Drake Bell broke his silence after the release of the four-part Investigation Discovery docuseries entitled Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The show exposed the harrowing experiences of former child actors and crew members of Nickelodeon.
In the third episode of the series, Bell accused former dialogue coach Brian Peck of s*xually assaulting him when he was a teenager.
Drake Bell Doesn’t Find Nickelodeon’s Response To His Accusations Convincing And Sincere
Speaking on The Sarah Fraser Show podcast, actor Drake Bell candidly shared what he thinks about Nickelodeon’s response to the released documentary in which he was part of:
“There’s a very well-tailored response saying, ‘Learning about his trauma,’ because they couldn’t say that they didn’t know about this or what had happened, or anything. So I think that was a really well-tailored response by probably some big attorney in Hollywood.”
He also lamented how the studio still acts nonchalant about the issue; for instance, they are still airing the television shows and movies of former actors who were allegedly abused. Bell also remarked how Nickelodeon did not even offer to help the actors and crew members with their much-needed treatment.
“I find it pretty empty, their responses, because, I mean, they still show our shows, they still put our shows on. And I have to pay for my own therapy, I have to figure out what — I mean if there was anything, if there was any truth behind them actually caring, there would be something more than quotes on a page by obviously a legal representative telling them exactly how to tailor a response.”
Bell decided to open up about his horrifying experience and appear in the Quiet on Set documentary because he felt that director Emma Schwartz genuinely wanted to help them find their voice and platform.
“I just felt really comfortable in that interview, but I was going through so much in my personal life, and after that interview, I ended up checking myself into rehab.”
Even though he was not one hundred percent recovered since he got out of therapy, Bell thought it was a good time to reach out and talk some more about his experiences. This way, it made him feel more comfortable sharing his story.
Nickelodeon Addressed Drake Bell’s Abuse Claims
Following the release of Quiet on Set, a Nickelodeon representative released a statement via Variety addressing the accusations made by Bell.
“Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward.”
The account also mentioned that Nickelodeon will investigate the incident “as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.”
In 2003, Peck was arrested on 11 charges — including sodomy, lewd act upon a child, and oral copulation using a controlled substance. Bell finally stepped forward as the unnamed victim.
