With their new Hulu documentary Child Star, co-directors Demi Lovato and Nicola Marsh tackle the dangers of getting too big too young. It’s a story that Lovato, sadly, is very qualified to tell.
“Because the momentum was moving at such a fast pace, I didn't want to give up any opportunities in order to take a break — even though that's what I truly needed,” Says Lovato. “The machine was just kind of rolling and I was just along for the ride at that point. I wasn't having much fun.”
Lovato and Marsh explain the challenges they faced around persuading some of the best known former child stars — including Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, and Christina Ricci — to share their deeply personal experiences from their time as young performers. And Lovato, who launched her career at Disney, explains how she got a film about the dark side of child stardom onto Hulu — a platform which is soon to be entirely owned by Disney. Hulu is currently owned in part by Disney.