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Hulu’s ‘Kid 90’: The Reality of Being a Child Star In the 90s

Photo courtesy of Hulu and Soleil Moon Frye.

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF SUICIDE.

Kid 90 is a documentary that was released on Hulu on March 12, 2021. It’s a documentary film that chronicles the life of actress Soleil Moon Frye. Frye took a camera everywhere she went when she was a child and teenager but ultimately put the footage away for over 2 decades.

The heart of Kid 90 is the discussion of what it was like to be a young actor in Hollywood during the 1990s. Frye started acting at the age of 2 and got her breakout role as the adorable Punky Brewster at the age of 7. Her life changed in an instant.

Along with the story of her life, Frye’s documentary includes footage of her with her friends Danny Boy O’Connor, David Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Brian Austin Green, Sara Gilbert, Jonathan Brandis, Harold Hunter, Leonardo DiCaprio, and more. The most heartbreaking part of the entire documentary was the end when it paid tribute to all of the young actors who lost their lives to suicide.

Frye talked about how difficult it was growing up as a teenage girl because she developed so early. The fact that she had to get breast reduction surgery at 13 is so sad.

Many of these moments in the documentary resonated with me because it’s amazing how things haven’t changed. Social media pressures young women and girls to look a certain way to fit societal standards. There’s so much pressure, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

This documentary serves as a time capsule for Generation X.

I enjoyed the editing. I liked how they flashed back and forth between Frye’s old video camera footage and the interviews. It felt nostalgic even for someone like me who was born in the late 90s.

It was one of the best documentaries I’ve watched because it wasn’t over-edited. It was raw, honest, and genuine. I highly recommend giving it a watch!

 

 

Kid 90 is streaming exclusively on Hulu.

Director: Soleil Moon Frye

Cast: Soleil Moon Frye, Danny Boy O’Connor, David Arquette, Balthazar Getty

Producer: Soleil Moon Frye

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