Many kids dream of being actors, but those lucky enough to get a head start in the business often quickly discover that it's not always as much fun as it looks.

Acting is a job, just like any other, and although playing pretend might seem like a fun job for a kid, it can be a difficult life, especially without the right support.

Child actors have to depend on the adults in their lives to run their finances, take care of their earnings, accompany them when they travel, and manage their social media accounts. These adults also need to be on hand to help guide the young actors through all the pitfalls of fame. But as we've seen it doesn't always happen this way and many times child actors tend to go off the rails.

Today we're looking at some of the strict rules that Hollywood has for its child actors and how these controls influence their lives.

15 Dan Lloyd Wasn't Allowed To Know That He Was Acting In A Horror Movie

The Shining director Stanley Kubrick was adamant that Dan wasn't allowed to know that he was making a scary movie, but even though he was just 5 years old at the time, Dan had his suspicions. He started to catch on when he wasn't allowed to come onto the set on certain days - when scary scenes were being filmed.

14 When Macaulay Culkin Got Tired, He Was Expected To Naps Between Takes

Home Alone was the movie that made Macaulay Culkin a household name, but even filming a fun family movie can be tiring - especially when you are just nine years old. Culkin had to report to the set very early in the morning so if he was tired, he napped between takes.

13 Harry Potter Actors Had To Keep Up With Their Schoolwork To Keep Their Jobs

The young cast of Harry Potter spent a large portion of their childhood on film sets, but that doesn't mean that they were given a pass on school work. All the young actors had to keep up their grades to keep their jobs - and yes - they went to classes in their wizarding robes!

12 Zac Efron Had To Keep His Face Clean Shaven When He Worked For Disney

Disney wants it's child stars to look young, which can be a bit of a problem when they start to hit puberty. Zac Efron discovered this when he started to grow facial hair and had to keep himself clean-shaved to maintain his Disney mandated appearance. These same rules applied to the Jonas Brothers during their time with Disney.

11 Bella Thorne Was Almost Fired For Breaking Disney's No-Skin Rule

Disney requires it's young stars to keep up a wholesome image at all times and according to them a bikini is not wholesome. Back when she worked for Disney, Bella Thorne was almost fired after being photographed wearing a bikini that her mother picked out for her. She was 14 years old at the time.

10 Child Stars Have No Say About How Their Wages Are Spent, Just Ask Ariel Winter Or Mischa Barton...

What do Ariel Winter, Macaulay Culkin, Mischa Barton, and Gary Coleman all have in common? They were child stars who had their fortunes mismanaged by their parents. Child actors are not allowed to manage their own money, which means that they have to trust their parents to keep their best interests at heart - and that doesn't always happen.

RELATED: 15 Actors Who Got Their Careers Started In Commercials

9 The Child Actors In Twilight Zone: The Movie Had To Follow The Director's Orders And It Had Tragic Consequences

Twilight Zone: The Movie gained notoriety not for its storytelling, but for its terrible onset accident. Under the direction of John Landis, two child actors (Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen) did a scene with a helicopter that crashed, killing them both. To make matters worse, Landis had hired the child actors without the required permits.

8 Drew Barrymore Went To Work On E.T. Even Though She Had A Raging Fever

Being a child actor means reporting for work on set - even when they may be feeling a little under the weather. While filming E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Steven Spielberg once became frustrated with a seven-year-old Drew Barrymore for messing up her lines, only to discover that she was desperately ill with a raging fever.

RELATED: 20 Actors Who Were Way Too Young To Be Cast In These Movies

7 Miley Cyrus Was Forced To Work Such Long Hours That She Started To Suffer Depression From Lack Of Sunlight

As Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus worked such long hours on set that she began to suffer from depression brought on by a lack of sunlight. Her mother suggested bringing in special lights to help her daughter better cope with her grueling schedule. Miley also reported drinking coffee from a young age to help keep her going.

6 Child Stars Are Only Allowed To Work For A Certain Amount Of Hours Every Day (Which Is Why Having A Twin Helps)

Strict rules govern how many hours a child actor may work in a day. These vary from country to country and can differ based on a child's age. This is why having a twin can be such a huge advantage, especially if both can play the same character; when one is done for the day the other can take over.

5 Harry Potter Actors Had To Keep Plot Secrets On The Down-Low (Not Always Easy For Youngsters)

When it comes to dealing with a movie franchise as big as Harry Potter, it's vital that the actors don't accidentally leak any spoilers. While filming the movie series, J.K Rowling would often confide in the young actors about what she was writing next; information they had to keep on the down-low.

RELATED: 15 Actors And The Souvenirs They Took Home From Movie Sets

4 Filming On Matilda Continued Even After Mara Wilson's Mother Died

Mara Wilson was just ten years old when her mother tragically passed away from cancer. Wilson, who was working on the film Matilda as the time, received a lot of support from her co-stars which helped her complete the film, but she has since quit acting.

3 Young Disney Actresses Are Not Allowed To Experiment With Nail Polish

Disney has what it calls The Disney Look - a set of image rules that apply to all it's employees, even it's movie stars. Young actors are not exempt from these rules which include a ban on brightly colored nails and nail art. Fingernails have to be kept short and neat and if painted, it must be a neutral color.

2 Judy Garland Couldn't Complain About The Dangerous Conditions On The Wizard Of Oz Set

Making a movie back in the 1930s wasn't as safe for child actors as it is today. With very few health and safety regulations at the time, young film stars like Judy Garland often found themselves working in dangerous conditions. For example, the Wizard of Oz production used asbestos flakes to simulate snow because they simply didn't understand the danger.

1 Child Actors Are Not Allowed To Manage Their Own Social Media Accounts

Children under the age of 13 are not allowed to open Twitter or Facebook accounts, so young child stars need their parents or manager to run their social media accounts on their behalf. In some cases, film studios might even assign a social media manager, especially for high-profile young actors.

NEXT: Super Glow-Up: 15 Childhood Photos Of Our Favorite Superhero Actors