- You've probably heard my
story, Courtney Stodden,
the 16-year-old bride who
married a 51-year-old actor.
Maybe you remember the ridicule,
the outrage, the
late night jokes.
But what you think you know
is what some of the
media painted me to be.
The true story,
the real story is so much more
complicated and much worse.
[suspense music]
- I cannot believe this.
What happened, Courtney?
- I was just, I didn't
even look at them.
I was just minding
my own business
and they came at me again.
Why am I always in trouble?
I'm not the one
who starts the fight, mom.
- It's okay.
It's okay, honey,
it's not your fault.
[Courtney sobbing]
You know the best way
to deal with bullies?
Focus on God and the
amazing plan He has for you.
[bright music]
[car doors thudding]
[bright music]
And you are never going
back to that school.
- Ever?
- Ever.
[bright music]
[car revving]
[bright music]
Want me to do it up?
We could do a headband
like Audrey Hepburn
in "Two For The Road"
to cheer you up.
- Mom, it's fine.
- Oh, come on,
it's more than
fine, my beautiful.
[door thudding]
- Daddy.
- Hey baby girl.
I heard you had a
rough day at school.
- Oh, we are finished
with that school.
- No, no, she's still
gotta go to school.
- Oh, I'll find something else.
Yeah, we can homeschool her.
- Krista.
- You are gone, I am
the one who's here.
I am the one who are seeing-
- Here we go.
- what these kids do to
her every single day.
- So like, you just
want me to quit work?
Is that what you want
me to do?
- Wait.
[door banging]
[indistinct chattering]
- Dear Jesus, please.
I pray that I do
everything right
so my parents stop fighting
and stay together forever.
Please.
[door slamming]
[footsteps stomping]
[door thudding]
[footsteps stomping]
- He didn't say goodbye.
- He'll be back on
Friday night, as always.
Walk?
[footsteps stomping]
[ambient music]
You know that wasn't
your fault, right?
We love you very, very much.
- I know, mom.
- We just do it differently.
See, it's your daddy's
job to protect you,
but it's my job to prepare you.
Sometimes those things are not-
- Mom, don't cry.
- It's okay baby.
I just want so
much more for you,
for us.
[ambient music]
Promise me,
when you move to Hollywood,
you'll get one of
those really big houses
that has the little
baby house in the back.
So the husband and wife
live in the big house,
but the mother-in-law lives in
the small house, very close.
If you ever move,
if you ever leave me,
that is what I want.
- I knew right then and there
that it was all up to me.
I knew I had to grow up fast
and find a way out
of Ocean Shores.
I want some more of that
Can I have some more of that
I really like it like that
It's hot like that
I want some more
- I decided to pray on it, and
you know what, it worked out,
like it always does.
I want some more of that
- Do I know that song?
- Oh, that's my
daughter Courtney.
She writes her own music,
she has such a gift for it.
What I wouldn't have given
to be able to express myself
like that when I was her age.
I was just too busy surviving.
Courtney, this is Aurora.
- Hi Courtney.
- Hi.
- Have you thought about
getting her into modeling?
- Oh, she has her heart
set on music, and she's 12.
- Teen models are
always in demand.
I have a friend at an agency.
I could introduce you,
just say the other word.
- I'll ask her.
- [Courtney]
Everything in me hoped
that modeling would be my golden
ticket out of Ocean Shores.
But the moment I said
yes, a battle began.
A battle between
my mother's need
to protect me from the world
and her desire to give me the
life she always dreamed of.
- Have faith, Courtney.
[suspense music]
You're doing great, Courtney.
Isn't she?
[suspense music]
- If I tell you a secret,
promise not to tell
the rest of them?
[suspense music]
You belong here.
You got something special that
can't be taught or bought,
so just be yourself, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
[bright music]
[camera clicking]
[bright music]
Perfect.
[bright music]
Great. Oh, very nice. Yes.
[Courtney giggling]
- And they said, "I
might get asked back
for the next one too."
Look.
- [Krista] Look
at our little girl
- Honey. A little girl?
Tell that to the person that
put her in those shorts.
- The wardrobe lady
gave those to me.
- What do you expect her to
wear at the gym? A snow suit?
- It works for me, yeah.
- This is just the beginning.
The whole world is
gonna know her name,
I promise you.
[Courtney giggling]
- And they said they want
me to compete Pageants.
- What pageants?
- The organizers keep
calling, they saw her photos,
said, "She'd do really well."
[Alex laughing]
- Okay. How much is
this gonna cost us?
And I thought you
wanted to be a singer.
- Well, I mean, I can do both.
- Yeah. Who wouldn't wanna be
the next Miss Ocean Shores?
- Me. Me.
I would not want to be the
next Miss Ocean Shores.
[ambient music]
- Pageants taught me
poise and confidence.
They taught me that a
winner looks like an adult,
even if she's still a child.
[ambient music]
And a winner stands up straight,
puts a smile on her face,
and gets out there
no matter what.
I am going to win
the pageant today.
Going to win the pageant.
[ambient music]
- You look wonderful.
[Courtney giggling]
You ready?
- Yeah.
They promised winning pageants
would open doors for me.
The only doors I ever saw open
were the ones my
mother kicked out.
- Mom, we can't just
walk in there. No.
- Hi, I'm Krista Stodden,
and this is my
daughter, Courtney.
- Hello [giggling].
- Hi.
- You may have
read today's paper,
if you weren't already aware,
she's our very own
Miss Ocean Shores.
She is a smart, beautiful,
devout Christian with the
singing voice of an angel,
the very definition
of a rising star.
And yes, I might be her
mother and I might be biased,
but look at her.
You couldn't ask for a more
positive representative
of our community.
Now, I may not have a degree
in television production
or management,
but even I can see that
your television programming
completely overlooks
the youth market.
What you need is a show
that highlights the events,
businesses, charities
from the point of view of
the younger generation.
