Demi Lovato Reflects on Early Fame, Says She 'Wasn't Always the Nicest' on Set

Demi Lovato is opening up about her early days in Hollywood, admitting she "wasn't always the nicest" while working on set as a teen star.

During the March 3 episode of the "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" podcast with Keke Palmer, Lovato, 33, spoke honestly about the pressure she faced while growing up in the spotlight.

"There's so many emotions that come to mind when I think about that period of time in my life," Lovato said.

"I have a lot of compassion for my younger self, because we were held to such high standards at such a young age."

Lovato began her career as a child on Barney & Friends before rising to fame on the Disney Channel.

She starred in As the Bell Rings and Sonny with a Chance, and later became widely known for her role in Camp Rock and its sequel alongside the Jonas Brothers, People reported.

Looking back, Lovato said she wishes she had shown herself more kindness. "I think I was so hard on myself at the time that I wish I'd had more grace for myself," she explained.

After promoting "Camp Rock 2," Lovato experienced what she described as a breakdown.

She later entered Alcoholics Anonymous and worked through the 12 steps, which included making amends.

"I had to make amends to a lot of people saying like, 'I'm sorry. I was so challenging to work with at the time. I was so miserable in my own skin ... that I wasn't the nicest person to work with,'" she shared.

Demi Lovato Says She Felt Unseen

Lovato said her behavior was not meant to hurt others. At 16 and 17, she often felt unseen and misunderstood.

"When people would come on set and they'd say, 'Good morning, Demi. How are you?' In my head, I would literally think, 'You don't care about me,'" she recalled.

According to Yahoo, she later realized she was trying to survive during a difficult time. "When I showed up and was bratty on set, that was not my intention. I was just doing what I had to do to survive," Lovato said.

Despite the struggles, Lovato now looks back with gratitude. She remembers the friendships she built and the career foundation those years gave her.

"Those were the years that started it all for me, and I have very fond memories," she said, while also acknowledging her battles with mental health and an eating disorder during filming.

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