Photo: John Sciulli/Getty

HOLLYWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 05: Madison De La Garza attends the Los Angeles red carpet screening of “Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life” at TCL Chinese Theatre on October 5, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for CBS Films)

Madison De La Garzais reflecting on how her young fame resulted in an earlyeating disorder.

“The reactions that I got to my character onDesperate Housewives, it was just shocking,” she said. “A lot of people came at it in a way that they were ‘concerned for my health.’ And I personally believe that that’s just not true, that that was a cover-up so that they could just judge a 6-year-old.”

Danny Feld/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - “Witch’s Lament” - As Halloween approaches, Gaby, Bree and Lynette must attempt to exhume and move the body of Gaby’s murdered stepfather after learning that Ben’s real estate development excavation is taking place on that very spot. Meanwhile, Susan discovers that being art teacher Andre’s (Miguel Ferrer) intern involves tending to matters that don’t involve art; not to be outdone by Tom’s new girlfriend, Lynette tries to construct a homemade Halloween costume for Penny; and Renee uses a little enticement to help spice up her first night of romance with Ben, on “Desperate Housewives,” SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Television Network. (Photo by Danny Feld/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)MADISON DE LA GARZA, EVA LONGORIA

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De La Garza, who isDemi Lovato’s youngerhalf-sister, made her debut on season 4 of the hit ABC series as Juanita Solis, the adopted daughter ofEva Longoria’s Gabrielle Solis and her husband Carlos (Ricardo Antonia Chavira).

“The whole joke of my character was that Eva was this thin, beautiful model and her daughter turned out to be quite the opposite. And so, I think she was very aware that this was going to affect me,” she said of Longoria, 48.

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However, “We never explicitly talked about it, but [Longoria] definitely went out of her way to make me feel like I was pretty and like I was special, and she made me feel like I was family,” explained De La Garza. “And if I ever did want to go to her with these things, I absolutely could have.”

If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or go toNationalEatingDisorders.org.

source: people.com