As children, we fantasize about a life in the spotlight. The concept of being brought into the industry offers the incentive that everything children have ever wanted and needed would now be at their fingertips. The glamourization of child stars throughout the film industry masks the horrors endured and the trauma that comes with it.
Discovering and understanding the behind-the-scenes allows guardians and parents to get a better understanding of what they are signing their child up for. In some instances, parents or guardians see the exploitation of their child as a simple inflow of money. In situations like these, not only do the parents not care or consider the child, but those in the industry as well.
Lindsay Lohan, a well-known actress who got her claim to fame in her debut on “The Parent Trap,” captivated audiences by her immense talent and range. Her career took off shortly after, giving her a new source of income that she had never experienced before. Although details are not explicitly stated, her parents slowly depleted her of her earnings while simultaneously pushing her to take on more acting jobs.
Society today values talent and money over maintaining healthy and approachable lifestyles. Not only are children not safe from executives and others on film sets, but also from their parents. Lohan’s parents got her involved in the media at a very young age. She first began on various commercials before landing her first movie. This poses the question of if she was just an outlet for income to her parents rather than a child for them to love and care about.
Due to her being surrounded by those who did not care about her well-being but rather what she could bring to the table, she slowly declined over time. The instability of her childhood drove her to make choices that resulted in her being admitted to rehab and arrested multiple times. The lack of support and the extreme exploitation of her as a child drove her to making poor life choices, ones that directly corresponded to the abuse she experienced.
Overall, Lohan took time for herself from 2013 to 2022 to rebuild herself in a world where her parents and others were not in control of her life. Though it took time, she was able to take time away and reenter the industry on her own terms. Instances such as Lohan’s display how little is done to protect young, naive and vulnerable children entering the acting world. It is the responsibility of those who take care of the young to protect them from being taken advantage of, not to be the perpetrator of the abuse.
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