Alana Thompson aka Honey Boo Boo then vs. now
Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo, is back in the spotlight following the release of her new Lifetime biopic, I Was Honey Boo Boo. Where is the former child reality star now, and does she still have a relationship with her mother, Mama June?
Debuting on May 17, I Was Honey Boo Boo is narrated by Thompson. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at her rise to child stardom, from her pageant beginnings to becoming a reality star with her own TLC show after catching the eye of producers.
“But behind closed doors were forced smiles, silent tears and the lingering sense of uncertainty for what the future held for Alana and her family,” the official synopsis for I Was Honey Boo Boo reads. “After a series of scandals and legal troubles, Alana’s world was turned upside down and she was ultimately placed in the care of her older sister, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird (Georgia Small).”
The description continues, “Now in college, Alana is determined to shake off the labels that have followed her, shed light on the darker side of child stardom and forge a path to overcome generational trauma and challenges.”
As you’re watching I Was Honey Boo Boo, keep reading for an update on Thompson’s life, what happened to her viral TLC series, and the latest news involving her mother, Mama June.
Who Is Honey Boo Boo?
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 15: Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson and her mother June Shannon (L) visit … More
Alana Thompson, also known as Honey Boo Boo, is a former beauty pageant contestant. She rose to fame at six years old on Season 5 of TLC’s reality show Toddlers & Tiaras. Thompson and her mother, Mama June Shannon, went viral for their outgoing personalities and Alana’s controversial pre-contest drink – a mixture of Red Bull and Mountain Dew (aka “go-go juice”).
Soon after, TLC ordered a spinoff series, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, to focus on Alana and her family. The series premiered in August 2012 and revolved around the lives of Alana, Shannon, and her three other daughters: Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell, Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon, and Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird.
Why Did Here Comes Honey Boo Boo End On TLC?
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0073 — Pictured: (l-r) Television personalities … More
After two seasons and multiple holiday specials, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled in 2014 after reports surfaced that Mama June was dating convicted sex offender Mark McDaniel. McDaniel had served 10 years for aggravated child molestation, per The New York Times.
“TLC has canceled the series ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ and ended all activities around the series, effective immediately,” a spokesperson for the network said at the time. “Supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the children’s ongoing comfort and well-being.”
However, after the show’s cancelation became public, Shannon denied having a relationship with the sex offender.
“I want to make a post trying to clear up the rumors remember you can’t believe everything you read!” she wrote in a Facebook, per ABC News. “It isnt true i promise my kids r #1 priority over anything else and I would never put them in danger period over this or anything else they r my life this is my past I left him 10 yrs ago for it and I wouldn’t go back.”
In the following years, Alana appeared in a few spinoffs for WEtv, including Mama June: Family Crisis, which focused on Alana’s sister cancer diagnosis. In 2022, Anna Cardwell was diagnosed with “very rare and very aggressive” form of adrenal cancer. As a result, Shannon became one of her primary caregivers. Cardwell died in December 2023 at age 29.
In 2018, Alana also participated in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, where she was partnered with Tristan Ianiero and mentored by pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev. They finished eighth in the competition.
What Happened To Mama June, And Why Did She Loose Custody Of Honey Boo Boo?
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – JANUARY 11: June Shannon visits “Extra” at Universal Studios Hollywood on … More
After Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled, Shannon launched her own WEtv show, Mama June: From Not to Hot, in 2017. The series chronicled the mother of four’s dramatic weight loss transformation after she underwent bariatric surgery in 2015.
However, things went downhill for Mama June amid her drug addiction. In March 2019, Shannon was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after she allegedly had crack cocaine and a crack pipe in her possession, People reported at the time.
Shannon was detained alongside her boyfriend, Eugene Edward Doak, who was charged with third-degree domestic violence, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were later hit with felony drug possession charges.
Both were released on bond and pleaded not guilty to the charges seven months after their arrest. According to their plea agreement, obtained by E! News, Mama June was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, court supervision, and other conditions, including random drug screenings. Doak also accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 16 months in prison, followed by two years of probation, and was required to undergo drug addiction treatment.
In April 2021, Mama June admitted that she was seven months sober after spending $600,000 on drugs over the course of six months. “In a year we probably spent over a million dollars, because our habit was $3,500 to $4,000 a day,” she told Andy Cohen at the time.
In 2022, Lauryn gained full custody of Alana, who was focused on finishing high school at the time.
Do Mama June And Honey Boo Boo Have A Relationship Now?
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 31: (L-R) Alana Thompson, June Shannon and Geno attend the 2nd Annual Bossip … More
Even today, Mama June and Honey Boo Boo’s relationship continues to have its ups and downs. They appeared on The Masked Singer in 2021, which was one of the first things they did together since Shannon got sober.
“Well, Alana I know would’ve hoped that it was just her on stage, and me too because I’m that backstage mom hyping her up. But it was a great experience,” Shannon told People in November 2021. “I realized the last time we were out there together doing a huge project, which was Dancing with the Stars, I was in my addiction.”
In 2023, as shown in Mama June: Family Crisis, Alana attended Shannon’s wedding to Justin Stroud. “This was the first time the family had all been together since 2014,” Shannon said in a WEtv press release. “So it was really special to get married in a place where my family and I have had so many memories!”
Alana recently revealed that she’s never seen any money from her years on Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. As seen in their WEtv show, Thompson accused her mother of taking $35,000 of her earnings from her 2019 appearance on DWTS, which she only recently had returned to her.
The reality TV star told People that, as of today, her and her mom have mostly reconciled. They both still appear together in WeTV’s Mama June: Family Crisis, which returns for a brand-new season on May 30.
Ultimately, Alana said that forgiving her mother was hard, “but at the end of the day, she’s my mom.” She continued, “When she was bad in her addiction I just kept thinking about the day she’d recover. We’re going pretty good. Hopefully it lasts. I just no longer have any expectations for her.”
Mama June added, “I don’t remember who that person was, because I’ve worked so much on myself.”
Where Is Honey Boo Boo Now?
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 14: Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo, is seen at the “Tamron Hall Show” on May … More
Honey Boo Boo graduated high school in May 2023 and started at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, where she is pursuing a degree in neonatal nursing.
“I’m just looking forward to helping people,” she told People in 2024. “I really want to be a neonatal nurse… I want to work with little babies, I don’t want to have no babies though. That’s my motto.”
Alana began dating Dralin Carswell in 2021. Their relationship is still going strong, despite initially receiving backlash over their age gap and an incident with the police in March 2023, when Carswell was arrested for DUI, fleeing police, and outstanding warrants after a three-mile car chase in Monroe County, Georgia. Alana was a passenger in the car but was not charged.
Alana told Entertainment Tonight that she doesn’t “care” about the public’s perception of her and Dralin. “Because, like, at the end of the day, my sister approves, his mom approves, and we’re happy, so what fans got to say or what haters got to say I don’t really care.”
Now 19, Alana is focused on telling her life’s story in Lifetime’s biopic I Was Honey Boo Boo. While she’s excited for people to see her point of view, she’s also nervous about how her mother will receive the film.
“I did not want this movie to be throwing punches at my mama and making her out to be the bad guy,” she said to People. “But I didn’t hold back and if she gets mad, at the end of the day it’s the truth.”
I Was Honey Boo Boo premieres on May 17, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Lifetime. Watch the official trailer below.
