Charming Audiences For a Limited Time Only: Should Children Still Be In The Spotlight?

Jumping from step to step, Shirly Temple dances on screen for millions to see. At three years old, Shirly Temple had America’s heart; with her adorable dance moves, glittering smile, and bright disposition, no one questioned her age or future. Shirly remained unscathed by the vices and dangers of Hollywood, but this isn’t the case for most child stars. Hollywood is an unforgiving landscape that makes no exception for the most vulnerable population, exploiting them for their innocence. Regardless of countless young actors and actresses’ demise after their prime, children are still regularly on the big screen. After all, who’s going to play a young kid in a family sitcom? 

Years after their time on the big screen, actors and actresses are finally getting reparations for the trauma that they endured on set. According to Alexis Hampton, a journalist for Business Insider, 

 nearly 55 years after the film they starred in, Romeo and Juliet, came out, actors, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are suing Paramount Pictures. During their time on set for the movie, they were coerced into filming a nude scene at just 15 and 16 years old. 

But how do these child actors get into these situations in the first place? And, why can’t they decline jobs that are too mature for them? 

Well, the simple fact is they don’t have agency in what they participate in after they receive the job. According to Pamela Hutchinson, being on screen is such a coveted experience, that many who do have the opportunity to be in a leading role will do just about anything to secure their success. This doesn’t just apply to child actors: we are seeing the effects of this power imbalance even with the current SAG strikes. This imbalance creates a breeding ground for exploitation, and of course, kids are the ones who will feel it the most. After all, wouldn’t any kid love to bask in the spotlight? 

In the case of Brook Shields, her mother was the one exploiting her youth. In one instance, she signed off on Brooke being in a nude Playboy shoot when she was just ten years old. According to The New York Times, in 1996 Shields fought to stop the spread of these images, but ultimately, lost the case because her mother had allowed them with written approval.

We can’t forget to notice the aftereffects of what being a child star does to a maturing person. For child stars who fell out of fame as they lost their ‘innocence,’ the realities of the real world's perception of them can be detrimental to their development. Because of this, they are more susceptible to drug abuse and mental issues due to their trauma. Others may argue it’s situational. 

“By the time you're a teenager, you're no longer getting the roles you were when you were younger. But you have a lot of money. And you've been followed around by people who tell you yes all the time. And when your parents tell you no, you tell them to get bent. And a great way to cope with no longer being employed, no longer being cute, no longer being told yes, is drugs,” Mr. Lyle Hayden, psychology teacher, explained. 

How do we navigate the constantly changing world of entertainment while still safeguarding children? How do we help past child stars recover from their situation? Over time, these issues will come to fruition. But, the most important thing to do is to anticipate situations that are harmful to young people and single out the abusers. Children should be able to act in Hollywood, but innocence should not be a commodity.