20 Former Child Stars on the Ups & Downs of Growing Up in the Spotlight

01of 20Austin ButlerAustin Butler.Todd Williamson/NBC/NBC via GettyWhile Butler is now an Oscar-nominated actor for his performance as Elvis — which has already won him a Golden Globe, BAFTA and People’s Choice Award — his career beganyears ago as a child star.Looking back at his early career, Butler said he is thankful for the lessons he learned and the roles he booked, as they helped get him where he is today.“I am grateful I started young because it allowed me a lot of time to make mistakes. I had so many years of really bad acting,” Butler, who was featured on shows likeiCarly,Zoey 101andCarrie Diaries, shared. “And I still have so much to learn, but that’s what really excites me about acting is that you, it’s like anything, you can improve, and you can get better. It excites me to think about 10 years from now how I will have grown and how you can continually try to find more truth.”

01of 20

Austin Butler

Austin Butler.Todd Williamson/NBC/NBC via Getty

While Butler is now an Oscar-nominated actor for his performance as Elvis — which has already won him a Golden Globe, BAFTA and People’s Choice Award — his career beganyears ago as a child star.

Looking back at his early career, Butler said he is thankful for the lessons he learned and the roles he booked, as they helped get him where he is today.

“I am grateful I started young because it allowed me a lot of time to make mistakes. I had so many years of really bad acting,” Butler, who was featured on shows likeiCarly,Zoey 101andCarrie Diaries, shared. “And I still have so much to learn, but that’s what really excites me about acting is that you, it’s like anything, you can improve, and you can get better. It excites me to think about 10 years from now how I will have grown and how you can continually try to find more truth.”

02of 20

Christy Carlson Romano

Paul Archuleta/Getty

In a video titled “Why Child Fame Is So Dangerous,” shared to her YouTube channel in 2021, Romano described child stardom — which she experienced on the Disney Channel in the early aughts — as a"double edged sword."

TheEven Stevensstar said, “The way I see it — and the way that my experience was — is that yes, you will want more and more of that notoriety, and when the notoriety goes away, you get so, so scared and feel like you’ve let everyone down.”

She said “to this day,” she is “still healing from my childhood trauma of sort of this rat race.”

“In no way am I a victim,” she clarified, " but I do have trauma."

In 2023, Romano announced that she was using her Disney Channel past to launch herPodCocompany with husbandBrendan Rooney.

She told PEOPLE that while it’s not always easy to revisit the past, she iswelcoming the opportunity.

“So it is cringy at times, yeah. I think you lean into the uncomfortable, but at least you’re not alone, because you have a co-host,” she said. “You can lean into the cringe.”

03of 20

Jennette McCurdy

Steve Granitz/WireImage

“My whole childhood and adolescence were very exploited,” she toldThe New York Times. “It still gives my nervous system a reaction to say it. There were cases where people had the best intentions and maybe didn’t know what they were doing. And also cases where they did — they knew exactly what they were doing.”

04of 20Aly & AJAly & AJ.Amanda CharchianThe Michalka sisters said their secret to surviving child stardom was having each other as best friends who got through it together.“Most child actors don’t have a sibling also experiencing the same success at the same time,” Aly toldPEOPLE. “That gave us a lot of normalcy. We just got really lucky. We had each other.”

04of 20

Aly & AJ

Aly & AJ.Amanda Charchian

The Michalka sisters said their secret to surviving child stardom was having each other as best friends who got through it together.

“Most child actors don’t have a sibling also experiencing the same success at the same time,” Aly toldPEOPLE. “That gave us a lot of normalcy. We just got really lucky. We had each other.”

05of 20Justin BieberAlberto E. Rodriguez/GettySpeaking withGQ,Bieber recalledsome of the times in his early days of fame when he attempted to reclaim a sense of independence.“I was working so much as this young kid that I got really sad, and I missed my friends and I missed normalcy,” he said. “And so me and my friend hid my passport. The record label is freaking out, saying, ‘You have to do theTodayshow next week and you can’t find your passport.’ It takes a certain amount of days to get a new passport. But I was just going to do anything to be able to just be normal at that time.”

05of 20

Justin Bieber

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Speaking withGQ,Bieber recalledsome of the times in his early days of fame when he attempted to reclaim a sense of independence.

“I was working so much as this young kid that I got really sad, and I missed my friends and I missed normalcy,” he said. “And so me and my friend hid my passport. The record label is freaking out, saying, ‘You have to do theTodayshow next week and you can’t find your passport.’ It takes a certain amount of days to get a new passport. But I was just going to do anything to be able to just be normal at that time.”

