Maddie Ziegler Says ‘Dance Mom’ Producers Made Her Look Like A ‘Brat’

Former child dancer Maddie Ziegler shared how she feels about growing up on television. 

“I have blocked out so much of my childhood that I actually don’t know what my life was like before I was working,” Ziegler told High Low with EmRata podcast.

She also said that she doesn’t remember the things that she’s done as a child, even when other people post old videos of her dancing, calling the gap in memory a “weird” experience. 

As she recalled her childhood perfectionism, she talked about how she had to unlearn that mentality because she “was so hard on [herself].” The dancer-turned-actress won numerous awards and titles throughout her dance competition days. 

“They’re plastic trophies and crowns,” Ziegler said. “Where are they now? I don’t want anything to do with them. Why was I working so hard for those?” 

On being on Dance Moms, Ziegler recounted the times when producers would tell her to say certain things, which she thinks caused many of the show’s viewers to think of her as a “brat.”

“I remember we watched the first episode at a viewing party for like the launch of the show,” she recalled. “And I just cried because I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, everyone thinks I’m this b—. Like I’m not. I’m seven.'”

The now 20-year-old later shared a time when her mom, Melissa, apologized to her for putting her on a show as a young girl.

“Last year, I was having a really bad panic attack and things were coming up from the past, and she apologized to me,” Ziegler said. “She was like, ‘I’m so sorry I put you through that.'”

Ziegler then added how “sad” it was because they didn’t know “how crazy it would get.” She also explained that her mom tried to break their contract and pull out of the show, which they eventually succeeded at with the help of “Chandelier” singer, Sia. 

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When asked about her working style, Ziegler said, “I love to be at work. I love working so much.” 

Since ending her time at Dance Moms, Ziegler has thrown herself into the acting world and has starred in multiple films such as Ballerina, The Book of Henry, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. 

Ziegler was a top star for six seasons of Dance Moms from 2011 to 2016. The show itself ran for eight seasons and ended in September 2019.