Demi Lovato’s candid revelations in her new Hulu documentary, Child Star, have sparked widespread discussion about the realities of growing up in the spotlight. Among the many poignant moments shared, her recollection of a vulnerable experience with former Camp Rock costar Alyson Stoner stands out, highlighting the unique bonds forged and challenges faced by young actors navigating fame. Lovato, reflecting on a difficult period during the filming of the beloved Disney Channel movie, Camp Rock, openly discussed a time Stoner intervened when she recognized signs of Lovato’s eating disorder.
“I remember one time you followed me into the bathroom,” Lovato shared with Stoner in Child Star, recalling a moment during the Camp Rock production. “I had been purging. And you picked up on it because your spidey senses were already in tune with those behaviors, and you followed me in and you talked to me.” This powerful anecdote underscores the intense pressures faced even amidst the seemingly glamorous world of teen stardom, particularly during projects like Camp Rock which catapulted many of its stars to fame.
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Demi Lovato and Alyson Stoner on the set of Camp Rock. John Medland/Disney Channel via Getty
Both Lovato and Stoner have been open about their individual battles with eating disorders, struggles that were often exacerbated by the pressures of child stardom. Lovato expressed immense gratitude for Stoner’s compassionate response during that Camp Rock bathroom encounter. “I was really grateful that someone didn’t just like shun me in that moment or shame me at all. I felt like you were very understanding,” Lovato explained. The memory was twofold for Lovato, acknowledging both the fear of being discovered and the relief of finding support: “One I was like, ‘Oh my God, somebody knows, f—.’ But two, I was really grateful that you were there for me.”
Stoner reciprocated these feelings of mutual support and understanding during their Camp Rock days. “I felt that support mutually, and feeling like we know that what we’re dealing with at the surface level is just one part of the story of what we’re going through each day,” Stoner stated, emphasizing the deeper, often hidden challenges experienced behind the scenes of productions like Camp Rock.
Child Star arrives amidst a wave of documentaries exploring the darker side of child stardom, including Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. Lovato herself has been a vocal advocate for shedding light on these issues, having previously released documentaries like Demi Lovato: Stay Strong, Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, and Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil. Child Star expands this narrative, featuring other prominent former child stars such as Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, and Christina Ricci, all sharing their experiences navigating the complexities of early fame.
Lovato and Stoner’s Camp Rock journey extended beyond the first movie, as they also starred in the sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. Lovato described a significant shift in her career trajectory between the two films, noting that her career “exploded,” leading to changes in “power dynamic and a shift” in how she was treated on set. While they initially bonded during the first Camp Rock, Stoner revealed that by the time of the sequel in 2010, their close connection had frayed. Stoner described the experience as “walking on eggshells” around Lovato, indicating a growing distance and tension.
Reconnecting for Child Star necessitated a reconciliation between Lovato and Stoner, whose relationship had become distant over the intervening years. Stoner voiced concerns about Lovato’s documentary potentially sensationalizing the experiences of child stars, fearing it might perpetuate a “toddler-to-train wreck pipeline” narrative.
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Demi Lovato and Alyson Stoner in a scene from Camp Rock. Disney
In a poignant moment within Child Star, Lovato apologizes to Stoner for any hurt caused during and after Camp Rock 2, expressing remorse for “any stress or any walking on eggshells, any hurt feelings.” The documentary captures a tearful reconciliation between the two, as they affirmed each other and connected over shared “self esteem and self confidence issues” stemming from their child star years. Stoner also recounted the intense pressures she felt during the Camp Rock press junket in Europe, particularly regarding her body image and eating disorder.
Despite the challenges and dark moments, Lovato’s documentary aims to showcase not just the struggles but also the resilience and eventual thriving of former child stars. The Camp Rock narrative within Child Star serves as a powerful microcosm of these broader themes, demonstrating both the pressures of young fame and the importance of support, understanding, and reconciliation. Child Star is currently available for streaming on Hulu, offering a deeper look into these vital conversations.
If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or visit NationalEatingDisorders.org.
