After Taylor Swift announced that she’ll be making her feature-length film directorial debut with Searchlight Pictures, another popstar is all ready to take the reins and step into the director’s chair.
The singer-actor Demi Lovato is ready to venture into film direction with an upcoming Hulu documentary that aims to “deconstruct the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight” through former child stars, as reported by Variety.
This feature-length documentary, tentatively titled “Child Star,” will feature interviews with some of the most well-known former child stars in the world, including Lovato. Through their eyes, the viewers will unravel “behind the scenes” of these celebrities’ life about growing up in the spotlight and where are they now.
Demi Lovato will co-direct the documentary alongside Nicola Marsh (“Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story,” “Song Exploder”). Producers include Michael D. Ratner’s ‘OBB Pictures,’ Lovato’s production banner ‘DLG’ and Scooter Braun’s ‘SB Projects.’
The three companies have worked together before on Lovato’s docuseries “Dancing With the Devil,” which focused on the singer’s personal life and struggles with addiction, particularly their near-fatal overdose in 2018. The docuseries premiered at SXSW in 2021 and received critical acclaim.
Talking about the forthcoming documentary, Lovato said in a statement:
“There is no better film or topic for my directorial debut than this story, which is close to home,” “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.”
“Child Star” will stream only on Hulu in 2024. The documentary promises diving deep into personal interviews, led by Lovato, with several former child stars. However, the participants’ names are being kept under tight wraps. Through intimate conversations, verité footage, and archival material from all subjects involved, the doc will reach beyond the traditional narratives seen in op-eds and tabloids to consider the changing nature of growing up in an increasingly connected and public world.
Belisa Balaban, SVP of documentaries and unscripted series at Hulu Originals, shared their thoughts. They said,
“At the heart of our documentaries are storytellers with distinct backgrounds and perspectives who leave no page of their stories unturned. Demi’s first-hand experience and personal relationships are all on bold display in this poignant and exploratory film. Our audience has long been interested in delving into the nuances of pop culture, and Demi’s story – hard truths and all – uniquely suits her to the kind of stories we feel fortunate to tell at Hulu.”
Belisa Balaban
Interestingly, the streaming platform Hulu is notably owned by Disney, where Lovato started her career in showbiz as a teen on the Disney Channel, the original movie “Camp Rock” and the TV show “Sonny With a Chance.” However, all that glitters is not gold. Demi Lovato has been openly critical of their time on Disney Channel.
During an interview on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast last year, they said,
“There was this extreme workload that I think put a lot of pressure on us, and that’s why some of us turned to… I personally turned to, if you’re going to work me like an adult, I’m going to party like an adult. And that, at 16-17, wasn’t healthy at all.”
Demi Lovato
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