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USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Alyson Stoner book reveals stalkers, rehab, dark side of child fame
Jennette McCurdy's memoir 'I'm Glad My Mom Died.' Demi Lovato's documentary 'Child Star.' The Nickelodeon docuseries exposé 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV." Child stars are speaking out about the not-so-glamorous and sometimes abusive conditions they faced under the spotlight, and Disney alum Alyson Stoner is the latest to share their story. Stoner, who broke into the public eye dancing in Missy Elliott's 2002 music video 'Work It,' is known for roles in 'Cheaper By the Dozen,' 'Camp Rock,' 'Step Up' and 'Phineas and Ferb.' In recent years, they've been open about their 'harrowing' experiences of child stardom, including an eating disorder that sent them to rehab. In their memoir 'Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything' (out now from St. Martin's Press), Stoner, who uses they/them pronouns, doesn't shy from sharing the dark side of fame, including public scrutiny that led to body dysmorphia and self-esteem issues, unsafe and inappropriate working conditions, financial loss and stalkers. Amid 'fractured home' life, 'Cheaper by the Dozen' was an escape Stoner's career took off at age 6 after competing at the International Modeling and Talent Association convention. They booked their first feature film appearance at 9, playing Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt's tomboy daughter Sarah in 'Cheaper By The Dozen.' Stoner's accolades may have been skyrocketing, but behind the scenes they say they struggled with a tumultuous home life, including an abusive stepfather, alcoholic mother and growing distance from their father. Stoner writes that on set as part of the fictional Baker family, they felt like they finally 'belonged,' and leaving was 'excruciating pain.' Hunt, who played the Baker matriarch, was a particular influence on Stoner. 'A former nurse in real life, Bonnie emotionally attuned herself to every one of the Baker dozen as if she'd carried us in her own womb,' Stoner writes. 'Her unconditional care translated through the screen.' Stalkers, kidnapping plots and exploitation As their fame grew, so did safety concerns. Strangers tracked their location and left candy and letters outside their hotel room. In one instance, a supposed terminally ill 'Camp Rock' fan requested to meet Stoner as an end-of-life wish, but it ended up being a scam to get Stoner alone 'to be held hostage for ransom,' they write. The meeting never happened, thanks to Stoner's mom uncovering the person's sham website. Stoner also had a middle-aged stalker who was convinced Stoner 'was his wife, named Cinderella, with whom he shared pet mice,' they write. He showed up a youth arts studio where Stoner volunteered. Stoner didn't want to scare the children they were teaching, so they slipped out of class and alerted the front desk, just narrowly coming into contact with the stalker before he was kicked out. When he returned for a second time that day, a parent helped Stoner drive around until they were sure he was gone. Stoner said police said they couldn't do anything if the stalker hadn't physically harmed Stoner, even though the stalker said he would 'end' Stoner if they didn't wear their hair a certain way. "Without a budget for a bodyguard, I became an expert at studying body language and herd behavior, noting traits and tendencies among people so I could anticipate interactions," they write. When they were a young teen, Stoner came across their face edited onto a naked body on a porn site, a crude example of today's 'deepfake nudes' affecting many celebrities and, especially, young women. Alyson Stoner nearly had their own 'Hannah Montana' After 'Cheaper By the Dozen,' Stoner writes they felt typecast as either a dancer or tomboy. They were waiting for their breakthrough lead role. Disney reps contacted Stoner and asked them to guest-star on 'That's So Raven' as Ally Parker, a child actor and dancer who longed to be a regular kid. The plan was to have Stoner helm a spin-off series, turning Ally Parker into a new leading character. But then networks greenlit 'Hannah Montana' instead, the hit show starring Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus that had essentially the same plot. Ally Parker was reduced to a single 'That's So Raven' episode. Shortly after, Stoner felt duped again after a producer pitched a musical summer camp Disney original film with Stoner as the lead. They never heard back. A few months later, Stoner found an audition for an untitled Disney Channel Original Movie with the same plot. 'Was I just used by a producer to sell his project? Or did he actually believe in me, but Disney doesn't? Are any of my ideas in this script?' Stoner recalls thinking, they write in 'Semi-Well-Adjusted.' That project was 'Camp Rock.' Stoner was brought in to audition for the lead, but it ultimately the role of Mitchie went to Demi Lovato, skyrocketing a different Disney actor to mainstream fame. 'Hunger Games' audition led Stoner to harmful 'medical weight loss camp' In the throes of their eating disorder, Stoner's preparation to audition for 'The Hunger Games' pushed them to the brink. Their eating disorder was leading to constipation, cramps and a thin layer of hair called 'lanugo' growing, which the body uses as a survival mechanism during starvation. Aiming for the role of Katniss Everdeen, Stoner enrolled in a 'world-renowned medical weight loss camp,' where they trained for seven hours a day for two weeks on a calorie deficit. 