Daniella Monet is the latest Nickelodeon star to claim there were some inappropriate moments involving young actors behind the scenes.
via People:
The actress, who played Trina Vega on Victorious from 2010–2013, discussed her perspective on the work conditions faced by young actors under former network showrunner Dan Schneider
Though her time on the show was, for the most part, “very PC, funny, silly, friendly, chill,” she told Insider there were moments every “once in a while” that made her feel uncomfortable. “Do I wish certain things, like, didn’t have to be so sexualized? Yeah. A hundred percent.”
Monet, 33, pointed to a specific scene in which she had to eat a pickle while applying lip gloss. After filming, she told Insider she reached out to Nickelodeon executives and expressed concerns that the scene might be too sexual to air on the teen show.
Despite her concerns, the network opted to air it anyways, Monet told Insider. (Reps for Nickelodeon and Monet did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.)
The report also alleged that the young Nickelodeon actors were often told by Schneider — who created Victorious — to wear the “skimpier options” when it came to clothing, or “whatever was the most revealing.”
Monet backed this claim, deeming some outfits “not age-appropriate.”
She added, “I wouldn’t even wear some of that today as an adult.”
Schneider previously addressed his 2018 exit from the network, which was reported by Deadline, as well as allegations that he was abusive toward staff members and speculation he fetishized the feet of many young actors.
He called the allegations “ridiculous” in a conversation with The New York Times, adding, “The comedy was totally innocent.”
Though Schenider, 56, created the show and was responsible for many decisions, Monet told Insider that he wasn’t the only person signing off on those choices. The actress pointed to the male-dominated writers room as reason for many of the sexualized scenes. She also noted how Nickelodeon and its department of standards and practices both had to approve everything that aired on the series.
In a statement to Insider, Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon’s former president of content and production, said, “Every single thing that Dan ever did on any of his shows was carefully scrutinized and approved.” Hicks added that the department of standards and practices read every script for Schneider’s shows, programming executives watched every episode of television and parents and caregivers were always on set.
Victorious ran on Nickelodeon from 2010-2013. In addition to Monet, the series starred Victoria Justice, Ariana Grande, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, Elizabeth Gillies, Avan Jogia and Eric Lange.
The series isn’t the only Nickelodeon show currently facing allegations from its former actors regarding poor and inappropriate work conditions. Alexa Nikolas, who appeared on Zoey 101, and iCarly alum Jennette McCurdyalso recently spoke out about the alleged mistreatment of actors at the network.
In her new memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy, 30, detailed numerous instances when she felt “exploited” as a teen actor both on and off set. The actress referred to the person behind the demands as “The Creator” throughout the memoir but never named them.
She recalled a time while filming an episode of iCarly when “The Creator” — whom she described as mean-spirited, controlling, and terrifying — insisted she wear a bikini, instead of her preferred one-piece swimsuit.
Another time, she said, “The Creator” pressured her into drinking alcohol when she was underage while comparing the iCarly cast to “Victoriouskids” who get “drunk all the time.”
McCurdy has alleged she was offered $300,000 to “never talk publicly about your experience at Nickelodeon” but immediately turned down the “hush money”. She said she did not wish to be bribed to keep quiet about unethical behavior, especially in regard to a network riddled with shows for children.
As for Nikolas, 30, she recently claimed Nickelodeon didn’t keep her safeas a child actor, and participated in a protest calling out the network’s working environment for young performers.
As a part of her “Eat Predators” movement, the Zoey 101 alum advocated for better treatment of children in the workforce and called for former Nickelodeon actors (whom she calls “survivors”) to be released from non-disclosure agreements she says the network requires talent to sign.
Some of Nikolas’s protest included accusing a handful of Nick employees of being “predators” and “enablers.” One sign showed Schneider with the caption: “The creator of childhood trauma.”
Dan Schenider should be behind bars if half of what’s being said about him is true.