The solution,
"The Courtney Stodden Show."
[upbeat music]
- [Director] Cameras
are set, and action.
- So your grand
opening is this Friday?
- Yes, from 10 to four.
- And you're offering
special discounts that day?
- We are.
Everyone's welcome,
you too, of course.
Join us for some
complimentary champagne.
- Oh no, I'm only 15.
- What?
- That's Friday, just
across from the post office.
Come out and support our
newest local business.
Then next week, join
us at Lou's Car Wash
as we raise funds
for animal rescue.
- [Director] And we're out.
And cut.
- [Courtney] My success
was our success.
While other kids my age
were learning algebra,
I was attending an
online Christian academy,
making content for MySpace.
- [Krista] Courtney, are
you doing your homework?
- Yes.
Modeling myself after my
favorite Baywatch idols
and watching the Victoria's
Secret fashion show
for inspiration.
- [Krista] Are you
doing your homework?
- [Courtney] Yes.
Turned your road
Upside down
I feel it now
Yeah, there's no disguise
You know I la-La,
la-la, la-la
la-La, love you
- Love your hat.
- [Pastor] And after a while,
the Lord spoke to my heart
and I reformed and said,
God, help me, God help me,
God help me.
- [Courtney] One day
when the time comes,
I know I will make
different parenting choices,
but I will always
defend my child
just as fiercely
as my mother did.
- If they have a problem
with my daughter,
they have a problem with me.
- Mrs. Stoddon, please.
- That Herreras girl,
the one that got the
science scholarship,
you do realize her dress
was showing just as much.
- It's really not the same.
- Isn't it?
- No. The way your
daughter carries herself.
- I've always taught my daughter
to walk into a room
like God put her there.
I wonder if anyone
would complain
if I had a son with
that much confidence.
- Please understand, we
have several parishioners,
specifically men who
I'm sorry to say,
are dealing with
addiction to p*rn*graphy.
- May the Lord give
them the strength
to conquer their demons.
- We are gonna have to
ask you and your daughter
to worship elsewhere.
[sad music]
- Courtney, let's go.
[sad music]
We'll find a church that
actually understands
the meaning of grace.
[sad music]
[footsteps stomping]
- [Director] And action.
- Next week we'll
be spotlighting
Miss Mimi's Oodles and
Poodles Couture Clothing Line.
Gotta keep those poodles warm.
Till next time...
- Great.
- Can I talk to you
for just a second?
- Sure.
- I'm afraid we are not going
to continue airing your show.
- What? Why?
Don't you see the good it's
doing for the community?
- Oh. Oh. I'm not denying that.
- You wanna know something?
Everywhere we go, people
recognize Courtney.
They come up to us,
Thank her for how much
they love the show.
- Well, you are right,
People do love the show,
but mostly men,
women tend to lean strongly
in the other direction.
We've gotten a lot of calls.
- You're canceling
my daughter's show
because women are
jealous of her.
- I don't think
that's the issue.
- Okay.
Courtney, let's go.
We're done.
[sad music]
[footsteps stomping]
[car doors clacking]
You realize what just
happened in there, don't you?
- My show just got canceled.
- You just outgrew this town.
I mean, do you really think
you're gonna get a recording
deal sitting in there,
interviewing some local
woman about a new line
of poodle sweaters?
- Probably not.
- Probably not.
But what you have now is
loads of on-camera experience
and that is what counts.
You know what we need?
- I'm kind of afraid to ask.
- An investor.
Someone who can pay
for the vocal coach,
and the recording
studio, and the demo,
and whatever else we need
to take your career
to the next level.
Someone who believes in
your God-given talent
just as much as I do.
- And how are we
gonna find that?
- Win the day with
faith, Courtney.
Win the day with faith.
[upbeat music]
When Peter told us
that your passion
is investing in up
and coming artists,
I just had a feeling you would
understand what it would take
to nurture a young
talent like Courtney.
- It's not an easy business.
Are you sure you're
ready for it?
- I think so.
- You know, I've always thought
that a vocal coach
couldn't hurt.
- Even Celine Dion and Beyonce,
they had vocal coaches.
- Yeah.
- Courtney's a natural,
though, of course.
- Certainly is.
Yep. She could come up
to my studio in Monterey,
spend a few weeks,
and I'll introduce her to all
the best people in the biz.
She'll be fighting off
recording offers in no time.
- Here's my offer,
you're gonna take your hand
off my daughter right now,
and then we're gonna
walk out of here
and you are never going
to contact us again.
How does that sound?
Let's go.
And we're taking these.
Put these on his bill, please.
- Why is everybody so awful?
- Come here.
[ambient music]
God will show us the way.
[ambient music]
- I don't wanna say
you're our last hope,
but you know I trust you.
- Well, I would hope so,
after what, 20 how many years?
[Krista laughing]
- Now I know you've seen
how talented Courtney is,
and I know you believe
in her just like I do.
So if you have any ideas.
- Well, I have one.
[indistinct chattering]
His name is Doug Hutchison.
He was in "The Green Mile."
Remember the prison guard?
- "Dead Man Walking."
- That's him.
- Wow. "Lost."
"Law and Order."
11 seasons on "The
Guiding Light."
I used to love that show.
- See who this guy
he's worked with?
He knows everybody.
I went to a party
at his house in LA,
we talked a bit.
He teaches an acting program
called The Art of Stillness,
and he has connections in
the music industry too.
This could be a great launching
pad for you, Courtney.
You could learn a lot.
It could change your life.
- Mom, what do you think?
- Well, now here's the thing,
he only takes on a limited
number of new students.
Courtney, I told
him all about you.
I showed him your
work, your photos,
and I think he might
be willing to help.
- I told you God
would show us the way.
Tim, Tim.
Ugh.
- My pleasure.
- Ugh. Thank you.
- Yes.
- Good luck.
- After fending off creeps
who had no real interest in
helping me with my career,
Doug Hutchinson seemed to be
the answer to our prayers.
