Note: This post mentions allegations of child sexual abuse.
This week, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV exposed the allegedly toxic and abusive culture that child stars faced during their time at Nickelodeon. The four-part documentary largely centered around Dan Schneider, who created hit shows like iCarly, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, and Victorious.
In one episode, Drake Bell identified himself as the sexual abuse victim of Brian Peck, the Nickelodeon dialogue coach who was arrested in 2003 on 11 charges, including lewd acts with a minor.
Here are 12 Nickelodeon actors who've spoken out since the documentary aired:
1. Drake Bell (Drake & Josh, The Amanda Show)
2. Josh Peck (Drake & Josh, The Amanda Show)
3. Alexa Nikolas (Zoey 101)
4. Angelique Bates (All That)
5. Nancy Sullivan (Drake & Josh, The Amanda Show)
6. Jack Salvatore Jr. (Zoey 101)
7. Raquel Lee Bolleau (The Amanda Show)
8. Devon Werkheiser (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide)
9. Leon Frierson (All That)
10. Giovonnie Samuels (All That)
11. Natanya Ross (The Secret World of Alex Mack)
12. And finally, Bryan Hearne (All That)
Dan's spokesperson shared a statement on Monday, which was later obtained by the Hollywood Reporter:
"Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny. Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts. A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes. In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals."
Nickelodeon also released a statement to BuzzFeed regarding alleged behavior on past production sets:
"Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct. Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience."
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.