06of 20Christina AguileraEmma McIntyre/AMA2017/GettyIn an April interview withHealth, the singer said she read her childhood diaries and forced herself into some self-reflection thinking back to the “trauma.““In some regard, I wasn’t happy with a lot of things, and it’s scary to face those feelings that, under normal circumstances, you don’t have time to face because everyone is going, going, going,” she said. “That grind is praised, but I think we’re all understanding that having moments to self-reflect and just breathe are crucial.““When I’m not working, there’s a heavy amount of guilt that I feel. It’s been embedded in me since I was little — you’re shamed if you don’t want to keep up,” she continued. “As a child [entertainer], you’re all pitted against one another, and other children are all about that grind too. It’s a weird space to grow up in.”

06of 20

Christina Aguilera

Emma McIntyre/AMA2017/Getty

In an April interview withHealth, the singer said she read her childhood diaries and forced herself into some self-reflection thinking back to the “trauma.”

“In some regard, I wasn’t happy with a lot of things, and it’s scary to face those feelings that, under normal circumstances, you don’t have time to face because everyone is going, going, going,” she said. “That grind is praised, but I think we’re all understanding that having moments to self-reflect and just breathe are crucial.”

“When I’m not working, there’s a heavy amount of guilt that I feel. It’s been embedded in me since I was little — you’re shamed if you don’t want to keep up,” she continued. “As a child [entertainer], you’re all pitted against one another, and other children are all about that grind too. It’s a weird space to grow up in.”

07of 20Rivkah ReyesparamountThechild star played the roleof bass guitarist Katie inSchool of Rockat just 10 years old.Though they enjoyed the experience of filming the movie, Reyes told theNew York Postthat they “felt unsafe existing” in the years following because many grown men sexualized them, making remarks like they couldn’t “wait ‘til she’s 18.” They also revealed that classmates were harsh upon their return to school.Reyes told theNew York Postthat they felt pressure to land another, larger film role, telling the publication they hoped people would “stop calling [me] Katie.“Reyes said they spent ages 14 to 24 as “a raging addict,” eventually becoming sober in 2017.

07of 20

Rivkah Reyes

paramount

Thechild star played the roleof bass guitarist Katie inSchool of Rockat just 10 years old.

Though they enjoyed the experience of filming the movie, Reyes told theNew York Postthat they “felt unsafe existing” in the years following because many grown men sexualized them, making remarks like they couldn’t “wait ‘til she’s 18.” They also revealed that classmates were harsh upon their return to school.

Reyes told theNew York Postthat they felt pressure to land another, larger film role, telling the publication they hoped people would “stop calling [me] Katie.”

Reyes said they spent ages 14 to 24 as “a raging addict,” eventually becoming sober in 2017.

08of 20Mara WilsonCHRIS DELMAS/AFP via GettyWilson, known for her roles in films likeMrs. DoubtfireandMatilda, wrote in aNew York Timesop-ed thatshe was sexualized as a young girl, despite intentionally choosing wholesome roles.“I mostly acted in family movies — the remake ofMiracle on 34th Street,Matilda,Mrs. Doubtfire. I never appeared in anything more revealing than a knee-length sundress,” she wrote. “This was all intentional: My parents thought I would be safer that way. But it didn’t work.““It was cute when 10-year-olds sent me letters saying they were in love with me,” Wilson continued. “It was not when 50-year-old men did.“Wilson recalled, “Before I even turned 12, there were images of me on foot fetish websites and photoshopped into child pornography. Every time, I felt ashamed.““Hollywood has resolved to tackle harassment in the industry, but I was never sexually harassed on a film set,” she added. “My sexual harassment always came at the hands of the media and the public.”

08of 20

Mara Wilson

CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty

Wilson, known for her roles in films likeMrs. DoubtfireandMatilda, wrote in aNew York Timesop-ed thatshe was sexualized as a young girl, despite intentionally choosing wholesome roles.

“I mostly acted in family movies — the remake ofMiracle on 34th Street,Matilda,Mrs. Doubtfire. I never appeared in anything more revealing than a knee-length sundress,” she wrote. “This was all intentional: My parents thought I would be safer that way. But it didn’t work.”

“It was cute when 10-year-olds sent me letters saying they were in love with me,” Wilson continued. “It was not when 50-year-old men did.”

Wilson recalled, “Before I even turned 12, there were images of me on foot fetish websites and photoshopped into child pornography. Every time, I felt ashamed.”

