By: Gabriella Bell

Through the many years of the rising popularity of television and film, this led to positive feedback and attention put onto Hollywood celebrities, both actors and directors alike.  While there were several good aspects that came along with the fame that certain actors gained from their roles in movies and shows, there was also a lot of negative exposure put onto actors, especially child actors. This oftentimes included instances of sexualization, (financial) exploitation, and unhealthy working conditions, among many other things.

On the topic of child actors, there are so many instances where they have been put on a pedestal and risen to fame, and continuously failed by so many corrupt aspects within Hollywood society. This often involves both the public, as well as their higher ups (directors, older actors, agents, etc.) This can be seen from as early as actress Judy Garland, who is commonly recognized for her role as Dorothy Gale in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939).

In Judy Garland’s experience in her role as Dorothy alone, she was exposed to extreme body shaming from the entertainment industry. Garland was forced into a strict diet as well as medications in order to keep her working longer hours, and to keep her weight down. This contributed to her long-term struggles with substance abuse and her mental health.

Another more recent actress subjected to similar experiences could be Nickelodeon star, Jeanette McCurdy. In her memoir, ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’, she openly discusses her struggles while involved within the industry, particularly regarding her mental health. She also touches on the financial exploitation she experienced at the hands of her mother especially, which ultimately limited the control she had over the income she was making while acting on Nickelodeon.

While these are only two examples of the problems with child actors in Hollywood, there are so many more actors who were, or are being, subjected to exploitation, sexualization, substance abuse, or body shaming. The experiences of these actors should only fuel the need to establish stricter and safer laws in order to help protect their rights more than what’s currently being done now. With more actors coming out with their own personal experiences of navigating the entertainment industry, I believe that this could further motivate stronger protections and better support systems for child actors in Hollywood.