A true Hollywood insider, a
professional working actor,
and a friend to one of
my mom's oldest friends.
What should I say?
- Say hi.
This is Courtney.
- This is Courtney.
- I got your information
from Tim Wilson
who told us, me, told me
about your Art of Stillness,
and I would like to
know more about it.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Okay.
- Great.
Perfect.
- Courtney, I am very
impressed by your portfolio.
- Of course he is.
- I'd love to get
to know you more
and find out how I can
help with your career.
What should I say?
What should I say?
- Maybe tell him thank you
and that you are so
grateful for his help.
[bright music]
[mouse clicking]
[bright music]
- Mom.
Why don't you come
down here to LA
and we can do some Art of
Stillness classes in person.
- Courtney, you need to
tell him to gimme a call.
She's only 16, Doug.
One-six. 16.
I am not at all comfortable
with her coming
to LA on her own.
So I'm not sure how you schedule
your Art of Stillness classes,
but if you can work with
her from Washington,
maybe we can set up some times.
Okay.
Thank you.
- What'd he say?
- Well, I thought
you were in your 20s.
Tim told him I
was 16, didn't he?
So what now?
- He's ready to get to work.
Start helping you right away.
- Really?
- Yes.
[Courtney and Krista screaming]
- Oh my God.
[Courtney and Krista laughing]
Can we talk about
grooming for a second?
[ambient music]
Not that kind of grooming.
The other kind.
The kind that leaves
permanent scars.
The kind that starts off slow,
so slow that you don't even
realize it's happening.
[ambient music]
He's just asking me
lots of questions
like what's my favorite color?
What three items would I want
on a desert island, you know?
He says, "It's a way
to get to know who I am
and help him figure out how we
can do the Art of Stillness."
- Print out all of his emails.
I wanna make sure he is
not being inappropriate.
- Mom, seriously?
There are so many.
- Well, then we're
gonna need more paper.
[Courtney chuckling]
[printer whooshing]
- After months of
building trust with me,
he started testing the waters.
He would walk right
up to the line
but be careful not
to step over it.
[email beeping]
[footsteps stomping]
What do I think about ab*rtion?
[suspense music]
He called me his
star girl, his angel.
I felt special.
I felt seen.
It wasn't until years later,
I realized the whole time
I was a lobster swimming
in a nice warm bath
while the temperature
was slowly turned up,
and not just on me.
[footsteps stomping]
How close do you live
to the Hollywood sign?
Oh my God, are you serious?
[footsteps stomping]
- What do you want star girl?
- Like right now?
- Now, tomorrow, forever.
What do you want outta life?
- I know what I don't want now.
- Okay, well then
tell me that, angel.
- I don't really wanna
do pageants anymore.
- You don't have to.
I'll make sure of it.
I have a friend, he's
a music producer.
We'll get you in
the studio with him
and then we'll bring
your whole family to LA.
I'll handle everything, you
don't have to worry about it.
- You'd do that for me?
- Yeah.
You know, why don't you?
- Not really [giggling].
- Because I love you.
I just...
I just love you.
You're my star girl.
Aren't you gonna say anything?
- Me too [giggling].
- Me too what?
- I think I love
you too [giggling].
- I will wait for you,
and when you are 18 we
can be together forever.
But until then,
I need to tell your
mother that we're in love.
[suspense music]
[tap water rippling]
- Mom?
- Hmm?
- It's Doug, he
needs to talk to you.
- Oh, okay.
Hello.
- [Doug] Hi,
Krista. How are you?
- Well, I'm excited to
hear about the plans
you all have been making.
I hear there's a music producer
interested in meeting Courtney?
- [Doug] This might
come as a shock to you,
but I'm in love
with your daughter.
[suspense music]
- Doug...
I know.
I've been paying attention,
reading every single word
you have written to Courtney.
I can feel your love for her
and the love that
she has for you.
- [Courtney] In her mind,
he was my chosen protector.
In her mind, Hollywood
had told us for years
that a big age gap
was totally fine
as long as one of
them was a celebrity.
[Courtney and Krista giggling]
- Oh, if he's gonna get
your career off the ground
and you're gonna be a
Hollywood power couple,
it feels like a shame
for you to have to wait.
In some states, it is
legal to get married at 16
with parental consent.
If this is what you really want.
[suspense music]
Yeah, it is
[suspense music]
Yeah, right?
- It's not gonna happen.
- Little late for that, Alex,
it's been happening for months.
- What do we know
about this guy?
Outside the fact he's
how much older than me?
- He loves her.
- Oh, please.
- He cares about
her and her career.
He wants the same things
for her that we do.
He wants her to be happy.
He promised me that he
would take care of her,
and I believe him.
- It sounds like the
decision's already been made.
- He's coming up here-
- I'm still part
of this family.
- next week.
If it doesn't feel right-
- But it doesn't feel right.
- Please daddy.
Please just give him a chance.
- Honey, look.
Look at me in the eye
and tell me this is
what you really want.
[suspense music]
- It's what I want.
[suspense music]
[car door slamming]
- I know it's okay.
He'll come around.
He will.
Once he sees the two of you, oh.
Okay, I promise you.
I promise you. I'll talk to him.
I will.
[ambient music]
- That's him?
[Krista chuckling]
He was old, much older than
the decades old headshot
that I'd be staring
up for months.
- My star girl.
- This is-
- [Courtney] And he was short.
The sides of his face were
bruised from face lift scars
that hadn't quite yet healed,
yet none of it mattered.
He had already convinced me
that he was my knight in
shining armor, and I was all in,
and so was my mother.
[Krista chuckling]
- [Krista] Hi.
[Courtney and Krista giggling]
Welcome.
At last.
- Yeah.
- Alex.
- Oh here Courtney,
- Nice to meet you.
[Courtney and Krista giggling]
[pop music]
Hey, Alex, do you mind if we-
- Yeah. Hey honey, would you
grab a table for us, please?