“Hollywood has resolved to tackle harassment in the industry, but I was never sexually harassed on a film set,” she added. “My sexual harassment always came at the hands of the media and the public.”

09of 20Christina RicciSwan Gallet/WWD/REX/ShutterstockCalling her pre-teen times on the set ofThe Addams Familyfilms her “glory days,” Riccitold PEOPLEhow proud she is to be a former child star.“I loved working. I loved being a kid who had a talent,” she said. “I loved being good at something. I loved all that positive reinforcement I got every day. I loved getting to use my imagination in a way that really created things. It was incredible to be able to do that so young.”

09of 20

Christina Ricci

Swan Gallet/WWD/REX/Shutterstock

Calling her pre-teen times on the set ofThe Addams Familyfilms her “glory days,” Riccitold PEOPLEhow proud she is to be a former child star.

“I loved working. I loved being a kid who had a talent,” she said. “I loved being good at something. I loved all that positive reinforcement I got every day. I loved getting to use my imagination in a way that really created things. It was incredible to be able to do that so young.”

10of 20

Alyson Stoner

David Livingston/Getty Images

“Being famous as a kid is weird and unhealthy,“she said. “I’m learning to appreciate the present moment because I was a pack mule growing up. Living in that little box? Being part of that little machine? It takes a huge toll on you. The competition, narcissism, perfectionism, the pressure, schedule, the traumatizing experiences that we can never talk about, because we’re either under contract or we’ll get shot or other things will happen to us if we open our mouths.”

Stoner is now ready to move on from her kid-famous past and reclaim control of her career. “I have some really cool bucket list projects and dreams that are coming true right now. [I’m] finally tapping into a life that I want to live,” she shared.

11of 20Jodie SweetinAllen Berezovsky/Getty Images for Fashion MediaSweetin is no stranger to the spotlight— but theFuller Housestar does admit that there are highs and lows to growing up in the public eye. The actress, who landed the role of Stephanie Tanner onFull Houseat the age of 5, has had her share of struggles, all of which were subject to public scrutiny.“The blessing and the curse of being in this industry is that people want to know about you and what it is that you do and have done, the good and the bad,” Sweetin told PEOPLE. “What that affords you is the opportunity to be able to share those things and be able to grow with people and in front of people.”

11of 20

Jodie Sweetin

Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images for Fashion Media

Sweetin is no stranger to the spotlight— but theFuller Housestar does admit that there are highs and lows to growing up in the public eye. The actress, who landed the role of Stephanie Tanner onFull Houseat the age of 5, has had her share of struggles, all of which were subject to public scrutiny.

“The blessing and the curse of being in this industry is that people want to know about you and what it is that you do and have done, the good and the bad,” Sweetin told PEOPLE. “What that affords you is the opportunity to be able to share those things and be able to grow with people and in front of people.”

12of 20Beverley MitchellTommaso Boddi/Getty"Obviously, I’m iconically going to be Lucy Camden and it’s very difficult in the business to change people’s minds, because they see you in one way and they love you and adore you and you’re great, but they don’t want to see you in something else,” Mitchell, who starred as Lucy Camden on7th Heavenfor 11 years,told PEOPLEof being typecast in Hollywood after finding fame as a child.She continued: “But in the real life standpoint, I love it. Because I’ve been able to grow up with so many of these people and I’m so much a part of their lives and to hear them talk about watching the show with their grandma and having conversations, that’s really something special and I feel like that’s a gift and I’m ever so grateful for it. So yeah, I’m Lucy.”

12of 20

Beverley Mitchell

Tommaso Boddi/Getty

“Obviously, I’m iconically going to be Lucy Camden and it’s very difficult in the business to change people’s minds, because they see you in one way and they love you and adore you and you’re great, but they don’t want to see you in something else,” Mitchell, who starred as Lucy Camden on7th Heavenfor 11 years,told PEOPLEof being typecast in Hollywood after finding fame as a child.

She continued: “But in the real life standpoint, I love it. Because I’ve been able to grow up with so many of these people and I’m so much a part of their lives and to hear them talk about watching the show with their grandma and having conversations, that’s really something special and I feel like that’s a gift and I’m ever so grateful for it. So yeah, I’m Lucy.”

13of 20LeAnn RimesGilbert Carrasquillo/GettyThe actress and country star — who rose to fame in 1997 at the age of 13 — has no regrets about her road to stardom, but admits that becoming famous at a young age isn’t for everyone. “I would not recommend it to anyone, but it’s my path, so I’ve accepted it and learned from it,” shetold PEOPLE. “I can really appreciate it at this point — all of it.”

