Kelly Clarkson has finally revealed the one piece of her career she absolutely does not want her children discovering - and unfortunately for her, it is only a streaming search away.
During the closing night of her Studio Sessions Las Vegas residency on Saturday, Aug. 15, Clarkson hilariously admitted that daughter River Rose, 12, and son Remington, 10, are banned from watching her notorious 2003 movie, From Justin to Kelly.
And Clarkson, 44, wasn't exactly interested in rehabilitating the movie's reputation.
The subject came up after she spotted a fan wearing a homemade From Justin to Kelly shirt. Clarkson jokingly described the movie as an "Oscar-worthy" production before explaining her involvement in two memorable words: "Contractually obligated."
She even accompanied the word "obligated" with a middle-finger gesture.
Kelly Says Winning 'American Idol' Came With A Catch
From Justin to Kelly arrived in 2003, less than a year after Clarkson made television history by winning the inaugural season of American Idol. The musical paired her with Season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini as two young people who meet and fall for each other during spring break.
But Clarkson's latest comments make it very clear that becoming a movie star wasn't exactly part of her dream.
She told the Vegas audience that making the film was part of what came with winning Idol, joking that the experience made her wonder whether she had actually "lost" the competition.
The movie subsequently became infamous. It was savaged by critics and currently sits at just 8% on Rotten Tomatoes, becoming the sort of Hollywood misfire that follows a celebrity around for decades.
Twenty-three years later, Clarkson clearly isn't pretending otherwise.
Her Kids Aren't Allowed To See Mom's Movie
Clarkson admitted that watching the movie is particularly painful because she can't view herself through the affectionate eyes of a nostalgic fan.
Her assessment was spectacularly simple: "It's s---."
That's apparently enough for River and Remington to remain firmly on the From Justin to Kelly blacklist.
Clarkson did concede that the experience wasn't entirely miserable. She enjoyed aspects of the musical production and dancing and recalled positively working with producer Tommy Sims.
But that doesn't mean she's ready for a family movie night.
The irony? River and Remington were actually at the concert when Mom publicly trashed the movie they're forbidden to watch.
The siblings made a rare public appearance during Clarkson's final Vegas show, helping toss guitar picks and ping-pong balls to fans while their mother closed the night with "Since U Been Gone."
It Was An Emotional Ending For Kelly
The funny movie confession came during what was otherwise a poignant night for Clarkson and her family.
Her Aug. 15 performance officially concluded the latest run of Studio Sessions at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The 2026 dates had run from July 17 through Aug. 15.
Having River and Remington there carried additional emotional weight following the death of their father and Clarkson's former husband, Brandon Blackstock, in 2025 after a battle with melanoma. Clarkson had previously postponed performances while prioritizing her children's needs during their father's illness.
So while the evening offered plenty of laughs, it also marked another family milestone after an extraordinarily difficult period.
And perhaps Clarkson has accidentally guaranteed the exact opposite of what she intended.
Because telling two kids that there is a famously terrible movie starring their mother - and they're absolutely forbidden from watching it - might just be the greatest advertisement From Justin to Kelly has received in 23 years.
