Demi Lovato on upcoming ‘Child Star’ documentary

Demi Lovato got her start in Hollywood as a young child appearing alongside fellow former Disney Channel star Selena Gomez on the show Barney & Friends, but really made her mark when she played the main character in the Disney Channel Original Movie series Camp Rock and its sequel. Now that Lovato, who uses she/they pronouns, is all grown up, they’re working on a documentary called Child Star that will premiere on Hulu in 2024.

The concept of child stardom is now new and there’s been discussion about how growing up in the spotlight can have a negative impact on the life of a young celebrity for quite some time, most notably with celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Macaulay Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, and the late River Phoenix. But with the rise of apps like TikTok and YouTube, child stardom is more accessible than ever before and Demi Lovato thinks that her documentary will open up some important conversations.

"There is no better film or topic for my directorial debut than this story, which is close to home. Our project sheds light on important messages about growing up in the public eye, learning to protect our boundaries, and becoming active advocates of our own destinies. I’m humbled to be able to learn from the individuals who have lived the unique experience of child stardom and share their stories in our film."

According to Lovato, she won’t be the only child star featured in the documentary. The other celebrities that will make appearances to share their own experiences with growing up as a star haven’t been revealed yet, but Demi Lovato promises that this documentary will be an eye-opener. It also promises to explore life after child stardom and explain “why some child stars end up on a dark path, why some end up totally normal, why some people leave the industry, why some people stay in the industry.”

Demi Lovato, 31, says that even though she’s an adult now, she feels this is important now and hopes that it will help parents of any budding future child celebrities. She told People, “I want this to give some insight into what it’s like to become a child performer, whether it’s acting or through music, but in the entertainment industry because my parents didn’t get that before I was a child star.”

Although there’s no release date set for the documentary yet, it already has fans buzzing. In the past, Demi Lovato has been critical of how the Disney Channel managed its young stars and reflects on the way her acting and singing career in her teenage years may have lead her down the destructive path she was on for many years.