Being a parent is tough, but managing your child's Hollywood career comes with a whole different set of challenges.
That's something Raising a F***ing Star's Kia Brooks and Jessica Bunevacz know all too well. The stars of E!'s new reality series dished all about the ups and downs of raising their kids in the entertainment industry in an exclusive interview with E! News. And according to Kia, the key to maintaining a healthy manager/client relationship is all about separating family life from work life.
"I just try my best to separate the two," the mother of aspiring rapper Flau'Jae Johnson shared. "It's been a journey of trying to do that. I realized that it was a lot of pressure on her when I was her mom, trying to be her manager at the same time."
Kia doesn't take her role as a momager lightly, as she hopes to avoid the mistakes that other celebrity parent managers have made in the past, such as fighting over money or becoming estranged from their children.
"I've been doing a lot of research on that, and I hate to say it, a lot of these parents are really soft," said Kia. "You gotta know what's going on with them. You gotta know what moves they are making and let them know where it can lead if you don't do the right thing. Don't be afraid of your kids because they making money."
Speaking of money, Jessica revealed on the show's Sept. 3 premiere that her daughter—up-and-coming model Breanna Bunevacz—is their family's biggest financial supporter. The monetary aspect of her daughter's career is something the momager can empathize with, as she supported her family financially during her childhood in the Philippines.
"[Breanna]'s very understanding and open to really helping the family," Jessica told E! News. "And I don't think I am pushing her to do things because I know that in her heart, she also loves what she's doing."
As a former model herself, Jessica is also familiar with the body image struggles her daughter faces in the modeling industry. Luckily, she has taught Breanna how to be "thick-skinned" when it comes to people's comments on her body.
"I've always taught Breanna, 'Don't even listen,'" said Jessica. "'Some of these people that will say bad things about you are just, maybe jealous or because they don't have a life or something.' I always remind her every now and then."
Get to know more of Raising a F***ing Star's talented cast in the gallery below, and tune in to new episodes Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on E!.
In Orange County, Calif., sisters Chacha (10) and Kennie (15) are pursuing fame in the entertainment industry with the help of their momager Sam and dad Phil. As the household CEO, event planner and manager, Sam is a former competitive dancer who gave up her dancing career and has now put all her dreams into her children. Sam manages their daughters' industry careers and social media presence, garnering an impressive following from their skills in acting, dancing, modeling and singing. When younger Chacha, who is in her "golden year" as a child performer, begins to secure more opportunities than her older sister, including a music video and appearance on Access Hollywood, Sam is put in a tough position in giving her children equal attention as not just a mother, but as a manager.
A mother to four, Kia Brooks is the momager and glue that keeps her family together. In addition to her work as an entrepreneur in Atlanta, Kia manages basketball and hip-hop's next big star, her 17-year-old daughter, Flau'Jae Johnson. Born into the rap game, Flau'Jae is looking to carry the legacy of her late father, rapper Camoflauge. Her talent doesn't stop behind the mic, though, as she's also a stellar basketball player attending LSU in the fall. Kia's eldest son, Tray, is also looking to break out in the music industry but feels his mom is too dedicated to Flau'Jae's career to help manage his. With a deal from a record label on the table for Flau'Jae and a disagreement with Tray, Kia and her children must learn to not let business interfere with the family.
College sweethearts from Kentucky, Cool Benson and Kelly Dedman are raising daughter Daelyanna in Los Angeles with the hopes of her becoming the next household name. At 10 years old, Daelyanna is already a triple-threat actor-singer-dancer with experience working in theater productions and films. As "dadager," Cool, a former national cheerleader and performer, wants to give Daelyanna all the encouragement to pursue her dreams that he didn't receive as a child. However, as the father-daughter duo work on projects together, Cool must find the balance between being a manager and being a parent, as well as learn to share the spotlight.
Born and raised in California, 18-year-old Breanna is a girl next door and supermodel in the making. Growing up behind the gates in Calabasas, Breanna has the guidance and support of her mother, Jessica. A former model that began working at the age of 16, momager Jessica left behind her career in the Philippines and moved to the States to become a full-time mom. Seeing her own story in her daughter, Jessica is determined to guide Breanna toward a successful and lucrative modeling career. With opportunities beginning to line up, Jessica tries to steer her daughter in the right direction as her lack of enthusiasm and blasé attitude may hold her back from reaching the next level. When a difficult situation forces the family to overcome drastic life changes, the family must work harder than before to support one another.