After battling substance abuse and health issues, singer Demi Lovato is about to take an exciting next step in her career as she makes her directorial debut with the documentary “Child Star.” This highly anticipated project, which explores the complex lives of child stars and the unique challenges they face, marks a new chapter in Lovato’s career.
At almost 32 years old, the former Disney star will premiere the film on September 17.
“At Disney you instantly became a role model, whether you wanted to be or not. And because Disney Channel was huge at the time (2008), there was also an unspoken pressure that if you did something wrong, you knew there were millions of people waiting to take your place,” she shares in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter.
It was during this time that Lovato began to deal with some addiction issues, fears, which caused her to explode when she first hit a dancer on the “Camp Rock 2” tour, precipitating her subsequent and constant visits to rehab.
“Child Star” delves into the world of young celebrities, offering an intimate and revealing look at the impact early fame can have on young people’s personal and professional development. Drawing on her personal experience as a child star who grew up under the public scrutiny, Lovato brings a unique and authentic perspective to the direction of the documentary.
The documentary is a portrait of trauma and instability, with recurring stories of rejection, betrayal and endless pressure, which features testimony not only from Lovato herself, but also from other stars who, like her, had to deal with childhood fame: Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, JoJo Siwa and Kenan Thompson.
Today, 16 years after her initial success, Lovato has recorded eight studio albums, all of which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200; she has 266 million followers on social media and has achieved emotional stability with her partner, singer-songwriter Jordan Lutes.
Before finally putting her tragedy, which included a period with an eating disorder and sexual abuse, behind her, Lovato said: “I needed to figure out why I got into this industry in the first place.”
Therefore, he added, the film is not intended to blame any person, but simply to be a story of lessons about child stardom.
“Give a kid a serious job and suddenly they’re making more money than their parents. The whole ecosystem of the family becomes dependent on that kid working really hard,” said Nicola Marsh, who co-directs with Lovato.
News of her directorial debut has generated great anticipation among fans and critics alike. Lovato, who has spoken openly about her own struggles and victories, promises to offer an honest and moving look at the ups and downs of life in the public eye from a young age.
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· Demi Lovato is engaged to Jordan Lutes after a year of dating
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