How I survived child stardom and found my voice

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Alyson Stoner was just six years old when they were signed by Hollywood agents and told they had the ‘it’ factor. Soon Alyson – who uses they/them pronouns – was whisked away from their home in Ohio and swept up into a non-stop schedule in Los Angeles, landing roles in commercials and music videos and eventually acting in Disney movies, becoming a bona fide child star before they had even hit their teens. As a young person, Alyson was renowned for their professionalism and upbeat persona, but behind the scenes, the pressure of growing up under the spotlight was beginning to take its toll. From gruelling work schedules to punishing beauty standards and a sense their whole life was a commodity, Alyson would be pushed to a dangerous breaking point before deciding to walk away from the Hollywood machine and begin to rebuild their life – this time, on their own terms. Alyson has written a memoir called Semi Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything. (Photo: Alyson Stoner stands against a plain white studio backdrop, their body angled slightly to one side as they look directly towards the camera with a calm, confident expression. They have short, dark brown hair in a softly textured crop. They are wearing a sleeveless black and white knitted top with an asymmetrical design. A sheer white panel reveals a white bandeau underneath and exposes one side of their waist. Warm light falls across their face and shoulders, casting a soft shadow on the white background. Credit: Meghan Kay Sadler) Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Zoe Gelber