We’ve all seen the sensationalist news stories about former child stars. From breakdowns and bankruptcy to jail time and drug overdoses, the tabloids have always been filled with the troubling tales of once beloved actors. But the media rarely shares the full story, often leaving out the perspective of those actually involved. The new documentary Showbiz Kids (Alex Winter, 2020) takes a different approach in sharing the lives of these young stars. Through candid and intimate interviews interspersed with archival footage, former child stars share their personal experiences growing up as ‘showbiz kids’.
Director Alex Winter has experience in documentary filmmaking, having previously directed films such as Downloaded (2013) and Deep Web (2015), but more pertinently to Showbiz Kids, Winter himself started working in the entertainment industry at a young age. Beginning on Broadway as a child before transitioning to the screen in the 1980s, starring in films such as The Lost Boys (Joel Schumacher, 1987) and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Stephen Herek, 1989), this experience undoubtedly gave Winter a valuable insight into the world of child stars which aided in the production of his latest documentary.
Showbiz Kids focuses primarily on interviews with former child stars, such as Mara Wilson,
Wil Wheaton, and Evan Rachel Wood. In its exploration of the showbiz kid experience, the film goes as far back as the 1920s, featuring an interview with 101 year old Diana Serra Cary, who rose to fame as ‘Baby Peggy’ in silent films when she was only three years old, and covers everything up to the troubles of child stardom in the social media age, with former Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce talking about how his whole adolescent life was documented for the entire world to see. While the actors shown in the documentary have had a diverse range of experiences with child stardom, they all have one thing in common: they did not have a normal childhood.
The documentary also follows two young performers hoping to break into the entertainment industry as they attend auditions and dream about their futures. These scenes juxtaposed against the horror stories shared throughout the film leave you fearfully wishing that they would hold onto their childhoods for just a bit longer. Particularly harrowing moments include footage of a young Mara Wilson wiping tears from her eyes as she walks down a red carpet, and Wil Wheaton talking about the loss of his friend and fellow child star River Phoenix, who lost his life to a drug overdose at only 23 years old.
Showbiz Kids is a fascinating look at how the entertainment industry has treated children over the past 100 years, and the effects of stardom on young actors, all from the perspective of those who lived through it. It is a must watch for those with an interest in film or Hollywood.
Showbiz Kids is available on Sky/Now TV.
