Former Nickelodeon actor Matthew Underwood reported he was sexually harassed and assaulted as a baby and teenager, which led him to give up performing.
The former “Zoey 101” star, 33, posted a statement to Instagram March 29, sharing his response to the “Quiet on Set: The Dark Aspect of Children TV” documentary sequence, which explored the operating situations of child actors on common Nickelodeon demonstrates. Underwood mentioned he issued the assertion right after staying “harassed” to reply to the explosive four-part sequence.
“When I was 12 several years outdated, I was groomed and molested by my ideal friends’ stepfather,” he wrote. “I missing the finest good friends I’d ever experienced simply because I could not invest any time with them with no experience the personalized disgust and betrayal introduced on by a male I dependable as a father to me.”
Underwood said he was also sexually harassed and assaulted by an agent, whom he did not identify, that he worked with when he was 19 a long time previous.
“This experience provoked my move away from LA and ended my pursuit of performing,” he claimed.
Underwood clarified in the caption of the write-up that his existing brokers are “incredible individuals who are honest, authentic, and clever pros,” incorporating that they constantly pay attention to his considerations.
“If it was not for Lauren and Sam, I would never have been on a display screen again,” he wrote.
Underwood, who most recently reprised his “Zoey 101” purpose of Logan in 2023’s “Zoey 102,” stated he selected to share this information and facts right after he began getting an inflow of messages about “Peaceful on Set.”
“These days, a lot of folks have been blowing up my email telling me they hope me and my mom die and that we burn in hell, I’m being termed a pedophile defender and all that jazz,” he wrote.
“Tranquil on Established” spotlights two convicted sex offenders who worked on the established of Nickelodeon reveals.
It also highlights the impact of Dan Schneider, who created “Zoey 101.” The documentary alleges Schneider developed a harmful and inappropriate society behind the scenes of some Nickelodeon exhibits.
Kenan Thompson is breaking his silence on the bombshell “Quiet On Established: The Dark Facet Of Kids TV” documentary. The “SNL” star appeared on the March 27 episode of the “Tamron Hall Show” in which he spoke about his working experience as a kid actor who worked on Nickelodeon, starring in staple displays like “All That” and “Kenan and Kel.”
Schneider has denied allegations of misconduct and informed Right now.com by means of a spokesperson that he “expected and questioned a good deal from his groups.”
“Dan (Schneider) predicted and questioned a ton from his teams. They labored extensive several hours and continually designed profitable displays. In the difficulties of output, Dan (Schneider) could get disappointed at situations, and he understands why some staff located that overwhelming and stressful,” a March 18 assertion reads, citing “many” previous colleagues who “still inform him how much they relished and appreciated functioning on his demonstrates.”
Underwood stated he shared his statement “with hope that some of you can recognize that just for the reason that a particular person doesn’t shout from the rooftops that pedophiles are bad or that men and women can suck — that does not suggest they really do not have their personal explanations for being silent, great motives, personal motives.”
He ongoing, “I have extreme empathy for anybody who has been taken gain of by persons they reliable. I hope they are all ready to mature to like on their own and have fantastic aid from their family members and friends in their journey of recovery.”
In regards to the documentary’s allegations versus Schneider, Underwood mentioned he “never experienced a poor experience” on a Nickelodeon established. Underwood additional that he would “like to consider that (Schneider) is thoroughly capable of becoming a creator and coworker all people can enjoy performing with.”
“I cannot believe I even have to say this, but of system I never f—ing guidance pedophiles. You should end wishing dying on my household and please reconsider harassing other actors who wish to preserve their privacy — you never ever know who has by now been a sufferer of the hell you are wishing on them,” he concluded.
The “Quiet on Set” docuseries highlighted accounts from writers, former baby stars and Nickelodeon staffers, who alleged that the perform environment was poisonous.
Since the release of the documentary collection, previous stars like Josh Peck, Devon Werkheiser and Kenan Thompson have spoken out about their ordeals on Nickelodeon sets.
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