Child actors

[DeadBall]

The recent abundance of shows with main child actors of late got me thinking (again) abiut them. I doubt many of the children actually want to pursue this career and are forced by their parents who couldn't make anything of their own lives.

Most of them are quite messed up by the time they are adults as can be seen by the plethora of examples available, some with very tragic endings.

And if one would argue that the parents are doing it for the future of their kids, one can see the ridiculous terms parents would agree to just to get their kid in front of the camera as seen in Bruno, where Sacha Baron Cohen as usual exposes these frauds, including some very disturbing things the parents are OK with the child doing, not to mention the various other articles, documentaries, etc.

We do need child actors but there are no set guidelines or regulations in place to protect the child and in most cases I think it is akin to child labour.

 

[Michael Chopra]

I read about child actors in Kite Runner and heard that the kid who played the role of Hassan had made his life difficult due to the rape scene in the movie and his friends stopped talking to him and then the poor guy had to smuggle to Sweden.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

The recent abundance of shows with main child actors of late got me thinking (again) abiut them. I doubt many of the children actually want to pursue this career and are forced by their parents who couldn't make anything of their own lives.

Most of them are quite messed up by the time they are adults as can be seen by the plethora of examples available, some with very tragic endings.

And if one would argue that the parents are doing it for the future of their kids, one can see the ridiculous terms parents would agree to just to get their kid in front of the camera as seen in Bruno, where Sacha Baron Cohen as usual exposes these frauds, including some very disturbing things the parents are OK with the child doing, not to mention the various other articles, documentaries, etc.

We do need child actors but there are no set guidelines or regulations in place to protect the child and in most cases I think it is akin to child labour.

I cannot think of a single child actor barring Emma Watson who has a positive lifestory. Everyone else seems to fall of the radar for this reason or the other. I may be super wrong but it just feels that way.

 

[Pakistanian]

I don't think it's the fame that ruins them otherwise child actors in bollywood and other countries would also have the same issues.

The problem is the abuse that is rampant in Hollywood, the industry is full of old creepy men.

 

[Suleiman]

Leonardo DiCaprio and Joaquin Phoenix are two of the most successful actors in the industry and both started as child actors. They’re both very close to their mothers, usually bringing them to award ceremonies than a date. Bryce Dallas Howard is another one.

All depends on the relationship they had with their parents growing up, just like with any setting in the world. As well as how their personality reacts to being exposed to millions of people and being followed by cameras even off stage.

Your parents are going to have an influence in what you become, akin to Asian parents pretty much forcing their children down the medical or engineering route on most occasions.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I read about child actors in Kite Runner and heard that the kid who played the role of Hassan had made his life difficult due to the rape scene in the movie and his friends stopped talking to him and then the poor guy had to smuggle to Sweden.

Children shouldn't be acting in such serious scenes. Even fame is too much for them, the kid from Home Alone suffered later on in life due to this.

Btw are you the Michael Chopra?

 

[Michael Chopra]

Children shouldn't be acting in such serious scenes. Even fame is too much for them, the kid from Home Alone suffered later on in life due to this.

Btw are you the Michael Chopra?

Can't you read the name?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Can't you read the name?

Its the internet.

But if you were as arrogant in front of goal, you would have scored more than one goal for Newcastle.

 

[Michael Chopra]

Its the internet.

But if you were as arrogant in front of goal, you would have scored more than one goal for Newcastle.

LOL its just my username. I am not Michael Chopra

 

[DeadBall]

Leonardo DiCaprio and Joaquin Phoenix are two of the most successful actors in the industry and both started as child actors. They’re both very close to their mothers, usually bringing them to award ceremonies than a date. Bryce Dallas Howard is another one.

All depends on the relationship they had with their parents growing up, just like with any setting in the world. As well as how their personality reacts to being exposed to millions of people and being followed by cameras even off stage.

Your parents are going to have an influence in what you become, akin to Asian parents pretty much forcing their children down the medical or engineering route on most occasions.

I am not talking about success, otherwise I can't list you hundreds who have been successful but only to disintegrate later in life, McCualkay Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, Micheal Jackson and so on and Joaquin Phoenix is anything but mentally healthy if you really knew about his past and current life, maybe Leo has too but has been more discreet about it and if not he would be the exception and not the norm.

