For the first time, Angel Carter Conrad is sitting down with her brother Nick Carter as part of the upcoming documentary, “The Carters: Hurts to Love You.” In the new trailer for the Paramount+ documentary, Angel, the twin sister of Aaron Carter, recounts her family’s tumultuous journey through the years, featuring the rise of Nick’s career with the Backstreet Boys and Aaron’s solo success, alongside the heartbreaking losses of three siblings. Leslie Carter passed away from an apparent overdose in 2012; Aaron drowned in 2022, and Bobbie Jean lost her life to an overdose in 2023.
The two-part documentary, directed by Soleil Moon Frye and produced by See It Now Studios and Candle True Stories, brings forth intimate conversations between the remaining Carter siblings. It reflects on their complex childhood and the multiple tragedies that have shaped their family. The film also showcases never-before-seen home videos, photographs, audio recordings, and private text messages, offering a deeper glimpse into their world.
In one poignant video, Angel’s mother, Jane, urges, “You should tell the truth before you go to bed, or you could die in your sleep.” It’s clear that the weight of fame didn’t just bless the Carters—it complicated their lives. Nick expresses this sentiment in the documentary, highlighting, “Fame and money destroyed our family.”
In addition to the familial reflections, viewers will encounter conversations with various friends from the industry, including Melissa Joan Hart, Scout Willis, and longtime manager Lori Knight. The documentary aims to be a candid exploration of the Carter family's experience throughout the years, revealing their struggles with mental health and addiction.
The official release notes that Frye had unprecedented access to the family's private archives, peeling back the layers surrounding the Carters, as they share their stories of sadness, fear, love, and ultimately, hope. Angel hopes that by unpacking their family dynamics, she can honor those they’ve lost while transforming their past into a message of hope and purpose for others facing similar challenges.
As the premiere date approaches, anticipation builds around this revealing documentary, which will air on April 15, 2025, on Paramount+. The documentary’s narrative lies deeply rooted in acknowledging the complexities of the Carter family’s history, where each voice matters in the larger conversation about mental health and familial love.
Aaron Carter’s struggles with mental health are a focal point within the documentary. He died on November 5, 2022, at 34 years old after being found unresponsive in his bathtub. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner reported that he had drowned due to inhaling difluoroethane while also under the influence of alprazolam (a generic form of Xanax) at the time of his death, which was ruled an accident.
Compounding the family’s anguish, Nick Carter is currently facing serious allegations of sexual assault from three women, including Shannon “Shay” Ruth and Dream singer Melissa Schuman. While Nick has vehemently denied these allegations and countersued those making the claims for defamation, legal proceedings loom on the horizon. The defamation claim against Ashley Repp was dismissed last August, and the upcoming trial for Schuman's claims is set for December 2025 in Santa Monica. Meanwhile, Ruth’s and Repp’s claims are slated to be heard together in a consolidated trial in Nevada, scheduled for March 2026.
As the documentary promises deep introspection, it also reveals the underlying narrative of a family grappling with fame and the associated pressures that have led to personal tragedies. The Carters experience is a reflection of both the bright spots of fame and its potentially dark consequences.
With the premiere date approaching, “The Carters: Hurts to Love You” seeks to place the spotlight not just on celebrity but on the human experience, love, and the significance of mental health in the center of their stories.
The documentary is executive produced by James Goldston, Steven Baker, Cynthia Childs, Soleil Moon Frye, Susan Zirinsky, and Terence Wrong, while Aysu Saliba and Cara Tortora serve as supervising producers. Every aspect of the film aims to engage audiences, providing a nuanced insight into the lives of the Carters, making it a powerful watch this April.
