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“Zoey 101” actor Matthew Underwood claimed he was sexually harassed after which assaulted by his agent when he was 19 years previous.
His experiences, which he shared on Instagram, provoked his transfer out of Los Angeles and likewise ended his pursuit of an acting profession.
Underwood posted a prolonged message on social media in response to what gave the impression to be harassment from his silence following the discharge of the “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” documentary, which uncovered the poisonous work setting behind the scenes of a few of the most beloved ‘90s children’s reveals.
“I know many folks want me to respond to the ‘Quiet on Set’ documentary. I’m going to share something with you that I never thought I’d have to talk about publicly, as it’s honestly none of your business anyway,” Underwood wrote.
DRAKE BELL CLAIMS SEXUAL ABUSE AT NICKELODEON BY CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER
“Zoey 101” star Matthew Underwood claimed an previous agent sexually harassed and assaulted him when he was 19. (Getty Images)
“When I was 12 years old, I was groomed and molested by my best friends’ stepfather. I lost the best friends I’d ever had because I couldn’t spend any time with them without feeling the personal disgust and betrayal brought on by a man I trusted as a father to me,” he continued.
“When I was 19, I was sexually harassed and then assaulted by my agent at the time, who had spent a decent amount of time building trust with me as a friend and mentor. Again, my trust was betrayed and my self image crushed. I reported him to the agency and he has since been fired – although he is still active in the industry. This experience provoked my move away from LA and ended my pursuit of acting.”
DAN SCHNEIDER RESPONDS TO ‘QUIET ON SET’ CLAIMS, APOLOGIZES FOR PAST BEHAVIOR AT NICKELODEON
The former actor starred as Logan Reese on “Zoey 101” with Jamie Lynn Spears from 2005-08, after which reprised his position for the 2023 movie “Zoey 102” movie.
Underwood, now 33, confessed that he was writing the Instagram submit attributable to stress from the skin world. “Well, lately, many people have been blowing up my email telling me they hope me and my mom die and that we burn in hell, I’m being called a pedophile defender and all that jazz. I have spent many years rebuilding my self-image and those hateful words have little effect on me today.”
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He hoped that by sharing his personal story, that folks would acknowledge “that just because a person doesn’t shout from the rooftops that pedophiles are bad or that people can suck – that does not mean they don’t have their own reasons for staying silent, good reasons, personal reasons.”
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“I by no means had a nasty expertise engaged on set of a Nickelodeon present and I by no means had a nasty expertise with Dan [Schneider],” Underwood wrote. “I have nothing to add to the conversation that anyone would care to hear. I like to believe people have the capacity to be better humans and Dan appears to recognize that he had been an a–hole in the past.
“I prefer to consider he’s totally able to being a creator and coworker everybody can take pleasure in working with. I’ve no expectation to work with him once more, that is simply me wanting good for anybody who desires to be higher.”
Britney Spears’ little sister, Jamie Lynn, starred on the hit Nickelodeon show.
Representatives for Underwood did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The documentary showed Schneider’s rise through the ranks at the network to become an in-demand producer despite allegations he harbored a toxic work environment while working on shows including “All That,” “Drake & Josh,” and “The Amanda Show” with Amanda Bynes.
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In a video interview obtained by Fox News Digital, Schneider admitted that watching the documentary was “very tough.” He told actor BooG!e from “iCarly,” that he has a few apologies to hand out.
“Watching over the previous two nights was very tough,” Scneider said. “Me going through my previous behaviors, a few of that are embarrassing and that I remorse. I undoubtedly owe some folks a reasonably sturdy apology,.”
Dan Schneider responded to allegations made in the “Quiet on Set” documentary (Charley Gallay)
In the documentary, “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell, detailed sexual abuse allegations against Brian Peck, an actor and dialogue coach hired by Nickelodeon. Peck was charged in 2003 and convicted of a lewd act against a child and oral copulation of a person under the age of 16 and spent 16 months in prison.
“When Drake and I talked and he instructed me what occurred, I used to be extra devastated by that than something that ever occurred to me in my profession up to now. And I instructed him, ‘I’m right here for you. What do you want?’” Schneider recalled.
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In the documentary, Bell noted, “Really, the one individual I bear in mind being there for me was Dan [Schneider].”
After Bell disclosed his sexual abuse allegations against Brian Peck, Nickelodeon released a statement to Fox News Digital. “Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identification because the plaintiff within the 2004 case, we’re dismayed and saddened to study of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and help the power required to come back ahead,” the assertion stated.
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