‘Showbiz Kids’ Reveals The Dark Side Of Hollywood
There is a documentary currently playing on HBO called “Showbiz Kids” directed by Alex Winter who interviewed Hollywood stars about their experiences as child stars in Hollywood.
Some of the actors interviewed include Jada Pinkett Smith, Henry Thomas (“ET”), Mara Wilson (“Mrs. Doubtfire”), Todd Bridges (“Diff’rent Strokes”), Wil Wheaton (“Stand By Me”), Milla Jovavich (“The Fifth Element”), and Cameron Boyce (“Jessie”).
Evan Rachel Wood (of “Westworld”) talked about how the intense competition for movie and TV jobs actually fuels the rampant mistreatment of children in the industry.
After a while it becomes, “Who can take the most abuse?” Somebody’s waiting in line ready to take your place, so you just start to allow yourself to be abused in some form or another. Evan made it clear that this experience is not unique among child actors. She said: “Every actor is guilty of that. You’re lying if you say you aren’t, because it’s just part of the deal. And, unfortunately, there’s always going to be someone willing to take the abuse and stay quiet.”
She focused on the abuse of young boys in the business. “In my experience, I know a lot of kids that grew up in the industry. And what surprised me when I got older was finding out that pretty much all of the young men were abused in some way, sexually.”
Then she detailed how overwhelmed she felt one year at The Golden Globe Awards: “I was at the Golden Globes. I watched a ped*phile win. I knew – not a lot of people know, but I know – that he has molested boys in the industry. I watched him get up and accept an award… and I walked out and just started sobbing! A bunch of people ran after me and they said, “What? What? What’s wrong?” I was just like, “I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I can’t keep watching this happen. I don’t know how to handle this. This has to stop.”
She did not name the man who won the award.
