Demi Lovato recently reflected on her early career and how fame affected her bond with her younger sister, Madison De La Garza, who was also navigating her own challenges as a child actor.
Speaking on the Las Culturistas podcast on Oct. 22, Lovato admitted she wished she had been more protective of Madison when she was working on Desperate Housewives.
“At the time, I wish I had been a little bit more protective, to be honest. Because that role was, I think, really challenging for her at such a young age,” Lovato shared.
“And I had been distracted by my own stuff going on, unfortunately, and so I live with some regret in that aspect.”
De La Garza, now 23, portrayed Juanita Solis, the daughter of Eva Longoria’s character Gabrielle, from 2008 to 2012.
During those years, Lovato’s own career was skyrocketing with Camp Rock, Sonny with a Chance, and her first three albums.
While the sisters were both finding success, Lovato said she looks back now with a sense of guilt for not realizing how difficult Madison’s role could be at such a young age.
“I do have a little bit of regret because I think it was a difficult role for her,” Lovato explained.
“There was a lot of scrutiny in the show about her body and I hate that. But she’s so strong and she’s so amazing. She turned out so great and I’m so proud of her. She did incredible work on that show. She was iconic.”
Lovato, who is set to release her new album It’s Not That Deep on Oct. 24, added that her family was still adjusting to Hollywood life at the time.
“There’s only so much you can do,” she said, recalling how the family had just moved from Texas to Los Angeles and was still learning the ropes of the entertainment industry.
When hosts Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers reminded Lovato not to carry too much regret, she shared that she has since gained a deeper understanding of how the experience affected her sister.
“We talked about it in my Child Star documentary, and she opened up and was vulnerable with me then, and I think in that moment, that’s when I realized the effect the show had on her,” Lovato said.
“But I’ve always been protective over her. She’s my baby sister and she always will be.”
De La Garza appeared in Lovato’s Child Star documentary earlier this year, where she spoke candidly about how her time on Desperate Housewives and the public comments about her body took a toll.
She reflected on how those experiences connected with her family’s own struggles.
“I’m kind of realizing it now, but at the time, I don’t think any of us truly realized that what was happening with us was an eating disorder,” De La Garza said in the film.
“It makes me a little sad that this was something that we were all battling with individually while standing next to each other. Especially because that was originally the focus of my role on Desperate Housewives, and then eventually turned into the focus of my life.”
She also mentioned that because of their packed schedules, she and Lovato missed out on normal sibling moments.
“We didn’t get to enjoy summers as sisters,” she said, to which Lovato responded that she hopes they can “make up for lost time.”
Lovato’s reflections offered fans a heartfelt glimpse into her personal growth and her enduring bond with her sister, a relationship shaped by early fame, family challenges, and a shared resilience that both women continue to embrace.