My point was that the child is not in a state to make an informed decision at such and an early age in life and usually just does what it is instructed to do, either forcefully or to appease the parents and do anything for their attention/affection as most young kids do.

I also do not agree with parents forcing their kids to go down the Doctor/Engineering etc route and this thing is mostly an Asian thing as you said because most are more worried about their social status what society would think if they turned out to be anything else. One can encourage a child but most just end up forcing their own ideas on them and even though they may become successful in life they usually hate what they do for a living, although funnily enough they then force their own kids to do the same and the cycle continues.

However I digress, most of these people who force their children to act or even worse who enroll their children into every beauty pageant, where the kid has to think about their appearance and scrutinized about almost everything from such a young age are the worst of the worst and are just trying to accomplish what they couldn't through their children or if they did accomplish something, forcing their children to carry on their legacy.

 

[Madplayer]

I am not talking about success, otherwise I can't list you hundreds who have been successful but only to disintegrate later in life, McCualkay Culkin, Lindsay Lohan, Micheal Jackson and so on and Joaquin Phoenix is anything but mentally healthy if you really knew about his past and current life, maybe Leo has too but has been more discreet about it and if not he would be the exception and not the norm.

My point was that the child is not in a state to make an informed decision at such and an early age in life and usually just does what it is instructed to do, either forcefully or to appease the parents and do anything for their attention/affection as most young kids do.

I also do not agree with parents forcing their kids to go down the Doctor/Engineering etc route and this thing is mostly an Asian thing as you said because most are more worried about their social status what society would think if they turned out to be anything else. One can encourage a child but most just end up forcing their own ideas on them and even though they may become successful in life they usually hate what they do for a living, although funnily enough they then force their own kids to do the same and the cycle continues.

However I digress, most of these people who force their children to act or even worse who enroll their children into every beauty pageant, where the kid has to think about their appearance and scrutinized about almost everything from such a young age are the worst of the worst and are just trying to accomplish what they couldn't through their children or if they did accomplish something, forcing their children to carry on their legacy.

This can be said about EVERY decision that the parents take for their child. They are shaping his mind in one way or the other.

 

[DeadBall]

This can be said about EVERY decision that the parents take for their child. They are shaping his mind in one way or the other.

I am talking about the repercussions of what happens when the parents force the child to go into the show business from such a young age and are denied a normal childhood. A child craves affection and attention, something everyone uses to achieve their own objectives. The effect, toll and trauma it has on the child is there for everyone to see.

 

[Bewal Express]

LOL its just my username. I am not Michael Chopra

What are the odds on that?

 

[Bewal Express]

Parents are greedy and dont care about the damage they do to these kids. Its a form of child abuse and the sad thing is that nothing will change.

 

[Madplayer]

I am talking about the repercussions of what happens when the parents force the child to go into the show business from such a young age and are denied a normal childhood. A child craves affection and attention, something everyone uses to achieve their own objectives. The effect, toll and trauma it has on the child is there for everyone to see.

I think in this case the consequences are more visible because the subject's life is in public sphere for everyone to see and analyse. At the same time, the repercussions of supposedly normal decisions made by parents living a more private life are not put under the microscope by the world to see whether they affect the child badly in the long run when he becomes an adult. Nobody checks whether teaching non-violence to a kid prevented him from defending himself when he became an adult. Not the best example but you get my drift. Finally all kids are different and react differently to childhood experiences so we cannot really generalize.

 

[JaDed]

I think in this case the consequences are more visible because the subject's life is in public sphere for everyone to see and analyse. At the same time, the repercussions of supposedly normal decisions made by parents living a more private life are not put under the microscope by the world to see whether they affect the child badly in the long run when he becomes an adult. Nobody checks whether teaching non-violence to a kid prevented him from defending himself when he became an adult. Not the best example but you get my drift. Finally all kids are different and react differently to childhood experiences so we cannot really generalize.

Friendships and time spent with family/cousins than managers will lead to such issue.

Check out what happened to cast of different strokes, will give you an idea.