From death by drinking & tragic mental health battle to shock headbutt incident – the ‘curse’ of the Disney child stars

MANY of the glitziest names in showbiz were catapulted to global fame after starting their careers as Disney kids. However, behind the seemingly wholesome star-making production, the pressures of early fame and growing up in the public eye gave rise to the infamous “Disney curse.” Disney Channel star Carla Jeffery has been pronounced dead at the age 33 Credit: Alamy Carla was known for appearing in 2018 Disney Channel movie Zombies and two sequels Credit: Instagram/carlajjeffrey From high-profile legal troubles, mental health battles, or struggles with addiction, the transition to adulthood was often a rocky one. Tragically, several former stars have passed away over the years at an early age due to a range of circumstances, including illness. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! The latest shocking death is Carla Jeffery, who died at the age of 33. No cause of death has been given. The US actress starred in the 2018 Disney Channel movie Zombies and two sequels, and was described by her agent Carla Alexander as a “beautiful, vibrant and incredibly talented woman whose radiant smile could light up any room”. Here, we look back at the beloved Disney kid stars who have struggled with ‘the curse’ as they navigated life beyond the media giant… 1. Britney Spears Britney Spears first appeared as a child actor on the Disney channel Credit: Everett Collection – Rex Features Britney tends to live life away from the spotlight, but sometimes shares home clips with fans Credit: @britneyspears / instagram From being a breakout star of The Mickey Mouse Club, which she joined in 1993 at age 11, Britney Spears arguably became one of the most famous pop stars in the world. At 16, she took the world by storm in 1998 with her debut single Baby One More Time, which gave her instant worldwide fame. Most read in Fabulous However, in 2007, after a divorce from Kevin Federline, Britney endured a famous public meltdown which saw her shave her head and move into rehab. Britney was soon out again but, desperate and cut off from seeing her children, things didn’t improve until she was stretchered out of her home and taken to hospital by her mum. This led to a restrictive 13-year conservatorship controlled by her father, which stripped her of autonomy over her personal life and finances. A friend told E! news: “All she wanted was to raise a family and find pleasure in the small things… she needed an escape from her celebrity existence.” Though freed from her conservatorship in 2021 following the #FreeBritney movement, the now 44-year-old typically lives a reclusive life at home – but has still hit headlines. In recent months Britney has been arrested for a DUI and faced accusations of bizarre behaviour including making barking sounds at a restaurant and brandishing a knife. An insider said: “The sad reality is that she seems incredibly isolated. She spends most of her time at home and her world has become smaller and smaller over the years.” 2. Demi Lovato Demi Levato starred in Camp Rock, alongside the Jonas Brothers, when she was just a teenager Credit: Alamy The actress first checked into rehab when she was just 18 years old Credit: Splash Joining Disney in 2007 with As the Bell Rings and Camp Rock, Demi Lovato shot to fame with her wholesome image – but the trappings of fame quickly took their toll. The star first started doing drugs aged 17, blaming her addict and “abusive” father as the reason she ended up getting hooked, and entered rehab at just 18. At one stage she reportedly took cocaine several times a day – even smuggling it onto planes rather than go without her fix. In 2018 Demi was minutes from death following her accidental overdose of heroin. She said: “When they found me, I was turning blue and the doctor said I had five to ten more minutes left. “If no one had come in, I wouldn’t be here today.” The singer and former child star, who has sold millions of records and had two Grammy nominations, was found at her home in Los Angeles. Since the overdose Demi has had three strokes, resulting in brain damage, and a heart attack. Now 34, Demi has made a remarkably strong recovery, successfully rebuilding both her personal life and music career while happily married and maintaining her sobriety. The star tied the knot with Jordan ‘Jutes’ Lutes in 2025 after three years, surrounded by their friends and family in California and calls her relationship a ‘dream come true’. 3. Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Lohan won hearts in the 1998 film The Parent Trap and went on to star in numerous blockbusters Credit: Alamy Lindsay notched up five trips to rehab, 20 court appearances and one 84-minute jail stretchCredit: Refer to Source After modelling as a child, Lindsay Lohan captivated audiences with her acting breakthrough in 1998 Disney film The Parent Trap, when she was just 12. She followed up with a string of high-profile film appearances, including Mean Girls, before returning to Disney in 2005 with Herbie: Fully Loaded. However, her life has been peppered with legal run-ins and controversies ever since a booze-fuelled car crash in 2007, and she has had a notably sour relationship with her father which may have contributed to her turmoil. Lowlights include the party girl’s subsequent 84-minute-long stay in prison for cocaine possession and drink driving, and when she was fitted with an alcohol-monitoring device as a condition of her bail. Lindsay, pictured last year, has managed to turn her life around Credit: Getty Psychologist weighs in on the 'Disney curse' ALTHOUGH it’s in no way suggested that Disney itself is responsible for what happened to the stars, the fact that many had early careers at the entertainment giant has led people to nickname it the ‘Disney Curse’. So why do so many former young performers have problems further down the line? Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos so The Sun: “Having fame means your self awareness is amplified, and once you’ve reached a certain level of fame and notoriety, it gets very validating. “You can’t ever go back to being normal because you will always have that notoriety; you always have that expectation. It’s hard for you to navigate social interactions.” Dr Linda also points to the strained relationships many child stars (including Demi, Britney and Lindsay) have with their parents. She said: “A lot of famous kids have had public fall outs with their parents. The parents, whose main job it is to ensure mental and physical health of their kids, are also tasked with ensuring their kids work and make a lot of money. Sometimes the two are incompatible.” And another aspect is the vacuum that is created when child stars grow out of their roles while still being associated with them. Linda says: “They had an identity they were able to profit from and get a sense of validation from. Once that changes, you don’t have that same value and you feel it. “And that is why we see young stars becoming hyper-sexualised – they want to be taken seriously as adults. “They’re like ‘look I was a young star but now I’m doing a photoshoot in my underwear’ so you see the need to be acknowledged as adults and having value in their own right. “We love young kids when they’re little and on TV but this weird thing happens where we feel uncomfortable about them growing up.” In 2010 she then earned a two-week prison sentence for failing to attend her court-ordered weekly alcohol education classes, and eventually ended up in rehab after leaving jail. Today, she is completely on the other side of those turbulent years – happily married to Kuwaiti financier Bader Shammas, living abroad, raising son Luai, and enjoying a major Hollywood acting comeback. Lindsay now believes her younger self would be “very proud of the mother and wife that I am today” and added: “I love it so much. I’m obsessed with my kid.” 4. Shia LaBeouf Shia LaBeouf has had his fair share of controversies and struggles in his life after starting on Even Stevens Credit: Getty – Contributor The breakout child lead of Even Stevens when it premiered in 2000, Shia LaBeouf successfully crossed over into blockbuster movies like Transformers. However, the actor was arrested in 2014 and later charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass at Studio 54 theatre. After his arrest, the he joined an outpatient programme for alcoholism, and has since staged a number of bizarre public appearances which have left fans concerned about his well-being. In 2014, he appeared at the premier of his movie Nymphomaniac wearing a paper bag on his head which had the words “I am not famous anymore” scrawled in large letters over his face. The infamous paper bag appearance sparked concern and praise for the actor in equal measure Credit: Getty – Contributor Shia has been arrested a number of times, including earlier this year celebrating Mardi Gras Credit: Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office Later that same year he spent a night in jail after being disruptive while watching a Broadway show, and was arrested again in 2017 for disorderly conduct, obstruction and public drunkenness. A video which emerged of his racist rant at police officers at the time pushed the former Disney star to apologise on Twitter, where he described the incident as a “new low” and said he was newly committed to sobriety. Earlier this year, Shia, 40, was arrested on a third battery charge after getting into a fight at a bar while celebrating Mardi Gras. The arrest came at the same time the actor broke his silence on the bar brawl, claiming he has a “complex” rather than drinking issues after a judge ordered him to attend rehab and submit weekend drug tests. 