Drake Bell Calls ‘Quiet On Set’ Experience A ‘Rollercoaster’
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on December 20, 2024 at 2:30 PM EST
"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" quickly emerged as a highly acclaimed documentary, widely regarded as a must-watch.
The project presents firsthand testimonies from former child actors and crew members, revealing issues such as abusive work environments, sexism, and incidents of sexual misconduct.
Among the accounts, actor Drake Bell courageously shared his experience of being sexually abused by former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck.
Drake Bell Tells His Story For The First Time
As The Blast reported, Bell shed light on the hidden darkness behind his time at Nickelodeon. With raw emotion, he recounted his painful experiences, including the harrowing abuse he endured from former Nickelodeon producer Brian Peck, leaving profound and lasting scars.
“You know, anytime I had an audition, or anytime I needed to work on dialogue or anything, I somehow ended up back at Brian’s house," Bell reflected on his experience working with Peck, clarifying that Peck is not related to his former co-star, Josh Peck. “I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep, and I woke up to him, I opened my eyes, I woke up, and he was sexually assaulting me."
"And I froze and in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react, and I had no idea how to get out of the situation," he added.
Reflecting On 'Quiet On Set'
While he described the process as a “rollercoaster,” the former Nickelodeon star acknowledged the power of sharing his story.
“Just because I mean, it did help, getting, putting it out, getting my story out, and it's, it's really great having people come up to me,” Bell said on the "The Sarah Fraser Show." “When I'm at the airport or wherever and meet and greets and stuff and sharing their stories and how, how the stories help them.”
He continued, “But still, at the end of the day, I mean, it's not just because I put it in a documentary is like it doesn't go away. It’s something I am going to live with for the rest of my life.”
Drake Bell Once Hired A Producer Who Impersonated Him
Bell also shared the story of hiring a producer who had previously impersonated him.
“It’s a strange situation,” he acknowledged, recounting how the impersonator's remarkable talent eventually evolved into a collaborative partnership. “But the artist in me was like listening to what he was doing and was really good.”
Bell turned the tables and offered a proposal, “How about you ask me for permission to use my stuff, but we can do some original stuff together.” Fraser said, discussing Bell’s decision to hire a hacker, drawing parallels to similar tactics employed by the U.S. government.
He compared it to “Catch Me if You Can. It’s White Collar.”
Drake Bell On Nickelodeon's Response To 'Quiet On Set'
Following the docuseries' release, the former Nickelodeon star has spoken out about his views on the network's handling of the allegations.
“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,” he said on The Sarah Fraser Show podcast. “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 continued. “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.”
What Was Nickelodeon's Response?
The network released a statement following the documentary, which some felt was a subpar response.
“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,” Nickelodeon said in a statement.
“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 been sexually assaulted, help is available. Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit the official National Sexual Assault Hotline website to speak with a sexual assault service provider.
