Drake Bell has spoken out in his first interview following the release of the ID docuseries, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.”
In a new episode of “The Sarah Fraser Show” podcast, Bell shared his thoughts on Nickelodeon‘s response to the documentary, in which the “Drake & Josh” star details his sexual abuse by dialogue and acting coach Brian Peck.
“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,” Bell said. “So I think that was a really well-tailored response by probably some big attorney in Hollywood.”
“I find it pretty empty, their responses, because, I mean, they still show our shows, they still put our shows on,” he added. “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 also explained why he decided to participate in the “Quiet on Set” documentary, saying that one of the directors, Emma Schwartz, was “very sensitive” and he “could tell she was coming from a genuine place” in their initial interactions over email.
Shortly after meeting with Schwartz in person, Bell went to rehab to process some of his trauma.
“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,” Bell said. “We were going through a lot of trauma therapy, a lot of group therapy, a lot of one-on-one therapy — your entire day was filled with working through and processing this with a clear mind, and unearthing all of these things that I hadn’t faced head-on, or if I had tried to, it was too painful. And so through that process, once I got out, I thought to myself, ‘Maybe this is a good time to reach back out to them and say hey, I’m not 100% yet, let’s talk some more, but I’m getting closer to feeling comfortable with finally sharing my story.’”
Peck worked on the Nickelodeon shows “All That” and “The Amanda Show” in the late ’90s and early 2000s. In 2003, Peck, 43 at the time, was arrested on 11 charges — including sodomy, lewd act upon a child 14 or 15 by a person 10 years older, and oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance — but the victim was not named until now when Bell stepped forward. “Quiet on Set” also revealed allegations of emotional abuse and sexualization of child actors against Nickelodeon executive and “Drake & Josh” creator Dan Schneider, which he addressed in a video released after the documentary premiered.
After the release of “Quiet on Set,” a spokesperson for Nickelodeon gave the following statement to Variety regarding 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 spokesperson added, “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.”
