Child Stars Discuss the Impact of Fame on Their Families
1. Ke Huy Quan, during his Oscars acceptance speech, expressed gratitude for the sacrifices his parents made for him. He openly shared that his parents decided to move from Vietnam to provide a better future for him and his brother. Ke further explained that although his parents supported his childhood fame, they eventually wanted something different for him when he stopped getting work.
2. Macaulay Culkin rose to fame at the age of 10 with his role in Home Alone, but his newfound success had a toll on his family. Kieran Culkin revealed that although their lives at home didn’t change dramatically, the presence of paparazzi became overwhelming. Additionally, their parents’ divorce and the subsequent custody battle in 1995 became highly publicized.
3. Zendaya’s parents put their lives on hold to support her acting dreams. After expressing her desire to become an actor, Zendaya’s dad quit his job to drive her to auditions, while her mom worked two jobs to support their travels back and forth for auditions.
4. Christina Ricci openly discussed the challenges her family faced due to her fame as a child actor, especially after her role in The Addams Family. She shared details about her parents’ divorce and the strained relationship she now has with her father. In an interview, she emphasized that some people handle fame better than others, and some have more supportive families.
5. Millie Bobby Brown’s family relocated from the UK to the US early in her career as she started booking small roles in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Modern Family. Eventually, she gained immense popularity with Stranger Things. Millie revealed that her older sister decided to move back to the UK because she no longer wanted to stay in America.
6. Caleb McLaughlin, after starring in Stranger Things, realized he was treated differently from the other young actors on the show due to his race. He shared that his parents had to explain to him that it was because he was the only Black child on the show. Caleb expressed his frustration, questioning why he wasn’t loved simply because of his beautiful skin color.
7. Jenna Ortega’s mom, a full-time ER nurse with five other children, would drive Jenna from the Coachella Valley to Los Angeles 4 to 5 times a week for auditions, showcasing immense dedication.
8. Alyson Stoner extensively discussed their experience with childhood fame, mentioning that they felt disconnected from their siblings and didn’t grow up in the same household.
9. Mckenna Grace’s family made a tough decision to leave their Texas home after Mckenna booked roles in Goodbye World and Crash & Bernstein in 2013. At the same time, her father was about to be accepted into a prestigious residency program in Dallas. To keep their family together and save on travel expenses, Mckenna’s father applied for a residency in Ventura, CA.
10. Christy Carlson Romano shared that her mom left her three siblings behind when she accompanied Christy to LA at the age of 16 to pursue acting. Christy expressed feeling guilt and displacement from her family due to the sacrifices made for her career.
11. Demi Lovato opened up about her mom, Dianna De La Garza, struggling with their newfound fame and attention when Demi started starring on Disney Channel. Dianna discussed her own battles with substance abuse and eating disorders during Demi’s early fame. Demi’s transparency about her struggles inspired her mom to seek treatment.
12. In a 2016 op-ed, Mara Wilson wrote about her mom’s dissatisfaction with her being portrayed as a cute child in Miracle on 34th Street. Mara sensed her mother’s disappointment as they focused on her cuteness rather than her intelligence and complexity.
13. Cole Sprouse candidly spoke about the strained relationship with his mom, who pushed him and his brother into acting for financial reasons. He revealed that he currently has no relationship with his mom, describing it as the most significant wound in his life.
