6 Former Child Stars Who Got Real About The Toxic Ways Their Early Careers Still Impact Their Lives
This week, Jennette McCurdy made headlines after opening up about the trauma she developed from growing up in Hollywood.
Writing in her new memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, the former iCarly star speaks at length about some of what she dealt with after finding success as a teen — and the lingering effects it's had on her life.
Here are some other times that former child stars have spoken out about the trauma of child stardom.
1. Jojo Siwa
Jojo Siwa was just nine years old when she found fame, appearing on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and later, on Dance Moms. She's 19 now, but she admits she still has a bald spot stemming from a "stress rash" she developed while starring on Dance Moms.
2. Cole Sprouse
Cole Sprouse appeared to be living the sweet life when he was on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, but IRL, he was struggling with fame. This led him to take a break from acting for a few years, but even now, he admits he "still [has] a very complicated relationship to celebrity culture."
3. Mara Wilson
Matilda star, Mara Wilson, has been open about how much she was sexualized by the media and members of the public after starring in the film. “People Photoshopped me into child porn . . . and called me ugly online; they were mocking me for going through puberty,” she once recalled. “I felt too vulnerable." Mara cited those experiences as "why I disappeared [from acting]," and admitted it still affects how she navigates her career today. "I’ll never be an A-list actor and I am happy with that.”
4. Alyson Stoner
In an op-ed for People, Camp Rock actor Alyson Stoner detailed her "harrowing" experience as a child star, which she says included sexual harassment, child labor violations, and severe eating disorders, among other things. Alyson has since gone to therapy to help her develop the tools and skills needed to cope, but she also noted that she still was "not without scars and ongoing struggles."
5. Raven-Symoné
Growing up, Raven-Symoné was often body-shamed, which she says caused her "mental issues." “I wish I was living now as a younger person,” the That's So Raven alum once remarked. “I probably wouldn’t have so many mental issues.”
6. Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer told The Guardian that she thinks "performing, in general, is exploitative" because when you're a kid, "you don’t even know your limits yourself." She also suggested that she has "trauma" from her own experiences as a child star following her breakout role in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee.
