Drake Bell opens as much as former co-star Josh Peck following ‘Quiet on Set’ docuseries
Actor Drake Bell informed his former Nickelodeon co-star Josh Peck that he apprehensive in regards to the destiny of their friendship after he reported allegations of kid abuse throughout their time on “Drake & Josh.”
The previous baby stars, who reunited for the primary time in almost 20 years for an episode of Peck’s podcast, “Good Guys,” mirrored on the revelations made in final yr’s docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Darkish Facet of Children TV.”
The Investigative Discovery collection, which aired in March 2024, featured interviews with a number of actors and former baby stars who alleged abuse, inappropriate conduct and a poisonous work atmosphere after they appeared on some Nickelodeon exhibits.
It was the primary time Bell had publicly addressed his accusations of kid sexual abuse towards Nick dialogue coach Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck), who was arrested in 2003 and charged with “lewd acts with a toddler,” in response to a information launch from the Los Angeles Police Division. The discharge mentioned Brian Peck had molested an unidentified minor he had labored with over a interval of six months.
After he pleaded no contest, Brian Peck was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a 14- or 15-year-old baby and oral copulation with a minor beneath 16, in response to a case abstract from Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom. He was sentenced to 16 months in jail.
Brian Peck was “strolling round set” throughout the filming of the present’s pilot because the investigation was taking place, Bell mentioned within the podcast episode.
“The place I felt most snug, the place I used to be the happiest, was once I was on set with you guys,” Bell informed Josh Peck. “And the worst half was, each day I received there, the monster was there.”
Makes an attempt to succeed in Brian Peck for remark have been unsuccessful Monday.On the time the “Drake & Josh” pilot was being shot, Bell mentioned, he agonized about whether or not the scenario would negatively have an effect on the present’s future. He was afraid the investigation would go public.
“When this drops, is Josh going to take a look at me and be like, ‘Bro, you took our dream away?’ … Like, are we going to lose our present?” Bell mentioned as he recounted his stress. “Dude, I used to be dropping my hair. Like, I had these large scabs on my head.”
“Drake & Josh,” through which the 2 performed stepbrothers and polar opposites, led to 2007. Bell’s identification in Brian Peck’s case wasn’t revealed till the docuseries debuted final yr.
Josh Peck beforehand mentioned he had reached out to Bell privately within the days after “Quiet on Set” was launched.
Once they caught up on the podcast episode, Josh Peck recounted the second he observed Brian Peck had immediately disappeared from the set.
He mentioned he “had a sense one thing occurred” and recalled asking Bell in the future whether or not he nonetheless spoke to Brian Peck, to which Bell had replied, “No, Brian’s a extremely dangerous man.”
However it wasn’t till the docuseries got here out, Josh Peck mentioned, that he discovered the complete extent of what his co-star went by.
“In watching the documentary at 38, as a father, as a grown-up, a lot was revealed to me of what you needed to undergo,” Josh Peck mentioned. “I can’t even think about that.”
He later mentioned that working as a toddler actor throughout that point, “there have been so many issues that you’d see on set in a day and simply go, ‘I don’t know if that’d be cool anyplace else however right here.’”
“And so whenever you had tyrannical bosses or simply individuals appearing inappropriately,” he continued. “I feel the belief was, in Hollywood, like, this was simply sort of a part of it.’”
A spokesperson for Nickelodeon beforehand issued a press release in regards to the docuseries.
“Although we can’t corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions many years in the past, Nickelodeon as a matter of coverage investigates all formal complaints as a part of our dedication to fostering a protected {and professional} office atmosphere freed from harassment or different kinds of inappropriate conduct,” the spokesperson mentioned in March 2024. “Our highest priorities are the well-being and greatest pursuits not simply of our staff, casts and crew, however of all youngsters, and we now 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.”
Earlier than “Quiet on Set,” Bell had confronted his personal controversy. He was sentenced to 2 years of probation for baby endangerment after he was accused of “grooming” a feminine sufferer when she was 12. He pleaded responsible to felony tried baby endangerment and a misdemeanor cost of disseminating matter dangerous to juveniles.
After the docuseries was launched, Bell skilled a wave of assist. However a few of his followers lashed out at his personal accusers, who confronted on-line harassment.
Half two of Bell and Josh Peck’s dialog is scheduled to drop Thursday.