'Doctors and trainers should've never permitted an underweight minor to do seven hours of fourteen-mile hikes, heavy lifting, and high-intensity cardio. But all I had to say was that I was training for an acting role. They assessed me as mentally stable and opened the door,' Stoner writes. Stoner was rationing food, compulsively exercising and then binging, which led to a spiral of shame. When they had sought help in the past for eating disorder recovery, their mom said 'Alyson, you're not that anorexic,' Stoner writes. After 'The Hunger Games' training, Stoner went around their mom to a member of their church to get resources and checked into a inpatient facility. The night before they left, Stoner recalls fellow Disney alum Debby Ryan surprising them in the middle of the night with flowers made out of pipe cleaner and encouraging posters: 'You can do this." Stoner nearly died by suicide after coming out to church peers The same church members who helped Stoner get help with rehab were the most discriminatory when Stoner revealed they had feelings for a woman. After Stoner tried to come out to their Christian peers, they organized an 'exorcism' for Stoner. Then they stopped talking to Stoner. Stoner's mother, who wasn't a part of the church like they were, also wasn't accepting. Neither was their music manager. They warned coming out could ruin their career. Stoner contemplated suicide, writing 'it felt like my sexual attractions were ruining my connection to my friends and family, my career opportunities, and worst, all of my Christian community said that it went against God.' Eventually, Stoner embarked on a deconstruction journey, surrounding themselves with friends of different belief systems and reexamining their preconceived notions around gender and purity culture. Stoner is now openly queer and nonbinary, and has been candid in recent years about losing out on roles because of their sexuality. In 2021, they released "Mind Body Pride," a guide book to support the mental and emotional health of the LGBTQ+ community. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, you can call The National Alliance for Eating Disorders' clinician-run helpline from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. EST at (866) 662-1235. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, please text 'ALLIANCE' to 741741 for free, 24/7 support. Celebs tell all: New memoirs about aging, marriage and Beyoncé
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
ABBA book revelations: AC/DC connection, the unlikely inspiration for ‘Mamma Mia!', more
From 'Dancing Queen' to 'Fernando,' 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' to 'Super Trouper,' the polished pop of ABBA still glistens. Beloved around the world, the quartet of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad have remained mostly in the background in the decades since their 1970s domination, peeking out occasionally for a movie or theater opening (the staggeringly successful 'Mamma Mia!') or the debut of their live digital avatar show, 'ABBA Voyage,' currently playing in London. In 2013, the quartet allowed Swedish music journalist Jan Gradvall access to them and for the next decade, he culled their personal stories for 'The Story of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover' (out now from St. Martin's Press, 336 pages). The book reads as a thesis-like analysis of Swedish music and how ABBA's songs contributed to the globalization of pop culture. But Gradvall did extract tidbits about the origin of their hits and how ABBA became as much a business as a band. Those seeking juicy insights about intra-group dynamics or the dissolution of the marriages between Faltskog and Ulvaeus and Andersson and Lyngstad during ABBA's pinnacle should look elsewhere. ABBA's is a unicorn of a success story – a band that won Eurovision in 1974 with the delectable 'Waterloo' and for the next seven years dominated the charts with flawless pop songs that shimmered on the outside, but, as Andersson once said, snuck in some 'melancholy undercover.' Here are some highlights from the book. More: New music documentaries rock the big screen at Tribeca | The Excerpt Ambient sound played a vital role in one of ABBA's biggest hits Much like the Bee Gees have explained that the scratchy guitar intro of 'Jive Talkin'' originated with the band hearing the 'ch-ka-ch-ka-ch-ka' cadence from their car tires when they crossed a causeway into Miami each day, ABBA's 'Take a Chance on Me' also developed from unconventional influence. Ulvaeus was an avid runner – a hobby he started as a way to lose weight – and would frequently go on 6-mile runs in whichever city ABBA was touring. Before one outing, Andersson handed him a cassette tape of a new song that needed lyrics. As he ran the trail, Ulvaeus was aware of the rhythm his feet were making on the ground: 't-k-ch, t-k-ch, t-k-ch.' The sounds blossomed into words – 'take a chance, take a chance, take a chance' – and an ABBA classic was born. The song became the group's seventh No. 1 in the U.K. and reached No. 3 in the U.S. The curious connection between ABBA and AC/DC In order to tour Australia, ABBA was informed the country's musician's union required them to book an Australian band for shows