- Oh, of course.
- Thank you.
- What are they talking about?
- Are you so excited?
He is so cute.
- They were outside for
no more than five minutes.
I don't know what
Doug said to my father
but it must have been one
Oscar worthy performance.
What does one man say to another
to convince him to hand over
his 16-year-old daughter?
- And I go to the bathroom
and I'm just overwhelmed
by this awful smell,
and out walks Tom Hayes.
[Krista gasping]
So-
- Tom Hayes.
- That's when I realized,
you know, listen,
all of these big actors, they're
just normal human beings.
And so I stopped being
nervous from that day forward.
[upbeat music]
- Oh, I love this song.
- Next time it's gonna be
your song playing here.
- Her song will be
playing everywhere.
- [Courtney] At some point,
my dad must have felt
he only had two choices,
approve my marriage or lose me.
Either way, he was giving
up his little girl.
[footsteps stomping]
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
- You probably recognize
him from "The Green Mile"
or a number of other-
- Mom.
- award winning TV shows
- and movies.
- Please.
- Let's see what they
have to say about you now.
[bright music]
- My star girl.
- Oh, your purse, here.
You're gonna need your purse.
Have fun you two.
[bright music]
[ocean water rippling]
- My mom has never let me
out of the house unsupervised
with a boy before.
[Courtney giggling]
- She knows tonight is special.
- Why is that?
- Do you want to take those off?
- Oh, no, no, I've got it.
- There's something
I need to tell you.
My career is going really well,
but being an actor isn't always-
- What is it?
- I only have about
$50,000 to my name.
- What do you mean only?
That's more money than
I've ever seen in my life.
Is it that you need
me to sign something
to say that I'm not after
money because I totally will.
- God, I love you.
I love you.
No, I don't need you
to sign anything.
Courtney, you're my star girl.
You're my angel.
Nothing like this has ever
happened to me before.
I can't believe our love
story is coming true.
Will you marry me?
- Yes.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
Oh my God.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
[bright music]
I'm gonna win the pageant.
Here's what I remember
most about my wedding day,
do not step on the carpet.
It was against the law
for me to step even
one toe on the carpet,
the gambling area of the
hotel before the age of 21.
I couldn't touch a slot machine,
I couldn't order a Mai Tai.
But at 16 years old,
it was totally okay
for me to get married.
I just needed the
consent of a parent.
[ambient music]
The whole day I was numb,
like I was a
passenger on a train
that was going way too fast
and there was nothing
I could do about it.
- [Wedding Pastor] I now
pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
[classic wedding music]
[camera clicking]
[classic wedding music]
[ambient music]
- [Courtney] I was ashamed
of my 16-year-old body.
I looked like a
child because I was.
I looked nothing like
the women I idolized.
And now on our wedding night,
there was no way of hiding it.
[piano music]
- There's my star girl.
- That's really beautiful,
I didn't know you
could play like that.
- There's a lot you
don't know about me.
You ready?
[suspense music]
[Courtney sobbing]
[suspense music]
[suspense music]
There you are, Mrs. Hutchinson.
[suspense music]
[Courtney giggling]
[suspense music]
Hey, hey, it's okay.
It's okay.
- I closed my eyes and
waited for it to be over.
There was one
thing to be married
but quite another
to consummate it.
[birds chirping]
All I knew about the
birds and the bees
was what the church taught me.
That if I couldn't find evidence
of my innocence on the sheets,
that I'm a horrible person and
I'm going straight to hell.
I didn't even know
what I was looking for,
and then I found it.
[Courtney gasping]
Doug.
Doug.
Thank God, thank you Jesus.
Doug.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
- I know.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
[ambient music]
- My ticket to heaven.
Proof, or so I believed, that
I was good enough for him.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
At last, I was ready to
be the good little wife,
but my nightmare
had only just begun.
I dreamed of being
an old Hollywood wife
like June Cleaver,
perfect dress, perfect hair,
perfect house, perfect life.
My husband had other ideas.
- [Doug] Courtney.
Courtney.
Don't forget to do the dishes.
- Okay.
[ambient music]
[tap water rippling]
[Doug screaming]
Wait, I'm coming.
[footsteps stomping]
Hey, what? What is it?
Hey, wait, wait,
wait. Tell me, what?
- It's my brother.
- What, is he okay?
Oh my God, Doug.
- I've lost...
I've lost my whole
family over this, us.
They don't understand our love,
none of them do.
- It's okay.
We have each other.
- You're my angel.
You're my star girl.
[footsteps stomping]
Oh.
[door slamming]
- You approve, sir?
- Absolutely, I do.
[Courtney giggling]
This is our family now.
Just you and me. This us.
Let's forget about
everybody else
and have the perfect night.
I want to show off my
angel to the whole world.
[Courtney giggling]
I want to take care of you.
And if I can get the
rights to this book
and produce the movie myself,
I will have so much more
control over the final product.
Now, my vision for the
lead character may not be-
- I love it here.
- Don't you ever interrupt
me when I'm speaking.
- [Courtney] Until that moment,
he'd never been anything but
sweet and gentle with me.
His kindness faded and
something else crept in.
This wasn't the man
I fell in love with,
the man that I married.
[door slamming]
- Which one are you?
Schoolgirl A, or schoolgirl B?
[suspense music]
- Which one do
you want me to be?
- I want you to be the bad girl.
[suspense music]
- Okay.
- Go on, take it.
Go get ready.
[footsteps stomping]
[door slamming]
[ambient music]
- I learned to be a good wife.
Any career aspirations I had
were put on the back burner.
[ambient music]
[Courtney sobbing]
Hi.
Yeah, I'm fine.
No, everything's...
No, I just, just need my mom.
[Courtney giggling]
[bright music]
- Hi. Hi.
This is so beautiful, Court.
- No guest house though.
- Oh, you remembered.
