Being a child star is not for the feint of heart. The age and power imbalance leaves children in the entertainment industry vulnerable to many kinds of abuses. Miley Cyrus had to learn this lesson before she was even a teenager, as she revealed in a harrowing video that detailed her inhumane schedule as a Disney Channel star.
“I’m a lot of things, but lazy ain’t one of ’em,” Cyrus said at the end of the video.
Years later, she still experienced disbelief at a day in her life at age 12 or 13 that included countless interviews and appearances keeping her busy from 5:30am to 7pm even on weekends.
The Wrecking Ball singer released the video as part of a TikTok series in 2023 titled “Used To Be Young.”
Quiet on Set opens discussion about mistreatment of child stars
It resurfaced on social media in recent days after the release of the Nickelodeon exposé “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” which raised awareness about the horrible situations faced by many child stars.
The series by Investigation Discovery follows the toxic workplace created by Dan Schneider, the man who produced Nickelodeon hits such as Drake and Josh, The Amanda Show, Victorious and iCarly.
Cyrus worked at a separate network, Disney, in her headline role as Hannah Montana. Although she faced different struggles, her inside look at the exhausting life she was forced into at a young age adds another perspective to the plight of child stars, which has become a major topic in the news lately.