Just before his eye-opening interview for the ID documentary Quiet on Set, Drake Bell admitted that he checked himself into rehab before having the intense conversation.
During his recent appearance on The Sarah Fraser Show, Bell stated that he was originally “cautious” about participating in the docuseries, which involved other former Nickelodeon child stars speaking out about on-set mental and physical abuse at the hands of production team members.
Drake Bell revealed that he had previously been approached to do a separate documentary. However, when he declined, the actor/musician stated the response was “unbelievable.”
“They said that people like me were the problem,” Bell recalled. “And this is why things aren’t gonna change in the industry because people like you won’t speak out and won’t come forward.”
Drake Bell further stated he was being “shamed” about not wanting to be part of the other documentary. “So I’ve always been cautious and on-edge whenever approached to talk about such a sensitive topic.”
So when he was approached to do Quiet on Set, Drake Bell said he was hesitant to respond. However, after speaking to one of the documentary’s directors, Emma Schwartz, he was more relaxed and willing.
“She was very sensitive, and we kind of became buddies before,” Bell said. “I could tell that she was coming from a genuine place when we started our back-and-fourth, and it wasn’t of an angle of, ‘OK, what do I have to say to get him involved? And I’ll just say what I have to say to convince him.’ I really felt a comfort with her. And so I said, ‘You know if you’re willing to come out to L.A. and sit down, at least I’ll meet with you.’”
Drake Bell Goes to Rehab After First Interview, Undergoes Trauma Therapy
After his first interview with Schwartz, Drake Bell decided to go to rehab to receive trauma therapy.
“Your entire day was filled with working through and processing this with a clear mind,” Bell said. “And unearthing all of these things that I hadn’t faced head-on, or if I had tried to, it was too painful.”
As he left rehab, Drake Bell said he felt it was the right time to do the interview. “I thought to myself, ‘Maybe this is a good time to reach back out to them and say, hey, I’m not 100 percent yet, let’s talk some more,’” he noted. “But I’m getting closer to feeling comfortable with finally sharing my story.’”
Drake Bell went through with the interview. He opened up about his years at Nickelodeon. However, he was forced to think back on being sexually abused by former acting coach Brian Peck. In the early 2000s, Peck was arrested for 11 counts including lewd acts with a minor. He was sentenced to prison for 16 months.
Drake Bell was the child that Peck abused.