- Of course I did.
I miss you so much.
- Oh, it's only
been a few weeks.
Are you okay? You good?
We'll talk.
- Hey, Krista.
- Hi.
You taking care of our girl?
- Always. Always.
- Oh wow.
This is incredible.
Wow. Oh, you good?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Okay.
[footsteps stomping]
[Krista and Courtney laughing]
So is he introducing
you to people?
Setting up meetings
with music producers?
- Not yet, but yeah, not really.
- Well, he needs to get on that.
And there's room enough in
this house for two celebrities.
Tell him or I'll tell him.
Your career isn't
gonna launch itself.
- Can we go shopping
while you're here?
- Of course.
Oh, I can't wait to hear about
all the Hollywood
parties you're going to,
and all of the fabulous
outfits you get to wear.
- And the walk of fame.
- Absolutely.
Everything else okay?
How do you like being
an old married lady?
[Courtney giggling]
- He's different
than he was at first.
- Well, you only knew him
online and on the phone.
You barely had any
time together in person
before you got married.
Living together is
a huge adjustment.
And sometimes as we get to
know people, we start to see-
- Well, sometimes he's angry.
[ambient music]
- You have to
understand, Courtney,
men have hormonal cycles
a lot like women do.
Do you remember what it
was like with your dad?
He would get angry over
the silliest things.
That's what men do.
They can't help it.
So the best thing
that we can do,
and that you can do for
Doug, is to be patient.
Trust God, and know that
everything is gonna be okay.
- Okay.
You're right.
[indistinct chattering]
[post box clanking]
[gate clanking]
[paper rustling]
sl*t?
[dramatic music]
[cameras clicking]
[dramatic music]
Doug.
- [Doug] Good morning.
- What is happening?
- Looks like the world found out
about her wedding, star girl.
- What? No.
Why?
Mom.
Mom.
[dramatic music]
Mom.
- Courtney, you're everywhere.
Look.
Ah, "The Green Mile"
actor, Doug Hutchison, 51,
married 16-year-old, aspiring
singer, Courtney Stoddon,
in Las Vegas.
Look how pretty you are.
- Why do they care about this?
And how do they
know where we live?
- Well, Doug's a celebrity
and now you are too.
- They're sending me hate mail.
- Oh, look, this
site picked it up.
And this one, and this one.
Oh, this is a new one.
Oh, can you believe?
Wow.
- This is insane.
- [Courtney] At the time, I
never asked how did this happen?
How did details about my
private life become public?
It's not like I married an
actor with a recognizable name
and somebody spotted the
marriage registration.
No, the story leaked because
somebody wanted it to.
Maybe I never asked who did it
because the answer
would've broken me.
- Well, I hope that you would,
you could reconsider maybe.
Okay. Look, look,
look, look, look,
maybe when things calm down.
Yeah. Thanks.
Yep.
Thank... Yeah. Thank you.
- What happened?
- My agent, my manager, work
I had coming up, it's gone.
It's all gone.
- Why? They knew
you got married.
- Of course they did.
- [Courtney] But you
didn't tell them my age.
- This isn't right.
- You would not believe
how this is blowing up.
- Stripping at
12, married at 16.
wh*re, how much for an hour?
Mom, this is bad.
- No, don't you worry.
In Hollywood, all publicity
is good publicity.
- No, please stop.
- My career is over, you
understand that right?
25-year career, done.
- This will all blow over
and people will forget.
[footsteps stomping]
In the meantime, you are
the hottest couple in town.
- Mom, please.
- What?
It's good. You're celebrity.
- Should I go?
- No, leave him.
Yeah, this is great.
- Okay.
- You're a star.
[ambient music]
- Bye.
Overnight I'd gone
from June Cleaver
to the world's punching bag.
Some media decided who I was
and the world believed them.
The lie was more entertaining,
more profitable for
them than the truth.
That's how freak shows work.
Why are people so mean?
- Ignore it.
Don't worry about that.
[cameras clicking]
[footsteps stomping]
Well, hey, whoa, whoa,
slow down, slow down.
Look. No.
Yeah, it sounds good,
but let me review the offer
and get back to you. Yeah.
Yep. Thank... Yep. Thank you.
- Who was that?
- Another late-night offer.
- I don't wanna do this.
I don't wanna sit there
and smile on TV while the
whole world laughs at us.
- How else do you think
we're gonna make money now?
[suspense music]
- I mean, I just, I don't
know, I just love him
and well, age is just a number.
And yeah, I really, I
really believe that.
[Doug and Courtney giggling]
The focus was almost
entirely on me.
Not Doug. Me.
A-list celebrities
sl*t-shaming a minor,
telling me to k*ll myself.
You know what nobody was asking?
Why is it still legal
for 16 year olds
to get married in
the first place?
And as young as
13 in some states.
It's called child
marriage for a reason.
But sure, let's make a joke
about it on late-night TV.
- [Krista] I'm worried
about you, Courtney.
I don't have to tell you
there are some awful
people out there
just waiting to take advantage.
I wish I was there
to keep you safe.
- Me too, mom.
Me too.
- [Krista] I'm
serious, Courtney.
Maybe I should be your manager.
[Courtney giggling]
- My momager.
What sounded like an absurd idea
suddenly made the
most sense to me.
- Thank you.
- What's daddy gonna do
without you for a while?
- I only saw him on
the weekends anyway.
- Yeah, but still.
- He'll be fine, he always is.
[ambient music]
What about the
event on Thursday?
- The one in Century
City pays more.
- Oh, wow.
That is going to be a long day.
- Mmh.
- But who needs sleep anyway?
[upbeat music]
Are you ready for it
- [Courtney] Most of the offers
coming in were just for me,
Doug didn't like that.
He and my mom
handled the bookings.
He handled the money.
At 16 I was the breadwinner
for all three of us.
- All right, we're gonna thank
you all. Thank you so much.
That's enough. Thank you.
