Alyson Stoner is reexamining their past.
The 30-year-old—who danced in music videos for artists like Missy Elliott and appeared in movies like Cheaper by the Dozen as a kid—recently reflected on whether they actually wanted to be a child star.
"I'm going through a deep reevaluation of whether I even wanted to get into the industry as a child or if it was kind of decided for me," Alyson said in E! News' exclusive sneak peek at their interview on the Made It Out podcast. "My story has always been in my head that I've said in interviews for years is like, 'Yeah! I chose this, and then we chose this because I wanted this.' And I'm like I was 3 years old when I was performing. I was 6 years old. Six-year-olds want a lot of things, and it doesn't mean that that all just happens. So what were all the other factors that added to them?"
And they admitted that going down this path hasn't been easy.
"It's been tough because once I pull that thread there's a lot that comes into question," the Step Up alum continued. "But it happened when my nephew reached the age that I was getting into the industry, and I realized, 'Oh my gosh. You're not even sure what you want to eat for dinner. How did I ever think that I single-handedly held the responsibility?' Not that anyone ever told me that, but I just believed that and I've carried that. So that's a big one. A can of worms."
And while Alyson knows they can't change the past, they are open to the future.
"If that wasn't something that you wanted, nope, we're not gonna get those years back," they added while on the podcast, hosted by Mal Glowenke and co-created and produced by Mathilde Jourdan. "A lot of beautiful things came from it, sure. A lot of challenging things came from it. Now, where do you want to go? I'm just trying to create room. Again, I'm very much in the process of the seven steps of what does it mean to write something new and to actually dare to let something different happen?"
Part of this journey, the former Camp Rock cast member explained, involves staying true to who they are versus how the public has perceived them for so many years.
"The world has had a story of all of us, right?" they continued. "Your friends, your family, your teachers, all the people around you—they know you for a thing and sometimes we glue people to who we've known them as. And then, for example, you come out and they're like, 'But wait, you're not my little' whatever thing that they wanted you to be anymore. Or, ‘You don't fit into the box of how I knew you. You've changed.'"
"I'm trying to give myself that space to say, 'Yeah, I might truly never be in the entertainment industry ever again and that would be totally fine," they added. "Even though that's been the only map that I've had, that doesn't have to be the only map that I use.'"
Acknowledging they were sharing their story during an interview, Alyson then joked, "I say that but here we are on camera."
"It's OK," they continued. "Works in progress. We're healing."
To look back at Alyson's days as a child star, keep reading.
Missy Elliott's Music Videos
Missy was clearly a fan of the child star. In addition to "Work It," the rapper invited Alyson to appear in the videos for "Gossip Folks" and "I'm Really Hot."
Cheaper by the Dozen
Alyson then went on to star in a number of films, including Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2.
Mike's Super Short Show & More TV Roles
Over the years, they also made appearances on several popular TV shows, including Drake & Josh, That's So Raven and Lilo & Stitch: The Series. Although, their role on Mike's Super Short Show was a fan favorite.
Phineas and Ferb
With a long list of film and TV credits already under their belt, Alyson continued to make their mark on the industry. They made several commercial and TV appearances—including acting in a few episodes of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody—and provided a voiceover for the animated series Phineas and Ferb.
Camp Rock
They also landed a few more film roles, including for Alice Upside Down, the Camp Rock flicks, The A-List and Summer Forever.
Step Up
After appearing in Step Up with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan as a child, Alyson went on to star in the franchise's later films, including Step Up: All In.
A YouTube Star
As they got older, Alyson started to focus more on music. They've released a number of songs and corresponding music videos over the years, including "Powerless," "Woman" and "Back to Church."
A Powerful Singer
In 2018, Alyson also wrote a powerful essay forTeen Vogue in which they recalled falling in love with a woman. They've also opened up to their followers through music, including in their songs "Fool" and "When It's Right."