The Tragic Truth About Bailee Madison's Life

Bailee Madison's life, from a young age, has been centered around her acting career. In 2010, Madison landed a Critics Choice Award nomination in the best young actress category for her impressive performance in the 2009 war film, "Brothers." Though Madison had been in Hollywood for years before then — more on that later — this proved to be her big break, going on to be cast in countless movie and television roles.

Now an adult, Madison has undergone an incredible transformation, balancing the crazy demands of Hollywood. Beyond her successful acting career, Madison has also ventured into music. In 2024, the former Disney star signed a record deal with Red Van Records, after which she released two singles, "Kinda Fun" and "Chiller." In an interview with WonderMind, Madison discussed her longtime love for music, expressing how it has helped her through rough patches in her life.

"With music, most of the time artists are most authentically themselves and they're healing through their own experiences, through words, and through songwriting," she shared. While Madison has enjoyed a successful career, the actor has faced many hardships in her life, from the pressures of the spotlight to loss and loneliness.

Bailee Madison's destiny in the film industry was undoubtedly written in the stars. Her mother, Patricia Riley, was an actor who frequently took young Madison with her to auditions. One day, Madison was unexpectedly cast in a television commercial. "I think the reason why I did commercials when I was younger is because my mom would audition, and they would need a baby. It was perfect. I think I did my first one at like two weeks old. It was a Home Depot or Office Depot commercial, I don't remember," she shared about the experience with Story and Rain.

By the time she was 6, Madison had landed her first major project, "Bridge to Terabithia." But like many other child actors, Madison struggled with the demands of being a child actor, eventually leaving her burnt out. "There definitely was a moment when I had where I was like, 'Does this bring me joy? Am I happy?'" she admitted in an interview with The New Zealand Herald.

In her talk with WonderMind, Madison, who has been public about her faith through the years, recounted going through a difficult situation at age 11 that left her questioning everything, including her faith. "It made me want to quit the industry at the time," she added. "The thing that I loved the most, it made me ... I was really, really, really low. And I had just come off of, from 6 to 11, the most blessed little life of experiences." Thankfully, Madison was able to overcome this situation and remained in the industry.

In November 2023, Bailee Madison shared some devastating news with fans — her grandfather had died at the age of 98. "Monday, October 23rd my grandpapa passed away ... a few hours after I landed back in LA after flying to FL where I was able to give him another hug," she wrote in an Instagram post, adding that she was grateful to see him one last time. In the heartwarming tribute, Madison described her grandfather as "a man full of love and light," who derived joy in the simple things of life.

"I will miss him dearly, and as much as I wish he could be by my side through the next big phases of life as I grow older, I do know I will carry him with me and feel him in my heart always. 98 years of life and love," she added. Madison's touching note was accompanied by several photos, showing her with her grandpa.

In one of the pictures, a little Madison leaned against her grandfather as he read to her, while another saw her sitting in his lap. The carousel also included snapshots of older Madison snuggling up to her grandpa. Though specific details of their relationship are unknown, there's no denying that Madison shared a beautiful bond with her grandfather.

Bailee Madison has an interesting dating history with links to several public figures, including social media influencer Alex Lange. But while Madison's 2019 split from Lange was seemingly amicable, a far cry from her first relationship, which left a sour taste in her mouth.

At just 15, Madison was subject to hurtful words, even from those closest to her. In a 2015 Tumblr post (via Teen Vogue), the "Wizard of Waverly Place" star discussed the dangers of labeling people, while sharing an unpleasant personal experience. "I was just labeled as a 'prude' by someone a few weeks ago. Now at the time I didn't know what it meant so I just laughed it off and nodded my head awkwardly (as I do). I then got home and looked up the definition of it and was so taken back," she shared in the post.

A few months later, Madison shared more about the incident, revealing that it was her first boyfriend, actor Emery Kelly, who labeled her a prude. Though painful, this experience helped Madison decide what to acceptable in a relationship and what wasn't. "The biggest thing that I've learned is to respect yourself enough to walk away from a relationship, a friendship, or any situation that isn't making you better and happier and challenging you to be a great person," she shared in an interview with Clover Letter (via J-14).

