Demi Lovato is making her directorial debut…
The 30-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress will direct the Hulu original feature documentary about former child stars.
The film, which currently has the working title Child Star, will “deconstruct the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world’s most famous former child stars, including Lovato,” and how “their rise to fame, fortune and power affects their futures.”
The other participants in the film have yet to be revealed. Their experience growing up in the limelight will be chronicled through intimate conversations led by Lovato, verité footage, and archival material.
“There is no better film or topic for my directorial debut than this story, which is close to home,” said Lovato. “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.”
Lovato is co-directing alongside Nicola Marsh.
The documentary is being produced by Michael D. Ratner’s OBB Pictures, a division of OBB Media, whose company also has a multi-year non-exclusive development deal with Walt Disney Television Alternative.
The deal focuses on creating documentaries, docuseries, original specials and unscripted formats that cater to Gen Z and Millennial audiences across Disney platforms. Lovato’s production company, DLG, and Scooter Braun’s SB Projects are also producing.
“With this film we’re setting out to tell a story that is as timely as ever given our evermore connected world and lack of privacy. This story has a deeply rooted shared nostalgia, and is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining,” said Michael D. Ratner, OBB Media founder, president and CEO. “Demi and the talented individuals taking part in this documentary have decided to share their stories authentically, and I’m thrilled to work alongside Demi, Nicola, and the teams at SB Projects and Hulu, in bringing their stories to screen.”
“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,” said Belisa Balaban, Senior Vice President, Documentaries and Unscripted Series, Hulu Originals. “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.”
Lovato, OBB Media, and SB Projects are frequent collaborators, having previously worked together on the documentary series Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, which was the opening night headliner at SXSW in 2021. Lovato and Ratner also co-directed the music video for the single, Dancing with the Devil. Most recently they collaborated on the podcast series, 4D with Demi Lovato.
Lovato serves as executive producer for her DLG banner.
In the two-minute clip, Lovato meets up with iconic former child stars such as Drew Barrymore, Kenan Thompson, Christina Ricci, Raven-Symoné, JoJo Siwa, Alyson Stoner and more, and they reflect on their careers, including struggles with substance abuse, societal pressure and more.