They'll only pay you if
you stay for an hour,
then you need to go straight
to the party on sunset.
And at some point you need
to take a photo with this,
preferably at the Malibu event.
- Got it.
Lipstick. Malibu.
- Didn't you ever
teach your daughter
how to clean up after herself?
- She's a teenager,
what did you expect?
[indistinct rock music]
Oh, Courtney, is that
really what you're wearing?
- The media's already
labeled me a sl*t.
So that is what they will get.
[footsteps stomping]
[indistinct rock music]
It's something special
about you dare I say unique
Must be magic in your
makeup, yeah, you're so sleek
Follow me as I
run into the night
Hey now, care free,
maybe lets ride
We hit the streets,
top cruising downtown
About to roll up
and then we roll out
- [Doug] I am the one you should
be looking at, nobody else.
- I wasn't talking
to anyone, I swear.
- I gave up everything for you.
My family, my
career, everything.
And the least you could do,
the absolute bare minimum
is show me the respect
that I deserve.
- But I was with
you the whole time.
- [Doug] Shut up.
[Courtney crying]
[dramatic music]
[Courtney crying]
[dramatic music]
- I did what I was
told, every single day.
I was afraid to say no.
At 16 years old, sedatives and
alcohol were my best friends.
I hid the truth from my mother.
I didn't wanna disappoint her.
But in the middle of
the night, I was free.
I'd just walk and
walk, nobody knew me.
Nobody wanted a thing from me.
I'd find a place where I was
safe and I'd hide like a rat.
And I'd pray, even if
I was no longer sure
anybody was listening.
- What's going on?
- Tell her, Krista.
Go ahead, tell her.
- I...
No, I can't be a part of this.
- Mom.
[footsteps stomping]
What did you do?
- You shouldn't trust her.
- She's my mother.
- She's in love with me.
- What?
There's no way.
- Go ahead, go, go ask her.
- She wouldn't do that to me.
She wouldn't do that to my dad.
- You sure about that?
Oh my God, Have you two...
- No, of course not.
- Well, what she actually
said, I'm in love with you?
- No, she said that she's
becoming emotionally attached.
- You're her son-in-law,
of course, she's
emotionally attached.
- You're seriously gonna keep
trusting your career to her?
She doesn't have your
best interest at heart.
She wants your fame,
your husband, your money.
She wants your life.
God. Can't you see
what's going on?
She's the problem, not me.
I'm the one who loves you.
I'm the one who's
here to protect you.
I'm the one who's here
to look out for you.
No one else is gonna
do that for you, angel.
It's just me.
[ambient music]
[footsteps stomping]
- I want to support
you, you know that.
I just think it may be
healthier for all of us
if we're not sharing-
- Mom.
- the same space.
- Mom, please.
- I am still here as your
mom and your manager,
I just cannot be here.
I love you, don't ever let him
convince you that's not true.
[ambient music]
[Courtney crying]
- [Courtney] I'll never
really know everything,
but what I do know is
that Doug was a master
at making me believe he was
the only person I could trust,
the only voice that mattered.
And so we slipped back
into his version of normal.
But whenever I could
break free, I did.
And the more I tried to live,
the more it drove him Crazy.
[cameras clicking]
[ambient music]
- You could have looked away,
or you could've, I don't know,
held up your wedding ring
and said, I'm married.
There were like what,
like a dozen cameras at you?
You seriously think I want
to go on Radar tomorrow
and see pictures of some guy
with his arm around my wife?
Tell me what man would
be okay with that.
What man would be
okay with that?
I better not see one picture
of that guy's face. Not one.
- [Neighbor] Man, shut up.
- I hope you never forget
because I sure as
hell won't be able to
for the rest of my life
that I gave up
everything for you.
Everything.
What I want to know is,
where's my thank you, star girl?
[suspense music]
[footsteps stomping]
[suspense music]
[suspense music]
[knuckles banging]
- What?
- [Doug] Read it?
[footsteps stomping]
[paper rustling]
- Big Brother?
- [Doug] "Celebrity Big
Brother UK edition."
They want you and the
money's pretty good.
- Yeah. And you're going to
let me go to the UK, as if.
- [Doug] I'm going with you.
[dramatic music]
[indistinct chattering]
- [Courtney] Despite everything,
I was terrified to be
away from him. Terrified.
Call it Stockholm
Syndrome, if you like,
but the moment I stepped through
the "Celebrity Big Brother"
door, it felt like a gift.
It was summer camp, and college,
and a holiday with friends
all rolled into one.
All the things you miss out
on when you're married at 16.
And I realized that I
could be happy without him.
[ambient music]
- Oh, I missed you baby.
- Yeah.
- How are you?
- Good.
- I don't love you anymore.
- What?
- I don't love you anymore.
- You don't mean that.
- I do.
- You don't mean that.
I love you more than
anyone I've ever loved
or ever will love in this world.
- Do you really?
Or is that just a role
that you're playing?
- You are...
Courtney, you're
breaking my heart,
and you think I'm acting?
This is real.
This is real.
This is forever.
- Not anymore.
You're just upset because
you're losing your prize.
- Please. You're tired.
It's the jet lag.
We'll go back to bed,
and in a few hours we'll wake up
and everything will go
back to the way it was.
We could go to counseling,
please, we are a team.
You're my angel, please.
Our story does
not end like this.
- I moved into the guest room
until I could figure
out where to go.
Our standoff began.
We avoided each
other for months,
but it was better
than the alternative.
[upbeat music]
Every night I tried to make
up for my lost teenage years.
- Why the hell aren't
you b*tches dancing?
- Oh here, this is yours.
- Okay.
- To what?
- To love.
- And hate.
- To both.
- Love and hate.
- Shut up and drink.
[upbeat music]
- I love this song. Let's go.
Devil's on your shoulder now
Save all your
regrets for later
Wearing you down
Come my way
Let the-
- [Reporter] Courtney.