back in Sweden. Concert promoter Thomas Johansson liked the debut of a barely known Australian rock band – AC/DC – and, while worried no one would buy tickets to see them, booked them in 1976 at dance halls and on bills with bigger acts. AC/DC earned an early fan base in Sweden after performing on outdoor dance floors (one show was billed as 'ballroom dancing') and with 'dansbands' including Bert Bennys. ABBA's biggest fan was a notorious punk rocker Sex Pistols legend Sid Vicious was known for violent outbursts, considerable drug use, and according to bandmate John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), loving ABBA. In a memorable moment for at least some of the people involved, Vicious and ABBA were both in Arlanda Airport in Stockholm when a smitten Vicious spotted the band and started running toward them with proclamations of love. Perhaps the vomit on his jacket propelled ABBA's security to quickly hustle the band away from the 'deathly pale teenage boy with a … dog collar around his neck,' thwarting Vicious from meeting his idols. More evidence of Vicious' admiration for the glossy pop band came from a one-time girlfriend, Teddie Dahlin. In her book 'A Vicious Love Story,' she wrote that during the Norwegian leg of the Sex Pistols' 1977 tour, Vicious brought only one cassette tape on his tour bus – ABBA's 'Greatest Hits.' More: Bruce Springsteen is releasing his 'Lost Albums': The songs you haven't heard but need to 'Mamma Mia!' the musical emerged from an unlikely source When it opened in London's West End in 1999, no one, including ABBA, could have imagined that a musical with a cute-if-flimsy plotline suffused with the songs of the Swedes would eventually play in 60 countries, including a 14-year run on Broadway (it closed in 2015 but returns Aug. 2-Feb. 1). The backstory of the creation of 'Mamma Mia!' comes from an amusing source: salacious American daytime talk shows such as Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake. The band didn't want a 'cheesy' musical, and book writer Catherine Johnson, a burgeoning playwright from Bristol, took inspiration from the outlandish parental stories as well as drawing from her own experiences as a single mother. The English Conservative government at the time suggested that women got pregnant merely to justify government aid, a concept that 'upset me a great deal,' Johnson says in the book. That anger fueled the storyline of a mother and daughter with three possible fathers, but in a thoughtful, positive manner. 'Mamma Mia!' was also the first West End musical to have a female writer, a female producer (Judy Craymer) and a female director (Phyllida Lloyd).
The Herald Scotland
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Cristina Jimenez talks 'Dreaming of Home,' immigration, climate change
"Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change" (St. Martin's Press, pp. 320, out now) is more than a memoir, "it's about the story of many undocumented and courageous people," Jimenez said, and an invitation for readers to organize and dream of a more just place for all. "I had dreamed of a better world and for this book to be in a different context, but here we are," Jimenez said, sounding determined. "I think about this book as an organizing tool, as a story and as a way for us to come together to remember that we do have power." INTERVIEW: Cristina Jimenez Moreta helped get DACA, now she helps young immigrants find their voice Jimenez's parents brought her to New York from Ecuador when she was 13, she said. When she was in the 11th grade in New York City's Queens borough and ready to apply for college, she found out that due to her undocumented status, the road to higher education would look different than that of her peers. Although Jimenez recalls feeling defeated then, she said her mother, who was proudly in attendance at her daughter's book event, was the one who told her not to back down and fight for the necessary resources to pursue her educational goals. Those small but significant seeds of courage and community have led her to this moment. "Community is what's going to give us the energy, ideas and strategies for what we need to do to move us forward," she added. That, and love. MUST READS: 13 books to break down the immigration debate amid Trump's return to power Why love is at the center of 'Dreaming of Home' During the Q&A, led by actress Francia Raisa, Jimenez opened up about the effects of migration, how climate change plays a role in people seeking a new place to call home, and why love is at the heart of her new memoir. "So much of the migration story is the story about love, and we barely think about immigrants and our conversations about immigrants as stories of love," she said. USA TODAY's The Essentials: 'How I Met Your Father' star Francia Raisa talks Selena Gomez friendship, comfort food essentials Jimenez said she wanted to shed light "on the fact that love is at the center of the courageous act of leaving everything behind for your loved ones. "Love is at the center when immigrant communities are doing the best and struggling to accomplish dreams, to lift each other up, to do better for their families. And when I think about my parents and many of the parents that had to leave everything behind to come here and take on great risk, I think it was love at the center of their courage and their ability to make that scary decision." 