Ever since Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV became available for those with a Max subscription in March, loads of child stars have been discussing their own individual experiences working on Nickelodeon and Disney shows as kids. The latest actor to be asked about the docuseries is Dylan Sprouse, who starred with his twin brother on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and The Suite Life On Deck Disney Channel series.
While speaking on the radio with Andy Cohen, the host asked Dylan Sprouse if he’d checked out Quiet On Set. This one of the Sprouse twins said he barely watches live action movies or TV – he instead spends much of his time watching anime – before saying this:
My experience was always great. You know? I mean, yeah. My experience was always great, so you know, if I watch it, also, I think by the time I get around to watching it, if it's like a year later talking about it, it's no longer interesting anymore. I'm like, ‘All right.’
Now, Quiet On Set’s allegations are toward Nickelodeon TV producer Dan Schneider, who has been accused of fostering a hostile work environment on shows like All That, Drake & Josh, and The Amanda Show. Dylan Sprouse was a Disney Channel kid who did not work with Schneider in any capacity. So, Sprouse doesn’t really have an inside perspective on the topic because Quiet On Set doesn’t speak to his own experience.
Cohen then asked Sprouse if there’s any part of being a child actor where he feels like he needs to “mourn” what he didn’t have since he was working. Here’s how the actor responded:
No, not at all and I find it really annoying when people do. I'm like, ‘Dude, you had a great opportunity.’ I mean, it provided me everything in my life that I love currently and it's a great platform for me and I mean, it put me through college, and I have a house and I have a lovely wife who I wouldn't have met unless I did something like that.
Dylan Sprouse has a lot to be grateful for in regards to his time as a child actor, from the time he was a baby to wrapping on The Suite Life on Deck at the age of 19. Following the end of the series, he went to college for video game design and has been in a relationship with model Barbara Palvin since 2018. The couple got married last summer and remain happy together. Check out a recent Instagram post of the pair:
Dylan Sprouse isn’t here for ungrateful former child actors when he has so much privilege his way. As he continued:
I mean, I just find it really strange and bratty to do the opposite, like ‘Oh, my hindsight. I didn't like what, I didn't…’ Shut up.
For Quiet On Set, other former child stars have spoken out about their experiences with Nickelodeon under Schneider as producer and showrunner of various shows. One major reveal of the doc was Drake Bell alleging he was sexually abused by a dialogue coach on Drake & Josh. Quite a few other Nickelodeon stars turned down being part of the doc, including Ariana Grande, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Amanda Bynes.
Outside of the doc, Ariana Grande has said she is glad the ”conversation is happening” and her Victorious co-star Elizabeth Gillies shared that she and Grande took some time to reprocess their time on set after watching the series. Kenan Thompson said he couldn’t really speak to the topic of the show since he hadn’t witnessed what has been alleged, but said his “heart goes out to anybody that's been victimized or their families.”
It’s great to hear that Dylan Sprouse did not have a negative experience on his Disney Channel series following the separate Quiet On Set allegations and is keeping his own privilege in check after his massive childhood fame.
