Demi Lovato is set to make her directorial debut, co-directing a documentary about the highs and lows of being a child star, and we're getting all misty over the trailer.
Named Child Star, the documentary film – which will be released in September – will explore what being a young person in the entertainment world can mean, with many famous faces appearing to share their experiences of growing up in the spotlight.
She was built for this role.
It's set to be a must watch, especially after the controversy that surrounded Quiet On Set – a recent documentary that looked at the toxic environments surrounding popular TV shows for young people in the 1990s and Noughties, including The Amanda Show (starring Amanda Bynes) and Zoey 101 (starring Jamie-Lynn Spears), and how it affected its child stars.
Here's everything we know about Child Star so far.
What is Demi Lovato's Child Star documentary about?
According to a synopsis and statement from Hulu, Demi Lovato's documentary Child Star “explores the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world's most well-known former child stars. Through celebrity interviews, verite scenes and archival footage, this film deconstructs the stages of earlier stardom and looks at the entertainment system over the last century.
Demi will interview other child stars, including Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, Wednesday's Christina Ricci, Raven-Symoné, JoJo Siwa and Alyson Stoner, who co-starred alongside Lovato in Camp Rock.
The star has opened up about what making Child Star means to her. “There is no better film or topic for my directorial debut than this story, which is close to home,” Demi said. “Our project sheds light on important messages about growing up in the public eye, learning to protect our boundaries, and becoming active advocates of our own destinies. I’m humbled to be able to learn from the individuals who have lived the unique experience of child stardom and share their stories in our film.”
Demi also told The Hollywood Reporter that the film will "shed light on the complexities of child stardom, a topic that is very close to my heart”.
She went on to thank her interviewees for opening up: “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.
"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.”
Child Star documentary release date
It will drop on Hulu and Disney+ in the US on 17 September – we are hoping for a UK release date really soon.
Child Star documentary trailer
The trailer gives us a taster of what Demi will cover in her interviews, including the influence of drugs and alcohol on the various child stars she spoke to, stories of managers running away with their money – and the need for protections to be put into place for young performers.
In an emotional moment, Demi even apologises for her own behaviour during her time as a child star.