13of 20

LeAnn Rimes

Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty

The actress and country star — who rose to fame in 1997 at the age of 13 — has no regrets about her road to stardom, but admits that becoming famous at a young age isn’t for everyone. “I would not recommend it to anyone, but it’s my path, so I’ve accepted it and learned from it,” shetold PEOPLE. “I can really appreciate it at this point — all of it.”

14of 20Miley CyrusCourtesy Miley CyrusThe star formerly known asHannah Montanahas been criticized for her outlandish outfits and behavior, but she explained toHarper’s Bazaarthat it’s a way for her to reclaim her youth: “I was an adult when I was supposed to be a kid,” she said. “So now I’m an adult, and I’m acting like a kid.“Cyrusalso revealedtoMarie Clairethat her time on the show left her with some lasting body issues. “I was told for so long what a girl is supposed to be from being on that show,” said Cyrus. “I was made to look like someone that I wasn’t, which probably caused some body dysmorphia because I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn’t on that show, it was like, ‘Who the f–k am I?’ "

14of 20

Miley Cyrus

Courtesy Miley Cyrus

The star formerly known asHannah Montanahas been criticized for her outlandish outfits and behavior, but she explained toHarper’s Bazaarthat it’s a way for her to reclaim her youth: “I was an adult when I was supposed to be a kid,” she said. “So now I’m an adult, and I’m acting like a kid.”

Cyrusalso revealedtoMarie Clairethat her time on the show left her with some lasting body issues. “I was told for so long what a girl is supposed to be from being on that show,” said Cyrus. “I was made to look like someone that I wasn’t, which probably caused some body dysmorphia because I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn’t on that show, it was like, ‘Who the f–k am I?’ "

15of 20Selena GomezMike Coppola/GettyGomez toldGQthat growing up as a child star means having the entire world watching you navigate adolescence — and rooting for you to fail.“It’s disgusting, because it’s interesting to grown adults that these kids go through weird things because they’re figuring out, ‘Do I like this? Do I love this? Maybe I love this person. Oh, I’m exposed to this, people are reporting my every move and this and that because of Instagram and Twitter and you can find out everything,’ “she said. “Because it’s, I don’t know, fun, maybe? It’s like watching a car crash as you’re driving past it. You want to watch it.“Still, she has no regrets about stepping into the spotlight at a young age. “I chose this. So I’m not gonna sit here and say, ‘Oh my God, poor me, I didn’t have a normal childhood,’ " she continued. “I don’t give a f— about that.”

15of 20

Selena Gomez

Mike Coppola/Getty

Gomez toldGQthat growing up as a child star means having the entire world watching you navigate adolescence — and rooting for you to fail.

“It’s disgusting, because it’s interesting to grown adults that these kids go through weird things because they’re figuring out, ‘Do I like this? Do I love this? Maybe I love this person. Oh, I’m exposed to this, people are reporting my every move and this and that because of Instagram and Twitter and you can find out everything,’ “she said. “Because it’s, I don’t know, fun, maybe? It’s like watching a car crash as you’re driving past it. You want to watch it.”

Still, she has no regrets about stepping into the spotlight at a young age. “I chose this. So I’m not gonna sit here and say, ‘Oh my God, poor me, I didn’t have a normal childhood,’ " she continued. “I don’t give a f— about that.”

16of 20Daniel RadcliffeJamie McCarthy/GettyTheHarry Potterstar is often upheld as one of the rare, well-adjusted former child stars in the industry, but he admits that he simply “got lucky.““People expect me to be an absolute a–hole. And when I’m not, that always plays in my favor,” Radcliffe toldPlayboyin 2015. “The most underrated way I and all the producers onPottergot lucky was that I f–king loved the work. I’ve seen kids on set who are bored, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing? This is the best place on Earth.’ I loved it from the word go. I loved being on set. I loved the hours. I loved the people … Acting was the focus for me, and I wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize being an actor.“Radcliffe has been open abouthis struggle with alcohol as a coping mechanism for fame, and in 2012, announced he was sober.

16of 20

Daniel Radcliffe

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

TheHarry Potterstar is often upheld as one of the rare, well-adjusted former child stars in the industry, but he admits that he simply “got lucky.”

“People expect me to be an absolute a–hole. And when I’m not, that always plays in my favor,” Radcliffe toldPlayboyin 2015. “The most underrated way I and all the producers onPottergot lucky was that I f–king loved the work. I’ve seen kids on set who are bored, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing? This is the best place on Earth.’ I loved it from the word go. I loved being on set. I loved the hours. I loved the people … Acting was the focus for me, and I wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize being an actor.”