5. Selena Gomez Selena Gomez made a huge name for herself as a Disney child star Credit: AP:Associated Press Selena has been in rehab and has reportedly had drug use Credit: Getty Selena Gomez was one of Disney’s most recognisable faces, starring in Wizards of Waverly Place and the Princess Protection Programme. But when she grew up, she too had a rocky ride. Selena spent two weeks in a rehab facility back in early 2014 at a treatment centre in Arizona, which specialises in treating young people with addiction and trauma problems. Her representative later revealed the star was suffering from Lupus, an autoimmune disease, and that she entered rehab for chemotherapy to treat the illness. A source previously claimed that Selena also had other issues when she checked into the treatment facility, according to Radar Online. She was also reportedly dabbling with marijuana and was experimenting with prescription drugs such as Xanax and Ambien – and ended up back in rehab in September 2016, after a high-profile spat with former flame Justin Bieber. Now, Selena is in a much more stable chapter of her life, marrying music producer Benny Blanco in September 2025, starring in hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building and running her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty. 6. Lee Thompson Young Lee Thompson Young’s child acting career started him out on a life of tragedyCredit: Not known clear with picture desk Lee Thompson young committed suicide after battling a series of mental health problems Credit: Getty – Contributor One of the most tragic stories of past Disney actors, Lee Thompson Young started his acting career in 1998 series The Famous Jett Jackson, when he was just 15, and then appeared in the film Johnny Tsunami a year later. He went on to star in detective drama Rizzoli & Isles, but he failed to turn up for filming in August 2013. When police were called to check on him in his LA apartment, he was found dead. The 29-year-old had been battling depression before his death, and had also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 7. Miley Cyrus Miley’s Hannah Montana role earned her a huge following when she was still a kid Credit: Handout The poster girl for post-Disney transformations, the world was stunned to watch as Hannah Montana star Miley ditched her PC-persona in favour of a far more sexualised stage presence. The crotch-grabbing, twerking, weed-smoking Miley Cyrus was is a far cry from the innocent 13-year-old actor everyone knew from the Disney channel. And although she came off far better than many of her fellow child stars, Miley has been very vocal about the lasting effects of becoming famous so young. “It’s a lot to put on a kid: to have them have to get their makeup done and then also balance school and then also have me dress up in a wig,” she has said. Miley shed her Disney persona for good as she moved towards a hyper-sexualised image and performance style Credit: Getty – Contributor Miley has blamed her childhood acting as messing with her psyche Credit: Getty – Contributor Miley has also revealed that it was hard for her to be famous both as her Hannah Montana character and as herself, as a singer in her own right. “I think that’s probably what’s a little bit wrong with me now,” she added. “I mark that up to doing some extreme damage in my psyche as an adult person.” While filming, 12-hour days became the norm and, as a child, she developed anxiety attacks and nausea from the stresses of work. She also told Marie Claire: “I was made to look like someone that I wasn’t, which probably caused some body dysmorphia because I had been made pretty every day for so long.” 8. Marque “Tate” Lynche Marque ‘Tate’ Lynche was a member of the All New Mickey Mouse Club Credit: Facebook / Tate Lynche Tate tragically passed away in 2015 Credit: Unknown A former Mouseketeer on The All New Mickey Mouse Club in the early 1990s (alongside Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Gosling), Marque Lynche later starred as Simba in Broadway’s The Lion King. Known as Tate, he later competed on the third season of American Idol and made it to the semi-finals, performing Wind Beneath My Wings. Tragically, he passed away in December 2015 at the age of 34, with the medical examiner determining the cause of death to be acute alcohol poisoning. Comment now