Demi Lovato got honest about the challenges of sharing the spotlight with Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus while on the Disney Channel.
During the Tuesday, March 3, episode of Keke Palmer‘s podcast, Lovato, 33, was asked about the network “always pitting” her against Cyrus and Gomez, both 33, as child stars. Lovato noted that she was already friends with Gomez before she booked roles in As the Bell Rings, Sonny With a Chance and Camp Rock.
“We actually were on Barney together, and so I felt this safety when I came into the Disney Channel having a built-in friendship there already,” Lovato recalled.
Lovato said she felt “grateful” then and “will always be grateful for the friendship that I have and continue to have” with Gomez, who starred on Wizards of Waverly Place. She admitted, however, that being compared to Cyrus and Gomez was “challenging.”
“You naturally have insecurities at a young age,” she continued. “So you start comparing yourself to other people.”
Lovato added: “But one thing my mom instilled in me was, ‘There’s room for everyone. It’s not a competition.’ That’s what I really stuck by. That’s what kind of got me through that period. I was always rooting for everybody.”
On a larger scale, Lovato is still dealing with how she feels about her time on Disney years after leaving the network. “There’s so many emotions that come to mind when I think about that period of time in my life,” she said. “Those were the years that started it all for me, and I have very fond memories. Some not so fond memories of the [struggles] that I had when filming those shows.”
Lovato specifically addressed her eating disorder and mental health battles before adding, “But ultimately, [I have] very fond memories. I made friends that I will have for the rest of my life.”
The singer previously opened up about her experiences from child stardom in a September 2024 Hulu special while interviewing other actors about the pitfalls of fame.
“I wouldn’t end up where I am had I not made all the choices leading up to this point, but it came at a price,” Lovato explained in Child Star. “There is definitely not a manual on how to navigate this industry at such a young age.”
After appearing on Barney & Friends, Lovato was booked and busy on the Disney Channel and pursued a music career, which caused her to burn out.
“It was part of my disassociation that I don’t remember so much of my show,” she noted at the time. “But I do remember how difficult I was to work with because I was in so much pain and I was hurting.”
Lovato also spoke about the pressure that came with being labeled a role model, adding, “I had to be so conscious of everything that I did as a Disney kid. You obviously couldn’t cuss or swear in public. You couldn’t be seen with red Solo cups because it could insinuate that there is alcohol.”
