Following Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV’s premiere, much attention has swirled around the accounts shared by the former Nickelodeon stars who appeared on it. The ex-child actors opened up their experiences working for the network amid the tenure of former producer Dan Schneider and leveled claims of a toxic workplace and abuse against him and others. Also, Nick vet Drake Bell revealed he was sexually abused by dialogue coach Brian Peck years ago. The actor and singer has continued to be candid amid the ongoing show’s run and, now, he’s sharing some praise for former co-star Amanda Bynes.
37-year-old Drake Bell worked alongside the former child actress on her eponymous variety series, The Amanda Show, which aired for three seasons from 1999 to 2002. As a cast member, Bell was able to get a first-hand look at the work that the show’s star put in. Bynes came up while Bell participated in a recent interview, during which he was asked for his take on the personal struggles the actress has had. The Drake & Josh alum couldn’t speak to any of that, though he did commend her for the work she put in years ago:
I can only speak to my experience while I was working with Amanda and that was that she was, like you said, just an incredible talent. She was so funny, she was so, I mean, she was like a rocket ship. She got on set and she was just, the talent that just oozed from her effortlessly was awe-inspiring.
Amanda Bynes, who was 13 at the time the series premiered, further cemented herself as a star through her performances. The actress played a number of characters on the sketch comedy show, from the Amanda-obsessed Penelope Taynt to mob girlfriend Candy Tulips. Critics and fans alike lauded Bynes for her work, and Drake Bell, while on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, doubled down on how amazing she was. He also recalled being a fan of hers before becoming her colleague:
She was a big star to me because I’d grown up watching All That, and so for me, when I booked The Amanda Show, I just couldn’t believe it and that I got to work with her. I was already such a big fan.
The actor went on to say that he hasn’t spoken to the What I Like About You star lately. In recent years, she’s moved away from acting and over to other ventures. Amanda Bynes has also sadly experienced challenges related to her mental health. Additionally, starting in 2013, Bynes was under a conservatorship, which ended in 2022. Per reports, Bynes passed on Quiet on Set, though her show was covered in detail during the docuseries. And, after the first four episodes aired, her former co-star, Raquel Lee, also discussed the challenges she allegedly faced while working on the production.
As for Drake Bell, he recalled his experiences with Brian Peck, who apparently abused the actor between production on the final season of The Amanda Show and the first season of Drake & Josh. Peck was arrested in 2003 on 11 counts of lewd conduct with a minor and was eventually tried in court. At the time, the public was unaware that Bell was the youth at the center of the case. Peck, who received character letters from stars like James Marsden and Will Friedle, was ultimately found guilty on two counts and sentenced to 16 months in prison. Since sharing his experiences, Bell has received support from Josh Peck, his former co-star (who isn’t related to Brian) and others.
Another person at the center of this situation is Dan Schneider himself, who has since reacted to the docuseries. While expressing “regret” after hearing the anecdotes shared by the former child stars, he also discussed stories of Drake Bell and Amanda Bynes. The ex-producer recalled being in contact with Bell during Brian Peck’s trial feeling “devastated” over the situation, and he claimed that he tried to offer Bell and his family support. In terms of Bynes, Schneider recalled an alleged instance in which he tried to provide her assistance when she was “in distress” following a conflict with her parents at home.
Amid the uneasy paths both Amanda Show stars have traveled down, it’s honestly sweet that the Ultimate Spider-Man alum still has so much respect for Bynes. I’m also sure many who watched Bynes’ comedic antics on the small screen years ago would likely agree with her co-star’s assessment.
You can check out the first four episodes of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV using a Max subscription. Also, tune in for the fifth episode, which airs on ID on Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET as part of the 2024 TV schedule.