Over the years, Bailee Madison has been open about her mental health struggles, like many other celebrities. In her May 2024 interview with WonderMind, the "Just Go With It" star opened up about her role as Imogen Adams in "Pretty Little Liars: The Original Sin" and the toll it took on her mental health. In the show, Madison's character goes through a series of traumatic experiences, including a sexual assault. Unsurprisingly, these horrible events leave Adams struggling with a myriad of mental health issues, eventually forcing her to seek help in therapy.

For Madison, taking up the role meant fully immersing herself in Adam's pains and joys — a move that left a lasting impact on her own mental health. "I find myself to be a slightly emotional person who can hold onto other people's energies and emotions. So for 19 hours a day, for nine months at a time, if you're playing someone who even within the joy still has those cuts inside — just like every human does — it's something that I'm cautious or thoughtful of," she shared in the interview.

During the conversation, Madison also opened up about filming during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it contributed to her struggles. "I remember having this moment of: I'm doing a show that has always been a dream of mine, and I'm the happiest I've ever been. I'm also the lowest I've ever been," she admitted.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, or needs help with mental health, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
• Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

While filming "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin," Bailee Madison opened up about the loneliness that left her longing for family and friends. "On top of being emotionally attached to a character, you're then also going home to somewhere that isn't actually your home, and no one's really there to ground you or see you. That can sometimes be the most isolating part of filming," she explained to WonderMind, adding that it was especially hard to return to an empty house after being around people all day. To cope, Madison found little comfort in constantly connecting and communicating with her loved ones back home. 

Similarly, Madison went through intense loneliness while isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly after some of her family members tested positive for the virus. "I went from everyone being together as a family to me being alone in the house. I had never been alone by myself for such a long period of time, so that really hit me," she shared in a 2021 interview with Rose & Ivy. The former Disney star admitted that the loneliness was made even worse by her free schedule because, for the first time in a long time, she had a lot of free time with little to do. "I would go through parts of creativity but it was a constant up and down, a roller coaster. I still feel it to this day," Madison expressed.

Being on camera since before you can remember can mess with your mind. In her interview with Schön!, Bailee Madison opened up about the struggles of growing up in the limelight and the ensuing pressure of having to look perfect all the time. But while she is mostly able to shake it off, the actor admitted that self-doubt sometimes lingers.

Reflecting on a recent make-up-free photoshoot, Madison described feeling unsure about herself and how the pictures would turn out. "The creative team wanted my skin to be fresh and I was feeling very self-conscious and not photogenic at all. I left the shoot feeling insecure and feared that when people saw those pictures they would think that I wasn't pretty enough to be in a magazine spread," she explained. Not only did the pictures turn out well, but the "Wizards of Waverly Place" star also described it as one of her favorite photoshoots ever.

Madison also took to Instagram to share a photo from the shoot, encouraging fans to challenge existing societal beauty standards, instead, embracing and practicing self-acceptance. "We must be gentler and kinder to ourselves. To stop comparing ourselves or what we look like, how we talk, what we're accomplishing to others," she added in the touching post.

In March 2017, Bailee Madison took to Instagram, announcing that she was due to get tonsil surgery in a few hours. "Removing my tonsils in t-minus 8 hours! I know this is a tiny surgery compared to others ... but prayers would still be so appreciated," she wrote in the caption, asking her followers for support.

A few weeks later, the "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" star shared an update on her recovery status, revealing that it was proving more challenging than she thought. "Yes, tonsil surgery might not seem like the worst thing ever. And I know that it isn't. However I can tell you that for a week I've been in pain and so down," she wrote in the caption. In the post, Madison explained that she had been struggling to eat, drink, or speak during her recovery process. The former child actor reflected on the experience, acknowledging that like many others, she had sometimes taken her good health for granted. "My prayers and thoughts go out to anyone tonight whose body is making them crumble inside. I'm praying for strength and health for them," she added.

The following year, Madison revealed in an interview with that she received the script for the 2018 horror film, "The Strangers: Prey at Night," while she was recovering from surgery. Though she was not able to talk at the time, Madison made her interest known. "I was obsessed. And they were like, 'When you can talk, we'll talk about it,'" she shared with Stuart Magazine. Eventually, Madison landed the role, going on to play the role of Kinsey, one of the film's main protagonists.