Ariana Grande has called for more protection of child stars amid challenge to 'survive'

Pop star and actress Ariana Grande has opened up on the challenges she faced being a child star as she called for more protection amid the 'balance of survive and thrive'

Ariana Grande has called for "more protection" of child stars.

The 31-year-old pop star shot to fame as a teenager when she took on the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious in the late 2000s. While she "loved" that time so much, still needed support to get through it all. She admitted: "Being in this industry at all, as a child, as an adult, as anything is a balance of kind of survive and thrive.

"There are so many beautiful things that come with being an actor and being a performer, and I remember falling in love with my character and that being such a gift to my life. Playing Cat Valentine was my very first experience getting absolutely lost in a character, I loved it so much. My best friend Liz Gillies had the same experience with Jade, her character [on Victorious]."

Ariana told the BBC World Service's Arts Hour: "There were so many beautiful things that we learned. But I think being in this industry, you need that support. Every single thing about it is quite strange and is quite alien. Even just the experience of acting in and of itself, you're not yourself. It's a very strange thing. Just working like an adult as a child is an adjustment as well.

"Doing school in a little tiny room and having to take certain exams to graduate early so you can work adult hours sooner. These are all choices that we made. But it definitely, I think, this industry should be a more protected place for kids, for adults, for anyone."

Ariana's comments come after former Nickelodeon executive Dan Schenider faced allegations of creating a toxic work environment for child actors in the documentary 'Quiet On Set'. The Wicked star admitted that she "worries" about those in the industry who lack "support" and wants to help create change in the future.

She said: "I worry about those who don't have that support and it's something I hope we can be a part of positive part of that change together by talking about it."

This week, Ariana was nominated for an Oscar thanks to her role as Glinda in hit movie Wicked, an adaptation of the beloved musical released last year. After her nomination, Ariana shared a post as she thanked the Academy Awards. She wrote: "Picking my head up in between sobs to say thank you so much to @theacademy for this unfathomable recognition. I cannot stop crying, to no one's surprise.

"I'm humbled and deeply honoured to be in such brilliant company and sharing this with tiny Ari who sat and studied Judy Garland singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow just before the big, beautiful bubble entered. I'm so proud of you, tiny. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for this acknowledgement @theacademy. Thank you @jonmchu for taking this chance on me and for being the most unbelievably brilliant leader, human being, and most fierce friend. I am so deeply proud of my beautiful Wicked family. I am so proud of my Elphie, my sister, my dear @cynthiaerivo."

"Your brilliance is never ending and you deserve every flower (tulip) in every garden. I love you unconditionally, always. I don't quite have all my words yet, I'm still trying to breathe. but thank you. oh my goodness, thank you. Universal, Marc, my family, my heart. Lemons and melons and pears, oh my."

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