Young actors and actresses make us smile and laugh through our television screens. We watch them walk the carpet and win awards for their work, so naturally we all thought these child stars had it good when we, ourselves, were children. Seeing these young celebrities do well for themselves at such a young age encouraged some of us to strive for the same accomplishments. However, many of us developed a change of heart as we got older because we realized that not all that glitters is gold for a handful of child stars.
Throughout the years, many former child stars from our favourite childhood shows have come forward to expose a handful of kid-oriented companies for the mistreatment and lack of protection they were subjected to while on set. The recent release of the five-part documentary series Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV revealed a toxic work environment for a handful of former child stars along with the behind-the-scenes crew during their time at Nickelodeon throughout the 1990s into the 2000s.
The Most Prominent Allegation
The most eye-opening highlight of the documentary would be when Drake and Josh star Drake Bell revealed he was the John Doe whom the network’s former dialogue coach, Brian Peck, sexually abused for six months when he was 15 years old. The documentary is Bell’s first time sharing his story.
In 2004, Brian Peck was convicted of a lewd act against a minor and oral copulation of a child under 16. He served 16 months in prison for the crime and had to register as a sex offender.
Other former child stars, such as Giovonnie Samuels, Alexa Nikolas, Raquel Lee Bolleau, Bryan Hearne, Kyle Sullivan and Leon Frierson also appeared in the documentary to expose the sexism, racism, sexualization, bullying and other questionable things they were subjected to on set.
Jennette McCurdy & Daniella Monet Fought Back
The documentary wasn’t the first time former child stars have called out Nickelodeon.
Jeanette McCurdy, who starred in ICarly and its spinoff, Sam and Cat, revealed what she endured as a child star through her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” Being robbed of her childhood cannot be attributed to just her abusive mother. McCurdy also shared details of the inappropriate experiences she had on set, thus leading Nickelodeon to bribe her with hush money – which she refused – to prevent her from speaking about her experiences. Some of the questionable incidents McCurdy endured on set included being offered alcohol while underage and being subjected to verbal aggression by whom she labeled as “The Creator” in her memoir.
Daniella Monet, a series regular on Victorious, called out the show’s creator, Dan Schneider, for making the young cast wear skimpy outfits that she “wouldn’t even wear [now] as an adult”. She also expressed concerns over the questionable scenes she and other castmates had to perform. One particular scene Monet did not want to be aired involved the actress eating a pickle while applying lip gloss. Monet expressed to Nickelodeon the scene wouldn’t be appropriate to air in a kids’ show, but the network went through with airing it.
Other Former Child Stars To Call Out Nickelodeon
Alexa Nikolas, who starred in the first two seasons of Zoey 101, continues to be outspoken about her experiences on set before and after the documentary’s release. Throughout her time on the show, Nikolas faced bullying from her castmates and eventually left at the end of the second season due to the mistreatment not being addressed. Through her Eat Predators movement, Nikolas continues to fight for changes and better protection for individuals within the entertainment industry.
Angelique Bates, who was featured in the first two seasons of All That, was one of the first people to speak out against the network’s toxic work environment. Bates experienced physical, mental and emotional abuse on the set of All That. The mistreatment happened in the presence of other producers and castmates. What’s sickening the most about it all is that those who mistreated Bates were able to get away with it. Something that happens far too often in Hollywood.
Further Allegations From Child Stars
The documentary’s release has led to several more former child stars coming forward to share what they’ve endured or witnessed as young stars in the spotlight.
Jack Salvatore, who had a recurring role on Zoey 101, witnessed show creator Dan Schneider disrespectfully speak to the behind-the-scenes crew and boast about his high earnings in front of them. According to Salvatore, the release of the docu-series encouraged him to speak up instead of being a bystander.
Zoey 101 star Matthew Underwood, who never thought he would share his traumatic experiences publicly, revealed he was groomed and molested by his best friend’s stepfather when he was 12 years old. At the age of 19, Underwood left his acting career behind him when he was sexually harassed and assaulted by his agent at the time.
Consequences
In 2018, Dan Schneider was let go by Nickelodeon. Schneider also posted an interview on his YouTube page to address the docu-series and apologized for his actions. However, his apology does not erase the trauma many faced while on the sets of his shows, nor was it accepted by most.
The former child stars of Nickelodeon are not the first to share the dark side of the entertainment industry and they certainly won’t be the last. However, this documentary sheds light on what needs to change within the industry. It should also encourage aspiring child stars to possibly wait until they become an adult to achieve a career as an actor or actress. Parents should also understand the importance of keeping an eye on their child and stepping in when questionable behaviour occurs instead of turning a blind eye.