Christina Ricci Reveals How Child Stardom Helped Her Escape From Her 'Narcissistic' Father

Christina Ricci has previously described being a child actor as an “escape” from her “horrendous” upbringing.

Ricci, who gained fame at age 11 for her role as Wednesday Addams in 1991’s "The Addams Family," quickly rose to stardom. She has also spoken in the past about experiencing child abuse within her family.

In Demi Lovato's new documentary, "Child Star," Christina Ricci is opening up further about her "very chaotic home" and her father’s "really crazy narcissism."

Sitting down with the former Disney Channel star, who also directed the new Hulu documentary, Christina Ricci let down her walls, opening up about her "very chaotic home" and her father who was "a failed cult leader."

"He had all that same sort of really crazy narcissism that goes along with someone who wants to run a cult," Ricci said before describing him as "physically violent."

The now 44-year-old said that while she "never had any peace in her house," she could "find peace on set."

“I knew nothing totally insane was about to happen [when on set]," she revealed. "Nobody was going to get really mad and pretend to drive a car into a wall."

It was a "refuge of emotional safety," the actress added.

Last year, Ricci told The Sunday Times that she “grew up in a very chaotic home. I was the youngest child. I was adorable, and I learned very early on that my ability to be adorable could diffuse things or distract people; I don’t feel the need to go into much more detail.”

She revealed that she had a “fake favorite color” during her childhood to prevent her real favorite belongings from being taken, explaining that “if you didn’t care [about something], you got to keep it.”

Christina Ricci’s parents separated when she was 13, and she has not had contact with her father since her teenage years. She has previously characterized her father, who once worked as a primal scream therapist, as a difficult person.

The "Distorted" actress has reflected on her early entry into the industry over the years, specifically when she sat down with Entertainment Tonight, revealing, “When I first started, and still as an adult, this career has always been an escape for me.”

“All the little things that sort of are negative about the industry and the career, they’ve always been things that I’ve just been like, ‘Well, real life is worse,'" she added.

Reflecting on her professional and personal experiences as a child in Hollywood, Ricci told The Sunday Times that this period may have influenced her adult choices that were not “100 percent” healthy.

She particularly mentioned her relationship with ex-husband James Heerdegen, whom she married in 2013 at age 33. In 2021, Ricci secured a restraining order against Heerdegen after filing for divorce a year earlier.

“I can’t speak for everyone, but it took me a long time to admit to myself what was going on, what it should be called,” she told the outlet. “Denial is very strong. Of course, you don’t want to accept that the worst possible thing is happening and that you put yourself in that situation. So it took me a really long time to realize that.”

Following the divorce, which Ricci described as involving “financial traumas, extended court situations, custody situations, fighting restraining orders,” the actress notes that she “learned to be a little bit more intelligent about my investments.”

“I burnt a lot of money on bags and shoes and jewelry when I was younger. You know, coming from no money and suddenly having money … So that was a mistake,” she said. “I don’t buy a ton of fashion. There are certain things that I have collected, certain bags. I had quite a Chanel handbag collection for a while, but I sold a lot of things.”

The actress states that she’s “absolutely doing fine, there’s no issue” after selling these items to address “certain traumas.” For her, it was an opportunity “to use these investment pieces in different ways.”

In the end, Ricci emphasizes that despite everything she’s been through, she doesn’t see herself as “a victim in any way.”

"Child Star" is streaming now on Hulu.