RIVERDALE Star Cole Sprouse Opens Up About The Effects Fame Has On Child Stars
By Movieguide® Contributor
Former child star Cole Sprouse is opening up about the impact of fame on young people in a new interview with The New York Times.
He and his twin brother Dylan rose to fame after starring in the Disney show THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACH AND CODY and SUITE LIFE ON DECK.
“My brother and I used to get quite a bit of, ‘Oh, you made it out! Oh, you’re unscathed!’ No,” he said, referring to the many child stars who have struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and out-of-control behavior.
“The young women on the channel we were on [Disney Channel] were so heavily sexualized from such an earlier age than my brother and I that there’s absolutely no way that we could compare our experiences,” he continued. “And every single person going through that trauma has a unique experience. When we talk about child stars going nuts, what we’re not actually talking about is how fame is a trauma.”
Sprouse also talked about the effects fame can have on adults. Sprouse currently stars in the hit drama RIVERDALE and is exposed to the same level of scrutiny he was as a child.
“To be quite honest, as I have now gone through a second big round of this fame game as an adult, I’ve noticed the same psychological effects that fame yields upon a group of young adults as I did when I was a child,” he concluded.
Sprouse is not the first Disney alum to point out the toxicity of fame when it comes at an early age.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Actress Alyson Stoner, 27, recently released an op-ed called “The Toddler to Trainwreck Industrial Complex,” where she reflects on her time as a child star in Hollywood and demanded parents and the industry make an effort to promote media literacy.
Stoner shares her experience in entertainment in three ‘acts’ that outline the pressure, abuse, and lack of discernment children face in an industry that forces adulthood onto minors.
Despite her negative experience, Stoner claims that she was “one of the lucky ones” and hopes to help parents, studios, and the industry practice more media literacy when it comes to children’s safety.
“While traversing extreme peaks and valleys of global fame, hidden medical hospitalizations, artistic milestones, rapid adultification, and multi-layered abuse I wish on no one, I narrowly survived the toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline,” Stoner writes. “In fact, nothing was designed for me to end up… ‘Normal.’ ‘Stable.’ ‘Alive.'”
“The toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline is a notorious and thriving industrial complex around child entertainers,” Stoner explains. “It was first documented in 1885 when Elsie Leslie made her theatrical debut at 4 years old, becoming an American celebrity at 6. Since then, a full-fledged system has emerged. It is expertly constructed and bolted in place by censoring the harm happening behind the scenes, manicuring aspirational lifestyles and outcomes, and then watching young lives tragically implode.”
She adds: “How can children unwittingly copy and paste the same horror stories, cries for help, and humiliating spirals? How come there have been no signs of improvement for centuries?”
Stoner recognizes that one of the central issues is a lack of accountability.
“As someone who lived it and witnessed thousands endure alongside me, I can attest that what is missing from the pipeline narrative are clear action plans for intervention, long-term prevention, and accountability from studios, agencies, and guardians,” Stoner writes. “On behalf of the current children being abused right now, there is an opportunity for us to empower each other through honest conversation and collaborative action.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
