Plenty of kids dream of becoming famous actors. But with more and more former child stars coming forward about the cost of fame, is it time to rethink putting kids in front of the camera?
This week on the show, guest host Jasmine Romero is joined by actor Mara Wilson (who you might remember from “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Matilda”) and journalist Kate Taylor to break down the state of play for child stars. Taylor wrote an exposé on Dan Schneider’s Nickelodeon shows and was an executive producer on the documentary series, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kid’s TV.”
Child labor laws prohibit employing kids in most workplaces, but acting is one of the few exceptions. “You can't have a kid going and working in a grocery store when they're eight years old,” said Taylor. “But this is something that has been carved out for children to continue to be child actors.” And that work can take a toll as young performers face pressure to financially support their families and live up to the public’s expectations of them. “I don’t think you can be world famous and remain unscathed,” said Wilson.
A few takeaways from this episode:
The Coogan Law: The law was inspired by 1920s child star Jackie Coogan, whose parents spent nearly all of his earnings. The Coogan Law in California ensures that 15% of a child’s earnings are put in a bank account that will become accessible to the child actor when they turn 18. Wilson thinks that child actors should receive a larger share of their earnings: “If that child makes a million dollars, they are not seeing most of that money.” Taylor has spoken to former child stars who, as kids, financially supported their parents: “It complicates the parent-child relationship where it almost feels like for a kid, they are the breadwinner in the family.”
Protecting children from the media and public opinion: Thankfully, more protections are in place for child actors on set, but it’s harder to protect child stars from the wider world. “I had a press that called me an annoying spoiled brat…I had grown men who knew my name and would comment on me and my body,” said Wilson. Wilson and Taylor suggested that child actors shouldn’t have to go on press junkets, where they’re often asked invasive questions. “This is something that both puts you in the public eye and…you do not get any financial compensation,” said Taylor. “So I think that that is something that would be amazing to actually just ban for child actors.
Kids cannot understand the long-term effects of fame. As a child, Wilson asked her parents to let her audition for film and TV. But she couldn’t have known then that becoming famous would have lifelong consequences. Taylor agreed, “The parent has the responsibility to say no unless they have met everyone on this project, unless they have put a lot of guardrails into place to protect their kid...it's just opening up a whole world of possibilities that I don't think a kid can understand what they're walking into.”
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