Alana Thompson, star of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo on TLC, made a return to be featured in Teen Vogue and is now 16 and nearly unrecognizable compared to when the show aired in the early 2010's.
Thompson, who first rose to prominence on TLC's Toddlers & Tiaras nearly a decade ago, spoke about what life is like now for her, saying she is shedding friends who still call her "Honey Boo Boo," wanting to distance herself from her past.
She says people still expect her to act like the flamboyant character she was as a child, but has grown up a lot since then. She also says people assume she's rich from being on television and it makes it hard for her to find real friends.
In 2019, Alana's mother June Shannon was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Lauryn Shannon, Alana's 21-year-old sister, then became her legal guardian.
“A lot of folks in this world do not realize how many people are actually really affected by drug and alcohol [use] … It’s very, very hard. It’s something I’d wish on nobody, for real,” Thompson reflected. “When my mama got real bad with her [drug use], I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come.”
Source: NYPost.com