Courtney. Courtney.
Where's Doug?
- I don't know, I don't care.
Where are we going now?
- To bed. I'm done.
- Me too. We'll take you home.
- No, I don't wanna go home.
- [Felix] No.
- Hey, what parties
are happening tonight?
- I know of a place
on Laurel Canyon.
- No.
- We love you.
- I love you.
- You good?
- Let's go.
Bye.
- Bye.
- Let's go.
- I have my motorcycle
over there.
- Party.
I was 19, naive, and stupid,
but I was in control of my
own life for the first time.
He doesn't quite know what
to do with my courage.
He's playing with it.
- I'd feel better if
you were out of there.
- It's fine for now.
Till I figure things out.
How's dad?
- You know, your dad
and I hadn't been happy
for a long time.
- I know.
- It's for the best.
And he'll see that
too, eventually.
- It's my fault.
If you hadn't moved out
here to help me, then-
- Oh.
We could spend our whole lives
dwelling on the what ifs.
Or we could trust that God
has a bigger plan for us.
[sad music]
- [Courtney] I was cautious
about what I told her.
Stories leaked online about
things only she would know,
I suspected it was her way
of trying to protect me
by publicly shaming Doug.
But at that moment,
he wasn't the one
I needed to be protected from.
[upbeat music]
[footsteps stomping]
[upbeat music]
- Whoa, whoa,
whoa, are you okay?
Here.
- Thank you.
Usually I blame the shoes,
but this time I think
it was the operator.
- Travis.
- Courtney.
- How do you know Marty?
- Actually, I don't.
I came here with
my friend Carolyn.
I think she left
about 10 minutes ago.
I'm looking for-
- Oh yeah, ladies' room.
Yeah, it's down the hall and...
Here, I'll show you.
- You know, I didn't think
this was the kind of party
where I could just kick my
heels off and run up the stairs.
- You'd be surprised.
Give it a half hour.
[Courtney laughing]
- Okay.
And here you go.
- Thank you.
- Not a sound, got it?
Half the people downstairs
owe their careers to me,
a couple of them, their lives.
You go ahead and try to
tell anybody about this,
see what happens.
[dramatic music]
[suspense music]
[Courtney crying]
[suspense music]
[Courtney crying]
[footsteps stomping]
- What did you expect?
This is what happens
when you're not with me.
When I'm not there
to protect you.
Look, if you're looking for
somebody else to save you,
I promise you,
there is nobody else.
[sad music]
- [Courtney] I married him.
[Doug and Courtney laughing]
Again.
- Oh.
- You got it.
[Doug and Courtney laughing]
I know.
It gets worse.
After we got remarried,
Doug started pulling
the strings again.
Isolating me from everyone I
loved, including my mother,
right in a time when
I needed her the most.
- So now I'm the problem?
It's always me, isn't it?
You need to wake up,
your mother's not booking
these jobs for you.
She's busy trying to
launch her own career,
but you are too
stupid to see it.
Open the door.
If you cared about our marriage
at all, you would fire her.
I'm the one who should
be managing your career,
I'm the one looking out for you.
I'm the one, the only
one who loves you.
- He won.
I fired my mom, she quit,
what difference does it make?
All that mattered is that
he'd successfully isolated me
from my family.
I was his.
I was alone.
My mother was completely
missing from my life
just when I was about
to become one myself.
[footsteps stomping]
I thought you said you
couldn't get me pregnant.
- Oh, are we gonna have a
little star girl or boy?
This is amazing.
Oh, oh, oh.
Oh my God.
- Who are you calling?
- Everybody.
- But isn't it, it's too-
- I have the best news.
I'm gonna be a dad.
[ambient music]
They are 100% on
board for a series.
Cameras will follow you,
follow us throughout
the whole pregnancy,
crib buying, doing the
baby's room, doctor's visits.
- I dunno.
- Hey, I never want you to
have to worry about money,
that's my job.
But we need this.
Now, the only thing you
have to do is get excited
because we get to share our
miracle with the whole world.
[ambient music]
[ambient music]
[water splattering]
[ambient music]
The TV show.
what are we gonna do?
[ambient music]
[door slamming]
[door clanking]
[footsteps stomping]
Hey, yeah, we're leaving
the house right now.
I texted you the address.
15 minutes, give or take.
[door slamming]
Yeah. No, no, no, we'll
be at the baby store
in about an hour.
See you there.
- [Courtney] To
the outside world
I pretended I was
still pregnant.
We had a paparazzi
agency contract
for a set number of photo ops,
and I wasn't ready to
tell the world the truth.
I was too broken
for another round of
public judgment and blame.
I felt like a part
of me had died.
- [Doug] Hey guys.
- [Courtney] Eventually
we had no choice
but to tell the truth.
[ambient music]
- [sighs] Now what?
- By then, I'd added all kinds
of pills to my usual routine.
Whatever I could
get my hands on,
I hoped it would
numb everything.
[ambient music]
No, get out.
Get out, get out, get out.
[ambient music]
When we lost the reality
show, we lost our house too.
The life I'd been promised
felt more like a fantasy.
- [Doug] So, what
do you think so far?
- Finally, all our dreams
are coming true, honey.
- Look at this.
This is all that
we could afford.
What do you want me to do?
- How about, anything.
- Look,
if it wasn't for me, you would
be living off of food stamps.
You have no clue
how much I do for you.
- I gave up everything for you.
- Oh. If I'm so awful...
If I'm so awful, why
don't you hit me?
You look at me.
Hit me, star girl, hit me.
[ambient music]
- The thing about
hitting rock bottom
is that you don't always know
you are there, but I knew.
I hadn't talked to my
dad in a long time.
He was on an endless list
of people I didn't think
I could go to for help.
I decided to call him.
If he answered, I'd
tell him everything,
but if he didn't answer,
I'd do what I'd already been
thinking about doing for years.
