Alyson Stoner's debut memoir, "Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything," chronicles the intense pressures and hardships she endured after rising to fame as a child star.

Released August 12 by St. Martin's Press, the book lays bare how early success in Hollywood came at the cost of her childhood, finances, and mental health.

Stoner first stepped into the spotlight at age nine, appearing as a dancer in Missy Elliott's "Work It" video and soon after landing roles in "Cheaper by the Dozen" and Disney's "Camp Rock." "By the time I was 9, I was no longer in school. I was no longer able to connect with peers," the actress wrote. "Childhood was over." The demands of auditions and filming kept Stoner on set instead of in the classroom, isolating them from friends and typical childhood experiences.

Behind the scenes, Stoner's earnings vanished. Upon accessing her account as a teenager, she discovered it was empty, despite years of blockbuster paychecks. A joint review with her sister revealed that a combination of mismanaged funds by her management team and payments to her mother had siphoned off nearly a million dollars in wages and royalties. Stoner describes the discovery as "death by a thousand mishaps," and declined legal action to protect her family's privacy.

The memoir also details Stoner's struggle with an eating disorder that began in adolescence. Pressures to maintain a certain image led them to orthorexia and compulsive exercise, culminating in a stay at a mental health facility at age 17. "I was losing weight, and honestly, had my health not started deteriorating, I don't know if I ever would have unpacked all of these issues," she said.

Stoner recounts additional traumas, including encounters with stalkers and an abusive stepfather. She describes feeling like a commodity on set and criticizes industry practices that prioritize profit over child welfare. In response, Stoner now dedicates herself to mental health advocacy and systemic reform. Through her podcast "Dear Hollywood" and the Artist Wellbeing Essentials Toolkit, she calls for stronger protections for young performers, such as financial safeguards and on-set mental health coordinators.

As Stoner embarks on this new chapter, she emphasizes that honesty is both liberating and necessary. "I see this book as an opportunity to dismantle and deconstruct lots of myths, and even my own persona," she said. By sharing these personal revelations, Stoner hopes to shine a light on the hidden costs of child fame and pave the way for a safer environment for the next generation of performers.

Tags
Disney, Memoir, Book