A wise person once said that what’s in the dark always comes to light. With that in mind, Investigation Discovery’s “Quiet on Set” documentary proves the statement to be true.
The five-part docuseries tells the harrowing and traumatic stories of sexual abuse, racism, and toxic behavior behind the scenes of some of Nickelodeon’s most popular shows. The series, which started airing on March 17, 2024, has shocked the world. Across four episodes, shocking stories come to the forefront that honestly paint so many beloved Nickelodeon shows from the ’90s and 2000s in an uncomfortable light.
The series, in particular, focuses on showrunner Dan Schneider and the hostile environment that child actors and crew members faced while working on his shows. During his tenure as a producer at Nickelodeon, Schneider created an empire of successful kid’s shows, including “All That,” “The Amanda Show,” “Zoey 101,” “iCarly,” “Victorious,” and more. He was dropped from Nickelodeon in 2018 following allegations of his volatile work environment.
Throughout the docuseries, many bombshells were dropped, but the biggest was when “Drake and Josh” star Drake Bell came forward to talk about the appalling sexual assault he suffered at the hands of a crew member. The documentary marks the first time Bell has divulged the details of this tragic incident in over 20 years.
A fifth episode revealing more interviews with child stars airs on April 7, 2024.
Child actors continue to be failed by adults.
While watching “Quiet on Set,” what remains clear throughout the documentary is that child actors are not protected enough. The industry, adults on set, and even some of the parents fail to shield kids from the type of abuse and harassment that is all too common in Hollywood. As of writing, no laws have been put into place to protect child actors.
The sexual assault allegations were tough to watch.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of “Quiet on Set” was the repeated mention of sexual predators at Nickelodeon using their authority to abuse kids. One notable incident involved Brian Peck and Bell.
Peck was a well-known dialogue coach who worked on the sets of “The Amanda Show” and “All That.” He often appeared as “the pickle guy” on “The Amanda Show,” where he walked around holding a tray of pickles. That is where he met Bell. Throughout his career, Peck has worked with many actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio and James Marsden.
Bell was around 15 when the abuse began. The actor described how Peck tried to insert himself into every part of his life, ultimately driving a wedge between Bell and his father during that time. Bell’s father stated that he did not trust Peck and would always keep one eye on him, observing the coach’s affection towards his son.
Bell expressed that his mother did not like to drive long distances, and since Peck lived closer to the set, he often drove the actor to work and let him sleep at his place. One day, Bell woke up to Peck violating him and was understandably stunned and frozen. The actor and singer described the abuse as “extensive” and “pretty brutal.”
“Why don’t you think of the worst stuff that someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault, and that’ll answer your question,” he said in the interview.
After Bell eventually confessed the sexual assault to his mother, Peck was arrested. During the trial, over 40 letters of support were written in favor of Peck, from James Marsden to Alan Thicke, per The Hollywood Reporter.
In 2004, Peck was convicted but only served 16 months in prison. After his release, Peck returned to working on kid’s shows, doing voiceover work on “Zack and Cody.” Once Disney learned of his record, his contract was terminated, and his credits were removed.
Peck wasn’t the only predator on the set of Nickelodeon. Production assistant Jason Handy and freelance animator Ezel Channel were also convicted as sex offenders. Both men admitted to conducting lewd acts with minors.
Dan Schneider created inappropriate plot lines.
Another disturbing theme in the docuseries is how Schneider constantly sexualized kids, often having them do things that were inappropriate and had a hidden sexual connotation. Some examples include naming one of Amanda Bynes’ characters on “The Amanda Show,” Penelope Taynt, and “Taynt” being associated with a sexual undertone. Another example is a scene from “Zoey 101” where goo squirts over Jamie Lynn Spears’ face, resembling ejaculation. There were also uncomfortable clips of Schneider in a hot tub fully clothed with Bynes.
Other horrifying scenes include multiple videos of singer Ariana Grande on “Victorious,” which included her aggressively massaging and shaking a potato, pouring water on herself, and sucking on her toes. Schneider was also obsessed with showcasing the female actresses’ feet in multiple scenes.
Former child star and actor on “All That,” Leon Frierson, recalled a sketch where he portrayed a character named “Nose Boy.” In the sketch, he donned a prosthetic nose and a suit featuring noses on his shoulders. Although they passed off as shoulder pads, Frierson couldn’t help but notice that they looked more like male genitalia. The sketch also included a scene where he sneezed snot on everyone, which again resembled ejaculation.
“Frankly, it was just uncomfortable,” Leon says in the docuseries per Distractify. “But I always did my best to be a trooper, never complained. We knew being close to Dan could mean an extra level of success. It was important to be on his good side, and he made it known who was on his good side.”
Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne were the token Black kids on set.
Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne had a short but memorable time on the set of “All That.” At the time, they were the only two Black characters in front of the screen and behind the screen. Samuels revealed she definitely felt the pressure of being the lone black girl on set and was often overlooked in favor of her white counterparts.
Hearne expressed being uncomfortable doing specific skits, feeling as though they were inconsiderate and racially motivated.
“My mother would speak up, but many times I didn’t want her to because I was afraid of getting fired if we complained,” he said during a March 2024 interview with “Good Morning America.”
Samuels echoed Hearne’s sentiments.
“We understood that was our role from the beginning because we were the only ones on set,” she shared. “Often, we don’t talk about it. It doesn’t get addressed. People don’t hear or see that because you don’t want to make waves or lose your job.”
Dan Schneider has apologized for his actions as more Nickelodeon stars come forward with allegations.
Since the documentary aired, Schneider has maintained his innocence in any sexual innuendos and abuse claims. In a March 19, 2024, interview with former “iCarly” actor BooG!e, he apologized for how he handled past situations.
“When I watched the show, I could see the hurt in some people’s eyes, and it made me feel awful and regretful and sorry,” Schneider said. “I wish I could go back, especially to those earlier years of my career, and bring the growth and the experience that I have now and just do a better job and never, ever feel like it was ok to be an a—–e to anyone, ever.”
More child stars have come forward to share their experiences. From “Zoey 101” stars Matthew Underwood and Alexa Nikolas to Allie DiMeco from “Naked Brother’s Band,” the accounts are damning.
With a fifth episode of the series airing in early April 2024, we’re sure that more revelations will be revealed. We want to send love to all of the victims who are still suffering. May they all find peace.
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