Being a child star is a tough business, and it can lead to issues once an actor grows out of those roles. It’s a topic that today’s child stars-turned-adult celebrities, including Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, have spoken out on.
“I wouldn’t start that young if I could do it over again,” Demi said during a Cannes Lion panel in 2017. “It was a difficult transition from child star to transforming into a mainstream artist. It’s something that is very challenging.” The singer-actor got their start on The Disney Channel’s Barney & Friends from 2002 through 2004 and went on to star on the network’s Sonny With a Chance from 2009 to 2011, as well as the Camp Rock franchise.
“You have to find your identity,” they added. “For so long, you’ve been molded into something and then, you’re expected to figure out who you are very fast in front of the entire world. It definitely has been difficult, but it’s been a learning experience. I am still figuring out who I am every day.” Demi went on to become a successful adult recording artist but has made
several trips to rehab over the years, including one in July 2018 following a
near fatal accidental drug overdose.
Selena has also successfully transitioned into an adult music and acting career but was also beset by trips to rehab for anxiety and depression in her 20s. The brunette beauty most recently starred in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.
“I’ve been in makeup since I was 7 years old. I feel like that kind of messed with me,” Selena told Elle in a December 2021 interview. She began working on The Disney Channel’s Barney & Friends in 2002, then went on to star on the network’s The Wizards of Waverly Place from 2007 through 2012.
“You’re so young and then working. I have professionals doing my makeup, and suddenly, I can look 25 when I was 16, and it was crazy,” the Rare Beauty founder recalled. “Then, I felt like, ‘Oh, I look too young all the time. I should achieve that look more. I should try that.’ It just made me question my beauty for what it was.”
Scroll down for celebrities who have regretted their child stardom days.
