Drake Bell has spoken out in his first interview for the reason that launch of HBO’s scandalous Quiet on Set: The Darkish Facet of Children TV.
Talking on The Sarah Fraser Present podcast, Bell mentioned he hasn’t been impressed with Nickelodeon’s response to the documentary, which particulars his sexual abuse as a teen by Amanda Present dialogue coach Brian Peck .
“There’s a really well-tailored response saying, ‘Studying about his trauma,’ as a result of they couldn’t say that they didn’t learn about this or what had occurred, or something,” he mentioned. “So I feel that was a very well-tailored response by most likely some massive lawyer in Hollywood.”
He added, “I discover it fairly empty, their responses, as a result of, I imply, they nonetheless present our reveals, they nonetheless put our reveals on,” he continued. “And I’ve to pay for my very own remedy, I’ve to determine what — I imply if there was something, if there was any fact behind them really caring, there could be one thing greater than quotes on a web page by clearly a authorized consultant telling them precisely the best way to tailor a response.”
Bell mentioned he participated within the documentary due to a consolation degree with the producers. He added that he declined a earlier documentary undertaking from a unique group, and was astonished once they lashed out at him.
“[Another documentary] requested my involvement, and once I declined, the response I acquired was unbelievable,” he mentioned. “Within the electronic mail, they mentioned that folks like me have been the issue, and that is why issues aren’t gonna change within the business as a result of folks such as you gained’t converse out and gained’t come ahead. It was simply all this shaming of me not desirous to be part of their documentary. So I’ve at all times been cautious and on-edge each time approached to speak about such a delicate matter.”
Bell went to rehab shortly after assembly with the Quiet on Set producers.
“I simply felt actually comfy in that interview, however I used to be going via a lot in my private life and after that interview I ended up checking myself into rehab,” he mentioned. “We have been going via a number of trauma remedy, a number of group remedy, a number of one-on-one remedy — your total day was crammed with working via and processing this with a transparent thoughts, and unearthing all of this stuff that I hadn’t confronted head-on, or if I had tried to, it was too painful. And so via that course of, as soon as I acquired out, I believed to myself, ‘Perhaps this can be a good time to achieve again out to them and say hey, I’m not 100% but, let’s speak some extra, however I’m getting nearer to feeling comfy with lastly sharing my story.’”
Bell additionally talked about involving his father within the documentary.
“My dad is a really emotional man, and he has such a giant coronary heart. And I used to be very cautious about involving him,” Bell mentioned. He determined to incorporate him, believing that “perhaps it could be cathartic and helpful for my dad to have the ability to do” the doc as nicely. “I’m positive that my dad places a number of blame on himself, you realize? And I believed that this is perhaps a chance for him to appreciate that, you realize, that it’s one individual’s fault.”
Following launch of Quiet on Set, Nickelodeon issued the next assertion: “Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his id because the plaintiff within the 2004 case, we’re dismayed and saddened to be taught of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and help the energy required to come back ahead,”
That assertion provides to a Nickelodean assertion that ended each episode of Quiet on Set: “In response to producers’ questions, Nickelodeon has acknowledged it ‘investigates all formal complaints as a part of our dedication to fostering a secure {and professional} office… [W]e have adopted quite a few safeguards over time to assist guarantee we live as much as our personal excessive requirements and the expectations of our viewers.”
