Kelly Clarkson Reveals She Bars Her Children From Watching Her 2003 Musical Film "From Justin to Kelly"

Kelly Clarkson has firmly stated her decision to keep her children from viewing a notable, albeit critiqued, project from her early career. During her concluding Las Vegas residency performance this past Saturday, the 44-year-old vocalist disclosed that her daughter, River Rose, aged 12, and son, Remington, aged 10, are not permitted to watch her 2003 musical comedy, "From Justin to Kelly."

According to a video obtained by Us Weekly, Clarkson lightheartedly referred to the film as an "Oscar-worthy number" before clarifying her involvement with a succinct explanation: "Contractually obligated." She expressed her regret regarding the commitment, telling the audience, "Man, read the f—ing fine print, you know." The Grammy winner elaborated on her surprise upon learning that winning the reality competition show entailed starring in a movie. "I didn’t know that if you won, you had to do a movie," she recounted. "Not all of us want to be Meryl Streep, we just like watching her, OK? I was like, ‘I don’t want to be in a movie,’ but they were like, ‘Yeah, but you won.’ And I was like, ‘And I feel like I’m losing? It doesn’t feel quite like a win.’"

The musical comedy featured Clarkson alongside Justin Guarini, who was the runner-up in the first season of "American Idol." Its release in theaters came shortly after Clarkson's historic victory as the inaugural champion of the reality singing competition. The storyline centered on two young individuals who meet and develop a romantic connection during a spring break trip.

A Candid Assessment Two Decades Later

More than two decades since its debut, Clarkson's perspective on the film remains unequivocally critical. When an audience member at the concert voiced a defense of the movie, Clarkson playfully suggested the fan was viewing it with "loving eyes." She then offered her own, considerably less favorable, judgment, bluntly stating, "It’s s---."

The Parental Ban and Finding the Upside

Her strong sentiments about the film extend to her household, where her two children are apparently not afforded the opportunity to form their own opinions on her performance anytime soon. "It is funny though, like, my kids, I’ve banned them from watching," Clarkson openly shared.

Despite her overall negative assessment of the movie as a whole, the acclaimed singer acknowledged that the experience was not entirely devoid of positive aspects. "The music part, that was fun," she reflected. She then offered a characteristic piece of advice to the crowd: "See? You gotta find the positive, motherf—ers, you know? Turn that s— into lemonade … and cry yourself to sleep."

"From Justin to Kelly" was released in 2003, approximately one year after Clarkson secured her victory on the debut season of "American Idol."