[suspense music]
The other thing about
hitting rock bottom
is that you realize
you have nothing
else left to lose.
- What the hell did you do?
[dramatic music]
- I want a divorce.
What is this?
A no-divorce divorce?
- I'll let you go,
but no one needs to know
so we can still keep
making money as a couple.
Look, celebrities do
this all the time.
Like it or not, your
career depends on me
and my career depends on you.
- I got plenty of offers
when we separated.
- Not as many
as when we're together.
You got more when
you are with me.
- [Courtney] Part of me was
still that 16-year-old girl,
part of me was
still afraid of him.
[ambient music]
I signed to get out the door.
[paper rustling]
[ambient music]
- It is gonna be good.
It's gonna be good,
you gotta believe me.
This'll be good, this is gonna
work here, you gonna see.
It'll be good.
[footsteps stomping]
- Finally alone for the
first time in my life.
No dog, no cameras, no chaos.
And I knew that if I was ever
going to take my life back,
it had to start
with getting clean.
[door slamming]
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Courtney Stodden.
- Courtney, let me
walk you through.
- Somewhere in
the quiet of rehab
I realized that if I
wanted to truly heal,
I had to start with mending
the broken relationships
in my life.
- Hi.
[ambient music]
[Alex and Courtney sobbing]
- Are you crying too, dad?
- No. No.
Definitely not. No.
[Alex and Courtney sobbing]
- Thank you for coming.
- Yeah, of course. Yeah.
[Courtney giggling]
- Honey, I gotta say
something to you.
Hey, I gotta get
it off my chest.
I'm sorry for everything
that happened.
I should have followed my gut
and stopped all this day one,
even before there
was anything to stop.
Look, as God is my witness,
I did try to make
it right, I did.
I talked to lawyers.
I spent thousands
of dollars on bills
just to find out that,
there was no damn
thing I could do,
that marriage was
legal and binding.
I promise you I tried.
- Dad, it's okay.
- It's not okay.
It's not okay.
I had one job, one job,
that was to keep you safe
until you were adult.
And you sure to hell
wasn't that back then.
[ambient music]
I'm sorry.
[ambient music]
I'm sorry.
And I always will be.
[Alex sobbing]
[Courtney giggling]
My gosh.
Couple hours in LA, look
what it turned me into.
[ambient music]
- Oh, come on,
let's go for a walk.
[bright music]
- Yeah, I'd like that.
- Yeah.
[Alex and Courtney laughing]
- [Alex] Come.
[bright music]
- I love you.
- I love you, dad.
[bright music]
[ambient music]
- So how has this last
week been for you?
- Good.
I think.
Feels strange to say.
Well, usually I say
that and don't mean it,
but right now, today,
I actually feel good.
Can't promise anything
about tomorrow though. So
- No, nobody can.
- I got my first credit card.
That's something.
It's silly, I know.
- No. When you haven't felt
in control of your own life,
I mean, that's a big deal.
- I don't think that I was ever
the Courtney they
needed me to be.
- Who's they?
- My mom, my dad,
Doug,
the media,
anybody who ever picked up a
tabloid at the grocery checkout
or clicked on a meme
with my face on it,
that Courtney wasn't real.
[ambient music]
- So who is the real Courtney?
[ambient music]
- Is it weird that I'm kind of
having fun figuring that out?
[ambient music]
It's like taking a road trip
from New York to LA,
you know where you're starting
and you know where
you wanna end up,
but it should be a direct line,
but sometimes you find
yourself back at the start
or you end up in the
middle of nowhere
and everybody's asking,
what's taking you so long?
[ambient music]
- And what do you say
to them when they ask?
- Nothing.
Being in the middle of nowhere
is a part of the journey.
As long as I know that,
that's enough.
[ambient music]
Thank you for doing this.
- You're welcome, baby.
You look happy.
- I am.
- You're not just saying that.
- I don't do that anymore.
[ambient music]
- That's all I ever wanted,
was for you to be happy.
It came from the right place.
- But it was a wrong thing.
- I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry.
- I know, mom.
I know.
[ambient music]
- Thank you.
[ambient music]
God bless this food before us,
the family beside us,
and the love between us.
Amen.
- I was 25 years old
when I finally got a
real divorce from Doug
after nearly a
decade of marriage.
No more child bride,
no more crazy
costumes or charades.
No more carrying Doug
or carrying anyone.
I am the product of my parents,
their love for me,
their fears for me,
their dreams and their mistakes.
But I'm going though changes
- [Courtney] Aren't we all?
Holding onto
hope, a better day
Wondering when I'll
see my wings come in
They're coming in
'Cause I know I'm
worthy of love
I know I'm beautiful enough
They can't keep me down
- They will spend
the rest of their
lives apologizing
for what I've already
forgiven them for.
I'm still working
on forgiving myself.
Why is that always
the hardest part?
I'm not anybody's star girl,
I'm not anybody's angel,
and I don't need protecting,
I protect myself.
I am Courtney Stodden
and I've got work to do.
They can't keep me down
I will rise above
- [Kind Mother] Dear Courtney,
I hope you can help me.
I read about your story
and I'm worried about
what's happening
to my 14-year-old daughter,
the owner of the music
studio she once attended-
- [Worried Aunt] Dear Courtney,
my 12-year-old niece is being
groomed by a much older man
she met online
- For almost a year,
my little sister-
- My daughter-
- Dear Courtney,
I think my niece is being
groomed by a much older man
she met online.
I saw your story-
- For almost a year
for almost a year-
- My little sister-
- My little sister-
- My daughter-
[bright music]
I'm a butterfly
I'm a butterfly
I'm a butterfly
I'm a butterfly
I'm a butterfly
I'm a butterfly
[bright music]
I am a butterfly
I am a butterfly
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I Was a Child Bride: The Courtney Stodden Story (2025)
Moderators: Maskath3, sidolanters, GabrielAlejo2341
Biographies Movie Collection