Topline
Drake Bell alleges for the first time in a new docuseries former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck sexually abused him as a child, coming forward as the unnamed child actor in Brian Peck’s 2004 conviction.
Drake Bell attends the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Key Facts
The “Drake & Josh” star alleges Brian Peck sexually abused him when he was 15 in a new Investigation Discovery docuseries called “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” set to air on March 17 and March 18.
Brian Peck—no relation to Bell’s costar Josh Peck—worked as a dialogue coach for shows like “All That” and “The Amanda Show,” which Bell acted on before getting his own show in 2004.
Brian Peck, 43 at the time, was arrested in Los Angeles in 2003 for lewd acts with a minor while coaching the victim at Brian Peck’s home, which occurred around two years before the arrest, according to a statement for the Los Angeles Police Department.
The investigation started after the minor’s family reported to police that the dialogue coach abused the child over the course of six months; Brian Peck was later sentenced to 16 months in prison and registered as a sex offender in October 2004.
This is the first time Bell is speaking out about the alleged abuse and revealing himself to be the victim in Brian Peck’s case as the minor has remained anonymous, according to the docuseries.
Forbes has reached out to Nickelodeon and representatives for Bell and Peck for comment.
Key Background
The “Quiet on Set” docuseries will look at the toxic work culture of iconic ‘90s and early 2000s shows created by Dan Schneider, and will feature other stars like “Zoey 101” star Alex Nikolas and “All That” star Giovonne Samuels sharing their experiences. Schneider created and produced top Nickelodeon shows like “The Amanda Show,” “iCarly,” “Zoey 101” and “Victorious.” Several former child actors have spoken out against abuse from Schneider and other Nickelodeon executives. In her 2022 memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” Jeannette McCurdy alleged a figure—only referred to as “The Creator”—pressured her to drink while underage, yelled at her while filming a kissing scene with a costar and “explicitly” requested bikinis be included in a wardrobe fitting. Nikolas claimed on a podcast in October 2022 Schneider was always present for her wardrobes, but was thankful there was a curtain, adding she always had to wear short skirts. Nickelodeon’s former president of content and production Russell Hicks claimed all of Schneider’s scripts were read over by other executives and parents were always on set, so everything he did was “carefully scrutinized and approved.” Schneider previously denied allegations about his behavior in 2021, telling The New York Times he “never interacted with actors in any way, texting or otherwise, that should make anyone uncomfortable.”
Tangent
Bell pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges in 2021 after he was accused of grooming and having sexual contact with an underage fan. The victim claimed Bell began grooming her at the age of 12, and his messages became “blatantly sexual” when she turned 15. After accepting a plea deal, Bell was later sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in July 2021. Bell spoke about the conviction in a 2021 Instagram video, saying the allegations were “entirely false and wrong,” and claimed he only accepted a plea deal to end things quickly. He said his actions were inappropriate, but claimed he was unaware of her age and only interacted with her via text messages, and didn’t have any physical contact.
Tangent
“Boy Meets World” stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle alleged on their podcast last month that Brian Peck groomed them when he was a guest star on their show. The two claimed Brian Peck befriended them while on the show, though he was about 20 years their senior, and would often hang out with them at parties and dinners outside of filming. Friedle said Brian Peck called him after his 2003 arrest and made it seem like he was being manipulated and taken advantage of by the child star involved with the case. Strong and Friedle supported Brian Peck in court and wrote letters of support to the judge over the case, though they claim they weren’t told the full story. The two later went on to express “shame” for supporting Brian Peck during his trial.
Further Reading
‘Revealing’ teen costumes, on-set massages, and a gender-discrimination complaint: Inside Dan Schneider’s ‘disgusting’ Nickelodeon empire (Business Insider)
Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell pleads guilty to child endangerment charges (NBC News)
Drake Bell receives probation on child endangerment charge (AP News)
