How Donny Osmond Moved Beyond His Teen Stardom to Become an Adult Icon
Donny Osmond reflects on the struggles of child stardom and how he moved beyond his teen image
From cult classic TV shows to movies and talent competitions, early fame can sometimes leave child stars struggling to move beyond their initial roles. This “childish perception” can shape how they’re viewed and make it difficult to grow into new identities. While this presents challenges for many, not all child stars regret their early years. Some find that those experiences ultimately help define who they become. In a recent appearance on Good Morning Britain, Donny Osmond shared his perspective on navigating childhood stardom. Keep reading to learn more!
Donny Osmond corrects ‘Good Morning Britain’ host on-air
Tuning into the talk show via video link, Osmond joined co-hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls on the March 6 taping of Good Morning Britain.
Reid shifted their catch-up conversation toward the challenges faced by child entertainers, bringing up Osmond’s current act, where he performs alongside a computerized version of his younger self at Donny Osmond Live in Vegas.
She questioned whether society might be pushing young stars into adulthood too soon, drawing attention to Millie Bobby Brown’s recent comments about how the media won’t allow her to grow up.
“You know [Brown]’s sort of frozen, we want people to stay frozen where they were,” said Reid about audiences holding back child stars.
The challenges of being a teen idol
The discussion continued as the 54-year-old host pointed out that many child stars, though they may be struggling, often don’t fully recognize the impact of their experiences.
“You’re embracing of your 14-year-old self’s experience; you’ve had no experiences that relate to that,” Reid said.
Osmond, who gained fame at five performing with his siblings in The Osmonds, swiftly disagreed, saying, “That’s not quite true,” and offered a different perspective on the challenges of child stardom as one grows older.
“I went through a very difficult time of transitioning from a teeny bopper to an adult entertainer and for people to accept all of that it was a very difficult transition,” said Osmond.
Despite the challenges of transitioning, Osmond credits shows like Soldier Blood, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Dancing with the Stars for helping him break free from the childhood persona audiences had stuck him with.
“Those types of shows helped to establish me as an adult. It’s a lot easier to go back and embrace the teeny-bopper career because I was already accepted as an adult,” he shared.
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