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Alyson Stoner has opened up about the sexualization they faced as a child actor, along with experiences of starvation and an attempted kidnapping, in their new memoir. This comes after discussing a harrowing rape experience.
The Disney star, now 32, who came out as queer in 2018 and uses they/them pronouns, shot to fame when they were just six years old.
Alyson gained fame through their roles in well-loved family films like Cheaper By The Dozen, Camp Rock, the Step Up series, and guest appearances on various Disney shows.
However, beyond the glitz and glamour, Alyson endured unimaginable circumstances, including sexual abuse and stalking, which they recount in their memoir Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything.
With them becoming a household names thanks to their nostalgic roles, it resulted in Alyson falling victim to a horrific kidnap plot, The Guardian reports.
Their team had sent them out to meet what they thought was a terminally ill fan in a touching gesture, however, it soon became apparent it was a foiled plot to abduct the actor.
Alyson Stoner has revealed the sexualisation they received as a child star, as well as starvation and a foiled kidnap plot in their new memoir after sharing their horrific rape ordeal
The Disney star, now 32, who came out as queer in 2018 and uses they/them pronouns, shot to fame when they were just six years old (pictured in 2011)
When it came to grueling auditions, by the time Alyson hit puberty, they realised how they were being sexualised when meeting top executives.
Stoner explains: ‘For a young female body in particular, what I noticed was this sudden expectation that you will know how to sexualise your portrayals.
‘That was just such a bizarre and horrific experience, to be in room after room with adult casting directors, knowing that I, at 13 or 14, am expected to seduce them.’Â
Throughout their childhood in the limelight, they revealed how those around them insisted they stay shaded from the sun, avoid their pale skin ‘getting darker’.
However, Hollywood’s obsession with the ‘perfect’ body image eventually took its toll on Alyson in their mid-teens as they hit breaking point.
The actor revealed how they undertook a punishing intense workout regime, coupled with a strict calorie deficit which eventually led to their menstrual cycle stopping at 17.
It was then that Alyson sought professional help, however, those around them advised them not to enter rehab as they reminded them of their rapidly expiration as a child star in the industry.
‘I knew I needed to hit certain milestones by 18 to be able to transition successfully into adulthood in entertainment, and I was creeping up on that date,’ they said.
Alyson is known for their roles in beloved family movie Franchise Cheaper By The Dozen, as well as Camp Rock, the Step Up movies and cameos across other Disney programmes
It comes after they shared how they went to a ‘weight loss camp’ for a role in the Hunger Games that Jennifer Lawrence eventually bagged.Â
Opening up about the rejection from auditions or shows that never made it to air, Alyson penned: ‘When you are the product, it’s like, well, what’s wrong with me? It had a deep impact on my self-esteem.
‘The rejection hurt terribly, but then when I became chosen, my self-esteem was still tied up with that. Either way, you’re not cultivating a core sense of worth. It’s tied to so many things beyond your control.
‘The unique aspect of [the entertainment industry] is that this is a daily experience that a child is going through, while disrupting every other area of their health and development along the way.’Â
Alyson also recounted in her book how they were raped after a wellness event by a man who was allegedly ‘well-adored in the community.’Â Â
‘The world blurred as my mind completely disconnected from my body,’ Stoner, who starred alongside Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato in the Camp Rock film franchise, wrote in their memoir, per Us Weekly.
‘The last image I saw was a poster on the wall of a ravenous feline leaping for its prey. Then I blacked out and he raped me.’Â
During that time, Stoner had taken a hiatus from acting and was transitioning away from content creation.Â
The former child star had started working towards becoming a full-time mental health professional and advocate for current child actors and influencers.
Alyson recounted in her book how they were raped after a wellness event by a man who was allegedly ‘well-adored in the community’
The Disney alum said the alleged sexual assault occurred after they ran into the colleague at an unnamed wellness event.Â
The two allegedly ended up alone together after Stoner accepted the colleague’s invitation to learn more about his products.
Stoner did not reveal their alleged attacker’s name in their memoir before detailing how he allegedly treated them like ‘an inanimate object.’
‘He opened the door to a room on the first floor of an apartment building,’ they wrote before remembering the thought that crossed their mind at the time.
‘Is this his lab or his residence? It was common for entrepreneurs and creatives to have live-work spaces, but this looked nothing like the setup from the photos he showed me.’
Alyson still works as an actor now, and recently returned to Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb following its reboot by the media giant.
If you have been affected by this article, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or jo@samaritans.orgÂ
