Child Star, the upcoming documentary directed by Demi Lovato, will feature interviews with Drew Barrymore, JoJo Siwa, Christina Ricci and more, it was revealed on Wednesday.
The singer-turned-filmmaker will be interviewing a bevy of former child stars including Kenan Thompson, Raven-Symoné and even Alyson Stoner, who costarred with Demi in Camp Rock, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Demi, 31, landed her breakthrough role on Barney & Friends at the age of eight and became a Disney Channel personality shortly afterward.
As she grew into an adult celebrity, she battled a host of personal demons, including bulimia, drug abuse and bipolar disorder.
Now, as they make their feature directorial debut with Child Star, Demi — who is nonbinary and uses both ‘she’ and ‘they’ pronouns — is examining the lives of other people who grew up under the glare of public scrutiny.
Child Star, the upcoming documentary directed by Demi Lovato (pictured), will feature interviews with Drew Barrymore, JoJo Siwa, Christina Ricci and more
It also emerged that the documentary will premiere on September 17 on Hulu, and it will be approximately an hour and a half long.
Demi was 15 years old when Camp Rock first aired on the Disney Channel, starring her and Alyson alongside the Jonas Brothers.
At that point she was already a Disney Channel staple as a star on the network’s sitcom As The Bell Rings, which ran from 2007 to 2008.
As she grew older, she transitioned into pop stardom — and her personal problems increasingly began surfacing into the spotlight.
Demi has bared her soul in the past about ‘experimenting’ with drugs beginning in her preteen years, after she was in an accident and was prescribed opioids.
She she stole her father’s beer and her mother’s Xanax, and she ultimately tried cocaine at the age of 17, she admitted on Call Her Daddy.
In 2018, she was hospitalized after suffering a near-fatal heroin overdose that caused her to suffer three strokes and a heart attack, as well as lasting brain damage.
Three years ago, she controversially described herself as ‘California sober,’ meaning she still indulged in cannabis, which she later said she gave up as well.
She has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and suffered from bulimia, binging and purging to the point she once found herself vomiting blood.
Drew, the scion of a famous acting dynasty, is pictured (left) at a Hollywood party in 1985 aged nine and (right) on a recent episode of her daytime chat show
JoJo Siwa, who shot to fame on Dance Moms, is pictured earlier this month in Los Angeles
Christina Ricci is pictured (left) as a child actress playing Wednesday Addams in the 1993 movie Addams Family Values and (right) this year on January 15
Demi, 31, landed her breakthrough role on Barney & Friends (pictured) at the age of eight, and she became a Disney Channel personality shortly afterward
She was 15 years old when Camp Rock first aired on the Disney Channel, starring her and Alyson Stoner alongside the Jonas Brothers; Demi and the Jonas Brothers are pictured in a publicity still
Demi first announced the Child Star documentary last year.
‘I’m so proud to make my directorial debut with this documentary that sheds light on the complexities of child stardom, a topic that is very close to my heart,’ she said in a new statement as the release date was announced.
‘I want to thank our cast for being so vulnerable with their stories and our contributors for sharing their knowledge to help push the conversation forward.’
She added: ‘I hope viewers will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and pressures faced by young people in the industry so we can achieve our goal of creating a safer and more supportive environment for future generations young talents in entertainment, social media and beyond.’
