• Frankie Muniz does not want his son to become a child actor, citing negative experiences of friends in the industry.
• Investigation Discovery released a docuseries on the dark side of kids TV, featuring stories of inappropriate behavior on Nickelodeon sets in the ’90s and aughts.
• Former Nickelodeon actor Drake Bell revealed in the series that he was sexually abused and detailed his struggles with substance abuse and mental health after his legal troubles.
Here is what happened:
Frankie Muniz, former child star of “Malcolm in the Middle,” recently shared his reservations about his son following in his acting footsteps. Muniz, now 38, expressed that despite his positive experiences in the industry, he would not allow his 3-year-old son, Mauz, to pursue a career in acting. He cited the negative experiences of friends in the industry and the prevalence of rejection as reasons for his decision.
Muniz’s comments come in the wake of a docuseries released by Investigation Discovery that shed light on inappropriate behavior on the sets of Nickelodeon shows in the ’90s and early 2000s. The series, titled “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” featured interviews with former child actors who detailed their experiences on various programs.
One of the actors featured in the docuseries, Drake Bell, opened up about being sexually abused at the age of 15 by Brian Peck, a Hollywood acting coach. Bell described the extent of the abuse and the impact it had on him at the time. He also addressed his own legal troubles and subsequent struggles with substance abuse, highlighting the challenges he faced in his personal life.
The docuseries also delved into the behind-the-scenes experiences of writers and other staff members on shows produced by Dan Schneider, known for creating popular Nickelodeon programs. Allegations of toxic work environments, unequal treatment, and inappropriate behavior were discussed by former employees, shedding light on the challenges faced by those working in the industry. Schneider’s departure from Nickelodeon in 2018 was reportedly linked to complaints about his behavior, although he maintained that he would do things differently now and had learned from past experiences.