'Why do we even have such a thing as migration?' Jimenez asked attendees to examine their thoughts and preconceptions around immigration. "What I also wanted to do with this book is to really pull the curtain and let the reader have an opportunity to understand why do we even have such a thing as migration and people being forced out?" she said in response to a question from Francia about the impact of climate change on migration patterns. "So much of what we, as migrants and as immigrants, get from the media and from everything we hear is that somehow we are bad - that we are criminals because we migrated to seek a better life, to seek safety," she said. "I wanted to really talk about what's underneath migration: unjust laws, violence, corruption and increasingly more and more now, climate change." More: The U.S. already has millions of climate refugees. Helene and Milton could make it worse. She added: "If you care about our democracy, if you care about climate change, if you care about having a world that we all can share, you have to deal with immigration." Cristina Jimenez immigration advocacy work knows no bounds In 2020, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, USA TODAY named Jimenez one of its Women of the Century for her work in helping establish Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and inspiring young immigrants to find their voice. Jimenez cofounded United We Dream, which became the country's largest immigrant-youth-led network with 400,000 members across 100 local groups and 28 states. More: Paola Ramos explores the effects of Trumpism on the Latino vote in her book 'Defectors' The group pressured then-President Barack Obama to protect young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. In 2012, his administration created DACA, which allowed these young immigrants to obtain work permits, get driver's licenses, and go to college. The organization helped change public perception of undocumented youth. Contributing: Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Activist Cristina Jiménez talks new book and why 'the migration story is about love'
Activist Cristina Jiménez talks new book and why 'the migration story is about love' PASADENA, CA − Cristina Jiménez, an author and co-founder of United We Dream, the largest immigration youth-led organization in the U.S., did not expect her memoir to be published under the Trump administration. "I didn't plan for the book to be released under these conditions," the award-winning community organizer said during a sold-out book signing event June 2 at Pasadena's historic Vroman's Bookstore. "Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change" (St. Martin's Press, pp. 320, out now) is more than a memoir, "it's about the story of many undocumented and courageous people," Jiménez said, and an invitation for readers to organize and dream of a more just place for all. "I had dreamed of a better world and for this book to be in a different context, but here we are," Jiménez said, sounding determined. "I think about this book as an organizing tool, as a story and as a way for us to come together to remember that we do have power." INTERVIEW: Cristina Jiménez Moreta helped get DACA, now she helps young immigrants find their voice Jiménez's parents brought her to New York from Ecuador when she was 13, she said. When she was in the 11th grade in New York City's Queens borough and ready to apply for college, she found out that due to her undocumented status, the road to higher education would look different than that of her peers. Although Jiménez recalls feeling defeated then, she said her mother, who was proudly in attendance at her daughter's book event, was the one who told her not to back down and fight for the necessary resources to pursue her educational goals. Those small but significant seeds of courage and community have led her to this moment. "Community is what's going to give us the energy, ideas and strategies for what we need to do to move us forward," she added. That, and love. MUST READS: 13 books to break down the immigration debate amid Trump's return to power Why love is at the center of 'Dreaming of Home' During the Q&A, led by actress Francia Raisa, Jiménez opened up about the effects of migration, how climate change plays a role in people seeking a new place to call home, and why love is at the heart of her new memoir. "So much of the migration story is the story about love, and we barely think about immigrants and our conversations about immigrants as stories of love," she said. USA TODAY's The Essentials: 'How I Met Your Father' star Francia Raísa talks Selena Gomez friendship, comfort food essentials Jiménez said she wanted to shed light "on the fact that love is at the center of the courageous act of leaving everything behind for your loved ones. "Love is at the center when immigrant communities are doing the best and struggling to accomplish dreams, to lift each other up, to do better for their families. And when I think about my parents and many of the parents that had to leave everything behind to come here and take on great risk, I think it was love at the center of their courage and their ability to make that scary decision." 