As many of you know, I am new to posting on this blog but I find it to always be pertinent to address the issue of child actors.
Partly because I was one, but mostly because they are a minuscule minority in this world and one of (if not the most) endangered groups of people on the planet.
It seems everyday I see in the news another kid I grew up with is falling apart, mentally, physically, spiritually. The purpose of this post is NOT to point out the lack of bad press (or any at all) that I received throughout my teens and twenties and it is not a “I’m better than them” rant. I’M NOT PERFECT. I just wanna vent really about what it feels like to be a part of this.
Now 29, I can happily hope I will dodge the public eye and continue in my industry for reasons other than public attention. I will aim to do the best work I can do as a business woman and soon become a mom. For the first time, I’m focused on being the healthiest person I can be, but it wasn’t always that way.
Lets all be honest, if you are over 16, you have made some sort of mistake, rebelled in some fashion, or pissed off someone that you used to date. The only difference is that child actors do this whilst being expected to deliver as a commodity. Rarely are their parents giving them unconditional love. They find themselves off-course with life when their transition into adult actor is greeted by a steep drop-off of attention and money. They feel worthless and their confidence is shattered.
If you are a normal 20 something – you don’t have to feel this alone, or if you do and you rebel – its not exploited by the media and the social climbers that leech on to these beacons of vulnerability.
Having had a nearly positive experience, I am a huge advocate for these people to live below the radar in these formative years – but how can they when their publicists are telling them to go out there and “be seen” or date some huge producer for the month to cover up that he’s really dating a ton of Disney girls cause he’s gay. Let’s face it – the actors (male and female) that stay out of trouble are the ones that educate themselves and STAY BUSY.
I am so worried about the future of females in my industry sometimes. Not just that, but these new batch of squeaky clean girls. They all go down the same track – the only difference is which one is being exonerated for making their “bra-burning” moment the most fashionable (case in point “Spring Breakers”). Just cause the movie is in festivals doesn’t mean you didn’t pimp yourself out…
I was watching Sony’s Amy Pascal on Forbes.com talk about how women in the entertainment industry need to show up and not take no for an answer to equalize the pay gap between men and women. But how can the future females be taken seriously when these other girls are so confused and perpetually setting us back and it will continue when the new batch takes over and so on.
They aren’t up for the responsibility, so why are we giving it to them?
source