On Saturday, two-time Grammy nominee Demi Lovato made light of her well-earned sobriety during a two-hour virtual reunion with several castmates from her Disney Channel sitcom, Sonny with a Chance.
‘I went to rehab. Several times!’ the 27-year-old pop star – who starred as Sonny Munroe – joked.
At the tender age of 18, overworked Lovato left her own show in order to enter rehab in 2010, and the remaining cast continued on without her for season three which was then rebranded as So Random!
‘I went to rehab. Several times!’ On Saturday, two-time Grammy nominee Demi Lovato (M) made light of her well-earned sobriety during a two-hour virtual reunion with several castmates from her Disney Channel sitcom, Sonny with a Chance
Overworked: At the tender age of 18, the 27-year-old pop star (3-L) left her own show in order to enter rehab in 2010, and the remaining cast continued on without her for season three which was then rebranded as So Random!
‘When I left, you don’t expect your show to go on without you, but it did,’ Demi (born Demetria) admitted.
‘But I couldn’t have been happier for everybody…I just wasn’t in a period of time when I was ready to be on camera again. I could not go back into that environment and there were other things that factored into it.’
The New Mexico-born beauty was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while receiving treatment at Timberline Knolls in Illinois for a nervous breakdown, bulimia, self-harm, and addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
After rehab, Lovato moved into a sober-living facility in Los Angeles where she remained for over a year, and she stayed clean until her 2018 relapse and subsequent opioid overdose.
Lovato admitted: ‘When I left, you don’t expect your show to go on without you, but it did. But I couldn’t have been happier for everybody…I just wasn’t in a period of time when I was ready to be on camera again’
Recovery: Demi was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while receiving treatment at Timberline Knolls in Illinois for a nervous breakdown, bulimia, self-harm, and addictions to cocaine and alcohol
Sobriety battle: After rehab, the New Mexico-born beauty moved into a sober-living facility in Los Angeles where she remained for over a year, and she stayed clean until her 2018 relapse and subsequent opioid overdose (pictured April 16)
Demi was particularly inspired by co-star Tiffany Thorton, and she was later a bridesmaid at her Arkansas wedding to Chris Carney, who tragically died in a car accident in 2015.
‘When I went away to treatment for the first time, you were my biggest inspiration coming out of it because you dealt with all of those pressures of being a woman on TV,’ the homeschooled millennial explained.
‘I looked at that as, “I wish I had that so bad.” Yes, I probably was happier in my head with whatever I looked like at the time. But, I’m so much happier now with the mentality that you have. I look back now and I’m like, man, it’s a shame that we wasted any energy on what we wore on set.’
Devout Christians: Lovato was particularly inspired by co-star Tiffany Thorton (L), and she was later a bridesmaid at her Arkansas wedding to Chris Carney, who tragically died in a car accident in 2015
Demi gushed: ‘When I went away to treatment for the first time, you were my biggest inspiration coming out of it because you dealt with all of those pressures of being a woman on TV…I have moments all the time where I’m like, “Do I want to continue this? Or do I want to pull a Tiffany and move to Texas, have a family and have a farm?”‘
Played her rival Tawni Hart: The 34-year-old blonde Texan is now mother to sons Kenneth, 7; and Bentley, 6; from her first marriage and she has a 17-month-old daughter Juliet with second husband, worship pastor Josiah Capaci (pictured November 28)
Lovato continued: ‘I’m realizing that as I’ve gotten older because when I was young, when you start off in the industry as a 7-year-old, 8-year-old, you kind of value your self-worth with your success. I have moments all the time where I’m like, “Do I want to continue this? Or do I want to pull a Tiffany and move to Texas, have a family and have a farm?”‘
The 34-year-old blonde Texan – who played her rival Tawni Hart – is now mother to sons Kenneth, 7; and Bentley, 6; from her first marriage and she has a 17-month-old daughter Juliet with second husband, worship pastor Josiah Capaci.
As for why Demi used to keep her dressing room temperature at a sweltering 98F degrees: ‘I had an eating disorder and I was underweight and freezing!’
As for why the homeschooled millennial used to keep her dressing room temperature at a sweltering 98F degrees: ‘I had an eating disorder and I was underweight and freezing!’
Squad: Joining Lovato and Thorton via Zoom were Allisyn Ashley Arm Snyder, Sterling Knight, Dough Brochu, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Shayne Topp, Audrey Whitby, and Damien Haas
Trauma: The I’m Ready songstress missed and loves her castmates, but fans should not expect a fourth season since she ‘went through so much during that show that I would rather just start a whole new project with all of you’
Joining Lovato and Thorton via Zoom were Allisyn Ashley Arm Snyder, Sterling Knight, Dough Brochu, Matthew Scott Montgomery, Shayne Topp, Audrey Whitby, and Damien Haas.
The I’m Ready songstress missed and loves her castmates, but fans should not expect a fourth season since she ‘went through so much during that show that I would rather just start a whole new project with all of you.’
Disney+ subscribers in the States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can now stream both seasons of Sonny with a Chance as well as the sole season of So Random!
Nostalgia: Disney+ subscribers in the States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can now stream both seasons of Sonny with a Chance as well as the sole season of So Random!