The Exploitation of Childhood Actors

There has been a lot of controversy when it comes to childhood actors. More times than not that have been overworked, underpaid, and taken advantage of in the industry.

Within the industry, child stars are often subjected to terms that they are not quite old enough to understand. They are awakened at early hours in the morning to be forced to work on set for hours on end. The burnout rate of children within the acting and music industries is high, and the longer they are exposed to these types of situations only leads to increased amounts of stress.

The excessive amount of stress and pressure on these child stars can cause them to act out in their late teens or adulthood. For example, Macaulay Culkin was a favorite in the movie industry, especially following roles such as Home Alone. He was worked tirelessly throughout his career as a young prodigy, as he only grew more and more loved in movies. As he got older, however, he was faced with the stress from critics and others to maintain his youthful image. As a result, his dependence on drugs and alcohol grew out of control. He was seen by everyone as the good boy gone bad, however it was because of all the pressure that he faced as a child and teenager that he turned to do such harmful acts.

Another example of a childhood star who seemingly went wild is Lindsey Lohan. Like Culkin, Lohan also started acting at a young age, gaining attention from the likes of movies such as The Parent Trap. Lohan starred in various movies over the years, and was easily a household name. However, she too was a victim of the harsh practices of the child star industry. She constantly battles with drug addiction, has been in and out of trouble with the law, and has done her fair share of times in prison. Had the industry done more to protect her than to exploit her talents, she could have received the help she needed to keep off of that path.

Although they are favorites on screen, child stars are arguably the most exploited individuals within the industry. The industry over works them to ensure that an image is maintained, however they rarely care about the person. Money is the biggest factor in the issues within this industry, and those who make the money for the producers happen to suffer because of it.