Disney alum Alyson Stoner is opening up about their friendship with Demi Lovato during her “Camp Rock”-era substance abuse issues.
Stoner’s memoir “Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything” delves into the dark reality of child fame, including glossy movie sets contrasting a tumultuous home life, stalkers and an eating disorder that landed them in rehab.
In Lovato’s “Child Star” documentary, Lovato recalled Stoner was the first to approach her about her eating disorder. In Stoner’s memoir, they recall the same moment, describing the “rare” moment of “real transparency with a peer in the industry.” Lovato, in turn, nudged Stoner about their harmful exercise regimen, asking if they could “support each other.” But in the throes of their separate eating disorders and other mental health struggles, neither knew how to help the other.
Stoner felt ‘terrified’ of Demi Lovato’s team amid substance abuse
Stoner writes Lovato and them had an “instant rapport like childhood buddies” when they were paired together during “Camp Rock” auditions.
But when the Jonas Brothers took the rest of the “Camp Rock” cast on tour, Lovato spiraled into “reckless partying,” substance abuse and self-harm and Stoner grew resentful.
Stoner writes Lovato’s team appointed 20 sober companions to monitor her, but “she outwitted every one of them.” Now, Stoner writes they have more context given what they know about Lovato’s bipolar disorder, bulimia, depression and other mental health struggles. But at the time, Stoner referred to Lovato’s “Regina George” behavior (referencing the popular bully in “Mean Girls”) as a “chasm in our once kindred connection.”
“To get through the tour, the entire crew bent the knee, accepting that at any moment we could be open targets for her to externalize her pain,” Stoner writes. “At 16, being forced to submit to her power plays was confusing. She verbally lashed out behind the curtain, and then we’d walk onstage for a sound check meet-and-greet and publicly kiss her crown.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Lovato’s team for comment.
Stoner also writes Lovato punched a touring back-up dancer because she thought they snitched on her for doing drugs. After that, the “Hollywood machine went into overdrive,” Stoner writes, to cover for Lovato. When Lovato went into rehab, Stoner and the cast received death threats from her fans.
“For several years, I felt suffocated under the weight of Demi’s power and terrified of her PR team, the extreme remarks from her fanbase and the way mass media gave a fabricated identity a life of its own,” Stoner writes.
Demi Lovato apologized to Alyson Stoner ahead of ‘Child Star’ documentary
The castmates didn’t speak for 14 years, not until Lovato’s team reached out asking if Stoner wanted to participate in “Child Star,” the documentary Lovato was directing. Stoner requested the pair meet over a preliminary phone call to “gauge Demi’s intentions.”
Lovato apologized, and Stoner got a better understanding of the underlying issues exacerbating her behavior during the “Camp Rock” tour. Now, with their shared advocacy against the dark side of child stardom, both Stoner and Lovato are focused on helping new generations.
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.