Radcliffe has been open abouthis struggle with alcohol as a coping mechanism for fame, and in 2012, announced he was sober.

17of 20Hilary DuffJason LaVeris/FilmMagicThough she admitted that it was hard for her to shake the public’s perception of her as Lizzie McGuire for years after the show ended, Duff only has positive memories of her time on the Disney Channel show.“As torturous as it has been at some points in my life to be Lizzie McGuire, I think that when that show came out, it was such a part of who I was, I didn’t feel like I was playing a part,” she toldPrideSource. “The writers all knew me so well and were writing things that were happening in my life and things that I would say, and I was dressing exactly like I wanted. It was so me.”

17of 20

Hilary Duff

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Though she admitted that it was hard for her to shake the public’s perception of her as Lizzie McGuire for years after the show ended, Duff only has positive memories of her time on the Disney Channel show.

“As torturous as it has been at some points in my life to be Lizzie McGuire, I think that when that show came out, it was such a part of who I was, I didn’t feel like I was playing a part,” she toldPrideSource. “The writers all knew me so well and were writing things that were happening in my life and things that I would say, and I was dressing exactly like I wanted. It was so me.”

18of 20

Raven-Symoné

Raven-Symoné.Fred Lee/ABC/Getty

“I knew I couldn’t say it out loud because, ‘Oh my God, Little Olivia is gay? This is crazy!’ " she said. “I had the No. 1 show on Disney, I had multiple albums, I was on tour with ‘NSYNC. People had bucket lists, my bucket list was finished at 18. I didn’t want to deal with that.” She never thought she’d come out because “my personal life didn’t matter,” she said. “It was only supposed to be sold as the Raven-Symoné brand.”

19of 20Demi LovatoShaul Schwarz/Getty Images for Be VocalLovato has been very outspoken about her struggles with addiction and an eating disorder, and how being famous at a young age and the events of her Disney Channel days still haunt her.“We joked around that it was Disney High, except we all were shooting shows and really overworking. I joke that I sometimes have PTSD after leaving the channel, because if my schedule starts to get too busy, I rebel and I get bitchy…” shetoldBillboard. “When you’re on set, you work like an adult. I always wanted to be the next Shirley Temple, to be the youngest person to ever win a Grammy and an Oscar. It didn’t turn out that way. I don’t regret it, but I probably won’t allow my kids to get into the industry unless it’s on their terms.”

19of 20

Demi Lovato

Shaul Schwarz/Getty Images for Be Vocal

Lovato has been very outspoken about her struggles with addiction and an eating disorder, and how being famous at a young age and the events of her Disney Channel days still haunt her.

“We joked around that it was Disney High, except we all were shooting shows and really overworking. I joke that I sometimes have PTSD after leaving the channel, because if my schedule starts to get too busy, I rebel and I get bitchy…” shetoldBillboard. “When you’re on set, you work like an adult. I always wanted to be the next Shirley Temple, to be the youngest person to ever win a Grammy and an Oscar. It didn’t turn out that way. I don’t regret it, but I probably won’t allow my kids to get into the industry unless it’s on their terms.”

20of 20Joe JonasTracey Biel/Variety via Getty ImagesJonas opened up about his Disney past in a now-famous essay publishedon Vulture, where he revealed that he felt like a puppet when he and his brothers were working with the channel.“Being a part of the Disney thing for so long will make you not want to be this perfect little puppet forever,” he wrote. “Eventually, I hit a limit and thought, ‘Screw all this, I’m just going to show people who I am.’ I think that happened to a lot of us. Disney kids are spunky in some way, and I think that’s why Disney hires them. ‘Look, he jumped up on the table!’ Five, six, 10 years later, they’re like, ‘Oh! What do we do?’ Come on, guys. You did this to yourselves.”

20of 20

Joe Jonas

Tracey Biel/Variety via Getty Images

Jonas opened up about his Disney past in a now-famous essay publishedon Vulture, where he revealed that he felt like a puppet when he and his brothers were working with the channel.

“Being a part of the Disney thing for so long will make you not want to be this perfect little puppet forever,” he wrote. “Eventually, I hit a limit and thought, ‘Screw all this, I’m just going to show people who I am.’ I think that happened to a lot of us. Disney kids are spunky in some way, and I think that’s why Disney hires them. ‘Look, he jumped up on the table!’ Five, six, 10 years later, they’re like, ‘Oh! What do we do?’ Come on, guys. You did this to yourselves.”

source: people.com