Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond Open Up About the Struggles They Faced as Child Stars

Nearly 40 years after Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond hosted their hit show, ‘Donny & Marie,’ the brother-sister duo are opening up in an exclusive interview with ‘Closer Weekly’ about the many hardships that came with being child stars.

“I think we still hold one of the world records for the youngest hosts on a television show,” Donny, who was 17 at the time, says in the new issue of ‘Closer Weekly.’

The siblings in December 1975.

Marie, 55, admits that 18-20 work days were not unusual. “When other celebrities came on the show, sometimes they wouldn’t know their stuff, so Donny and I were required to make up the time so we wouldn’t lose money,” Marie tells ‘Closer.’ “That was a lot of pressure.”

“We had a director who was a perfectionist,” Donny, 57, explains. “There were so many wonderful outtakes that weren’t used because he wanted it to be perfect. What I’ve learned over the years is that imperfection is perfection. You can’t make it too perfect to a point where it’s not real.”

Producers even criticized Marie for her weight, which piled on more stress. “I had producers take me out into the parking lot when I was 103 pounds and tell me that I was obese, disgusting and a disgrace to my family. That I needed to keep food out of my fat face,” Marie, who starved herself down to 97 pounds, reveals to ‘Closer.’ “This sent me on a head trip — that 250 people could lose their jobs because of me.”

The duo on the ‘Donny & Marie’ show in 1979.

But in the end, Donny says it was all worth the struggle. “I look back at my life as all these peaks and valleys, and ‘Donny & Marie’ happens to be a peak. The bad times dissipate and you only remember the good,” says Donny. “When I see those old clips, sometimes I cringe, but it still brings a nice big smile to my face.”

For the full interview with Donny and Marie, and all of the behind-the-scenes details from their show, pick up this week’s issue of ‘Closer Weekly,’ on newsstands now!

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