Bella Thorne, a talented starlet who graced the silver screen from a mere six weeks old, continues to soar daringly close to the sun, while artfully navigating her path around it. At 23 years of age, she bears the scars of her journey, but her unyielding spirit remains a testament to her resilience. The world of child stars and young female celebrities can be harsh, and Bella has braved its intensity, emerging stronger on the other side.
Before her Disney days, Bella's early work was defined by captivating roles in thrilling mysteries and haunting dramas. A remarkable fact about young actors is their inability to feign fear or sadness convincingly. Instead, they are compelled to tap into their genuine emotions, summoning buried traumas to portray authenticity on camera.
For Bella, this meant delving deep into the heartache of losing her father, a tragic car accident that forever changed her life when she was just nine.
Despite the shadows that have accompanied her rise to fame, Bella Thorne refuses to be eclipsed by them. Instead, she has embraced her struggles, transforming them into stepping stones that propel her forward. With every challenge she faces, she becomes a guiding light for countless others who may be battling their own inner demons. “There was a film I did when I was 15 where I had to cry every day,” she says to me from her LA home. “There was a murder happening in this house, and every take I had to think about the way my father died, the glass in his hair, the stitches from his autopsy, everything that my mum described about his death.
#1. Every take I had to think about the way my father died
Source: DAVID LIVINGSTON
The actress recalls mothers telling their kids nasty things on set to prompt the required upset for a particular scene.
“They’d tell them that they don’t mean it, but still, I’ve heard people say things like ‘You’re stupid’ or ‘You’ll never be beautiful’. As a child, you don’t understand how playing dead in a bunch of movies, aged six, might catch up with you. I’ll think sometimes, ‘I have a really weird obsession with death, I wonder why that could be,’” she states, sarcastically.
At the beginning of her career, Thorne was really controlled. Disney asked her to make her voice more high-pitched and once berated her mother for compromising her image by letting her put on a bikini on a beach, proving how sexualized child stars are (Disney has denied it).#2. Perez Hilton wrote this article calling me a baby prostitute
Source: MICHAEL BEZJIAN
At the beginning of her career, Thorne was extremely controlled. Disney asked her to voice more high-pitched and once berated her mom for compromising her image by letting her put on a bikini on a beach, proving how sexualized child stars are (Disney has denied it).
“I grew up on the beach, I was always in a bikini – I didn’t think anything of it,” she says, evidently still baffled by what happened. “Perez Hilton wrote this article calling me a baby prostitute. It made no sense to me and it was so confusing. My mum then stopped me wearing bikinis at the beach because she didn’t want to get another call from Disney.”
Source: SAMIR HUSSEIN
Talking to Thorne is unpredictable and enjoyable. She is funny, honest, and self-aware, particularly about the childhood experiences that shaped her today. Bella Thorne's journey began as a baby, modeling and featuring in TV commercials. At the age of 10, she had her breakthrough in the hit series, "Dirty Sexy Money," where she portrayed Margaux Darling. Disney soon recognized her talent and cast her alongside Zendaya in the sitcom "Shake It Up," which skyrocketed her fame (and they remain friends to this day). Her success in the Entertainment industry proved to be a lifeline for her family, preventing them from facing homelessness.
“No one can get me up here,” she says, laughing. “I remember pulling up late to my old house after a long day at the studio and the paparazzi walked across the road, flashing their cameras, and tried to follow me inside my gate. I know everyone’s got a job to do, but aren’t there better ways to do it? I was like, ‘Bitch, please get off my lawn.’”
#3. If I get rid of social media, it means they’ve won
In Bella Thorne's latest music video, titled 'Shake It,' she fearlessly embraces creativity, pushing boundaries with self-directed and provocative scenes alongside renowned adult film star Abella Danger. This daring collaboration is sure to spark curiosity and intrigue among her audience.
High-profile young women often find themselves in a perplexing situation, facing criticism for sharing information about their public lives on social media while simultaneously being chastised for not embracing transparency. Earlier this year, the Duchess of Sussex encountered such criticism when she shared a picture announcing her pregnancy with Prince Harry.
Talented and celebrated women like Bella Thorne are driven by their passion for their craft, whether it's singing acting activism, or a combination of all three. They thrive on connecting with their fans, empowering them, and fostering a sense of belonging. However, it is disheartening that their pursuit of happiness often comes at a steep cost. The paparazzi's relentless pursuit can drive these remarkable individuals out of their homes, while societal expectations may pressure them to alter their appearance, behavior, or style. We remember the mistreatment of stars like Britney Spears with horror, yet the current generation of young female celebrities still face a similar relentless hunt.Bella Thorne's commendable resilience shines through, but we must ask ourselves: Should these talented women ever have to endure such hardships in the first place? It is time for us to reflect on the price of fame and strive to create a world where genuine talent and passion can thrive without sacrificing personal well-being. Let us celebrate these women for their artistry, compassion, and strength, without subjecting them to unwarranted scrutiny and demands.