Lovato also mentioned her surprise at the former child stars who declined participation, while co-director Marsh praised the honesty of those, like Thompson and Ricci, who agreed to appear in the film. Lovato added,
There definitely is not a manual on how to navigate this industry at such a young age.
In one notable moment of the trailer, Barrymore notes that her earliest exposure to drugs was around the age of ten while Alyson Stoner points out that she was immediately drawn to drugs and alcohol.
Apart from delving into the hazards of traversing such a public career at a young age, the film also puts into focus the joyful and eccentric experiences of growing up in the entertainment industry for some of the stars.
Who are the directors and producers of Child Star?
Although this is her directorial debut, Lovato herself has been a subject for a 2021 documentary series titled Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil which is available to watch on YouTube.
While it served as a companion piece to her album Dancing with the Devil: The Art of Starting Over, the series deals with a diverse range of topics from her life including her 2018 near fatal overdose.
Her co-director Nicola Marsh has previously helmed the 2023 Showtime documentary series The 12th Victim based on the infamous Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate murder case in 1958, where the couple was convicted for 11 brutal murders at random.
Child Star is produced by Michael D. Ratner, Demi Lovato, Kfir Goldberg, Scott Ratner and Miranda Sherman whereas Jen McDaniels, James Shin, Scooter Braun and co-director Nicola Marsh serve as executive producers.
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