As rising pop star and former child star Sabrina Carpenter’s world tour for her latest album Short ‘n’ Sweet is in full swing, the Internet seems to be divided on the appropriateness of her shows. For theater and art connoisseurs as well as music fans, the show is a work of art from start to finish, as the set design, costumes and choreography are perfectly coordinated with the set list of songs.
This makes you wonder: Why should a concert by an adult woman, whose songs are usually aptly labeled as explicit, be suitable for children?
However, the layman wonders whether the show is too vulgar and unsuitable for children. This makes you wonder: Why should a concert by an adult woman, whose songs are usually aptly labeled as explicit, be suitable for children?
Source: The Echo
It highlights the downside of starting out as a child actor, when audiences can’t stomach the fact that the child actors they grew up with are no longer children and have autonomy as adults and creative freedom as artists. Child artists face countless challenges in show business.
Former child actors convicted for merely growing up?
Sabrina Carpenter gained fame for her role in the popular Disney sitcom “Girl Meets World”, a spin-off of the famous 90s sitcom “Boy Meets World”. She began recording covers at the age of 10 and released her first single at the age of 15.
Since then she has released 6 albums and 2 EPs. Carpenter’s blockbuster song “Espresso” broke numerous records and was named the most streamed song on Spotify in 2024. The tour for her album was sold out throughout Europe and North America. Carpenter is 25 years old and known for her funny innuendos in texts and interviews. The critics, mostly parents of young children, seem disturbed and tend to question her choice of words in lyrics, costumes and choreography in her shows as “inappropriate.”
A similar public reaction was seen in 2013 after Hannah Montana’s famous Miley Cyrus song “Wrecking Ball” went viral and the then 21-year-old starred in an explicit music video criticism from the audience and fans alike.
A similar public reaction was seen in 2013 after Hannah Montana’s famous Miley Cyrus song “Wrecking Ball” went viral and the then 21-year-old starred in an explicit music video criticism from the audience and fans alike. And even 11 years later, the world has not fully recovered. The music industry is huge and it is a well-known fact that these stars come of age with a different fan base, a different target audience and a different industry to tackle and pave their way in.
Source: Teen Vogue
Actors and singers who started out as child actors in cute shows owe the world this image only until the end of time. Even at the age of 25, they cannot be considered children or child actors who have to write age-appropriate songs and give PG performances to fit the image of their Disney days. They’re not the same kids in sitcoms, and the audience doesn’t dictate their decisions and shouldn’t judge them.
Overwork and exploitation of child actors
Jeannette McCurdy, known for her roles on the Nickelodeon shows iCarly and Sam & Cat, revealed In her 2022 memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died, she writes that as a minor she was forced to drink alcohol on set and also experienced harassment while trying on her wardrobe. She turned down a large sum of money as a nondisclosure agreement from Nickelodeon to prevent her from speaking about her experiences on the network, which is revealing in several ways.
McCurdy also struggled with eating disorders at a young age, partly in order to look younger and to repeatedly get child or teenage roles on television. She also described her mother’s role in her life as a child actress who was unable to make legal decisions and needed her mother. It shows how child actors are often exploited by irresponsible and opportunistic parents who exploit their children’s talent for monetary gain.
Another Nickelodeon star, Drake Bell of Drake and Josh fame, spoke out in the documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV about how he was sexually abused by a voice actor during the show’s run.
Another Nickelodeon star, Drake Bell of Drake and Josh fame, spoke out in the documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV about how he was sexually abused by a voice actor during the show’s run. Vocal coach Brian Peck was later sentenced to prison and registered as a sex offender. These actors experienced trauma at a very vulnerable age from authority figures, family members masquerading as managers, and money.
Source: FII
Child labor laws are ignored and working hours are often illegal, leading to overwork for children. Several singers and actors began their careers as children reported in detail about their experiences in recent years. Other popular stars like Selena Gomez have stated Interviews that her time at Disney was marked by heavy censorship and control and tended to oversexualize her as a minor.
The pervasive sexism
The sexism and misogyny that comes with being an actor doesn’t stop at child actors. The comments section on Instagram is full of hate and condemning reviews for Carpenter’s shows simply because of her clothing choices and raunchy choreography, and parents regret taking their children to her shows. Fans counter the criticism as more about bad parenting, taking their children to an adult concert, and blatant sexism.
Hollywood is full of male rappers whose songs contain explicit, often extremely offensive and misogynistic content, but no one bats an eyelid. Carpenter’s lyrics, on the other hand, are considered adult content only, which shouldn’t be a problem considering her shows come with disclaimers.
The criticism is aimed more at her choice of clothing than at constructive music criticism. Record-breaking female musicians are constantly criticized with comments and lewd remarks about their appearance, clothing, character, relationships and even their families. It’s almost as if their very success in their field makes them offensive.
For women around the world, clothing autonomy is a struggle, and female musicians are no exception.
For women around the world, clothing autonomy is a struggle, and female musicians are no exception. The brutal comments on social media also mention her size and sexualize her costumes in her shows, further objectifying and infantilizing her.
Sociocultural effects
The exploitation is also reflected in the fact that unrealistic body expectations are placed on them and from them. A persistent trend in teen sitcoms, particularly in the 2000s, has been the casting of older actors to play children and teenagers. The best and most incredible example is the character Lane Kim from the 2000s comedy-drama series Gilmore Girls, played by Keiko Agena, who was 26 years old at the start of the series and played a high school student.
Source: Brit + Co
Most preteens and teens are played by actors at least four years older than the age at which they are playing. This places unduly high value and unrealistic expectations on audiences, which often leads to body image issues for young children as well as child actors in the entertainment industry.
Television shows and sitcoms with child actors aimed at teens have a far greater responsibility than they probably realize. Popular shows become cult classics and have an impact on generations beyond their time. Child actors are now at greater risk than ever before as AI and deep fakes take over social media and feedback in comment sections takes center stage and causes mental health issues. Judgment disguised as criticism is the latest online epidemic posing a threat to current and former child actors.