'Why do we even have such a thing as migration?' Jiménez asked attendees to examine their thoughts and preconceptions around immigration. "What I also wanted to do with this book is to really pull the curtain and let the reader have an opportunity to understand why do we even have such a thing as migration and people being forced out?" she said in response to a question from Francia about the impact of climate change on migration patterns. "So much of what we, as migrants and as immigrants, get from the media and from everything we hear is that somehow we are bad − that we are criminals because we migrated to seek a better life, to seek safety," she said. "I wanted to really talk about what's underneath migration: unjust laws, violence, corruption and increasingly more and more now, climate change." More: The U.S. already has millions of climate refugees. Helene and Milton could make it worse. She added: "If you care about our democracy, if you care about climate change, if you care about having a world that we all can share, you have to deal with immigration." Cristina Jiménez immigration advocacy work knows no bounds In 2020, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, USA TODAY named Jiménez one of its Women of the Century for her work in helping establish Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and inspiring young immigrants to find their voice. Jiménez cofounded United We Dream, which became the country's largest immigrant-youth-led network with 400,000 members across 100 local groups and 28 states. More: Paola Ramos explores the effects of Trumpism on the Latino vote in her book 'Defectors' The group pressured then-President Barack Obama to protect young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. In 2012, his administration created DACA, which allowed these young immigrants to obtain work permits, get driver's licenses, and go to college. The organization helped change public perception of undocumented youth. Contributing: Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY
New York Post
28-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Sen. Cory Booker mocked for cashing in on record-breaking anti-Trump Senate floor speech for new book: ‘It was a grift all along'
New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker is parlaying his marathon 25-hour speech from the Senate floor last month into a new book set to be published in November, sparking widespread mockery online. Booker's 'filibuster' oration — appropriately made on April Fool's Day — was the longest continuous speech ever given on the floor of the upper chamber, eclipsing a record set by late South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1957. Now, less than two months later, St. Martin's Press will be publishing the book 'Stand,' intended as a companion piece to the Senate floor bloviation. 'This book is about the virtues vital to our success as a nation and lessons we can draw from generations of Americans who fought for them,' the 56-year-old lawmaker said in a statement touting his forthcoming treatise. Social media immediately erupted with scorn after the announcement, with hundreds of comments ripping Booker and questioning his motives in attempting to profit from the record-breaking monologue. 'It was a grift all along,' one observer wrote. 'I can't wait not to read this,' an X commenter quipped. 'Those poor trees,' said another. 'Rebel without a cause. Or a clue,' another user chimed in. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker railed against the Trump administration in a record-breaking 25-hour Senate floor speech last month. AP The former Newark mayor's day-long screed was little more than a protracted airing of grievances against Trump, in which he railed against virtually every policy position of the administration, from Social Security and Medicaid to free speech, public education, Elon Musk and even the president's tongue-in-cheek musings about Canada becoming the 51st US state. He compared the moment in the country under Trump's second term to the battle for women's suffrage and the civil rights movement and fanned the flames of the left-wing talking point that Trump's decisive election victory — including the first popular vote win by the GOP in 20 years — was beyond the pale. 'These are not normal times in our nation, and they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate,' Booker said. 'The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.' Booker's upcoming book, 'Stand,' promises to be 'about the virtues vital to our success as a nation and lessons we can draw from generations of Americans who fought for them.' AP 'This is not right or left. It is right or wrong. This is not a partisan moment. It is a moral moment,' Booker said. 'Where do you stand?' The senator — who at times cried while speaking and reportedly abstained from food and water leading up to the speech to ensure he wouldn't need a bathroom break — was lauded by left-wing media outlets like the New York Times, which called the interminable anti-Trump homily 'an act of astonishing stamina.' Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) breathlessly praised his colleague's soliloquy as a 'tour de force.' 'It's not only the amount of time that you have spent on the floor, what strength,' Schumer said, 'but the brilliance of your indictment of this awful administration that is so destroying our democracy, that is taking so much away from working people.' Ironically, as the Garden State lawmaker railed about the decline of America under Trump, one of his staffers, Kevin A. Batts, was arrested outside the Senate Galleries for carrying a gun without a license. 'Stand' will hit bookshelves on Nov. 11.
