The docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV shed light on the inner workings of Nickelodeon during the ‘90s and ‘00s, amid producer Dan Schneider’s tenure at the network. In doing so, the producers spoke to a number of former child actors who worked at the company during that span of time. The now-adult stars provided accounts detailing negative experiences, with actors like Alexa Nikolas and Drake Bell among those sharing their stories. Not every high-profile actor of that era took part in the production, though, including Amanda Bynes and Ariana Grande. Now, new claims have arisen in regard to why they allegedly said no to interviews.
Amanda Bynes, Jamie Lynn Spears and Ariana Grande were among some of the most popular Nick stars during the early aughts. Each also worked on TV series that were produced by Dan Schneider, who was cut by the network in 2018. As of this writing, the trio of actresses haven’t formally spoken about why they didn’t take part in the five-part docuseries. A source for OK Magazine, however, claims that they weren’t prepared to talk about their experiences. Said individual also made mention of the stars’ purported feelings on the allegations made against Schneider and more:
They all turned it down. It wasn't something they were ready to discuss. They weren't surprised by any of the allegations, though. Do they think boundaries were crossed when they look back? Absolutely.
Right now, these comments should be taken with a massive grain of salt. It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time that rumors have swirled in regard to Amanda Bynes’ reason for passing on the doc. An insider previously alleged that she opted not to speak out, because she didn’t have the same experiences as those who appeared on the doc. Bynes rose to fame as a cast member on All That and later earned her own program, The Amanda Show. Both were produced by Schneider, who issued an apology after watching the docuseries and simultaneously spoke to his relationship with Bynes. At the time, he explained that he and the star were close and that he even once helped her through a domestic situation involving her parents.
Jamie Lynn Spears also achieved leading lady status in the early 2000s, having played the eponymous role on Nickelodeon’s teen comedy Zoey 101, which ran for four seasons. Eventual Grammy winner Ariana Grande, meanwhile, was a cast member on four-season series Victorious. Her character, Cat Valentine, proved to be so popular that she co-led the spinoff series, Sam & Cat.
Those who were interviewed for the series include All That veterans Giovonnie Samuels, Katrina Johnson and Bryan Hearne. While discussing his Nick experience, Hearne opened up about Black child actors being put into stereotypical and demeaning situations. Amanda Show veteran Raquel Lee also spoke out about her tenure with the network. Zoey 101 alum Alexa Nikolas, who has long discussed her time as a child star, didn’t mince words while appearing on the doc as well. And, after Dan Schneider addressed Quiet on Set, Nikolas blasted his apology.
During the show, Drake Bell revealed he was sexually abused by Brian Peck, who worked as a dialogue coach on multiple Nick productions. It was revealed that Bell was the child actor at the center of Peck’s sexual assault trial in 2004, which saw him charged with 11 counts of lewd conduct with a minor. He was eventually sentenced to 16 months in prison. Since appearing on the show, Bell has provided more candid thoughts about what occurred, including reading the “unbelievable” character letters that were written on Peck’s behalf at the time. Some of those individuals have since made amends with Bell or expressed regret over their support of Peck.
Whether Amanda Bynes, Ariana Grande and Jamie Lynn Spears opt to open up about their own experiences remains to be seen. But, of course, they – and any others who haven’t spoken out – have the right to choose either way.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is now available to stream in its entirety with a Max subscription.
