Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider addresses accusations he ‘sexualized’ child stars
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, US News
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/ Paul Zimmerman/ WireImage/ Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic
Topics: Celebrity, Film and TV, US News
A representative for Dan Schneider has responded to claims surrounding the producer's behavior with child actors on the set of Nickelodeon shows.
In November, 2022, Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas came forward alleging the show's producer 'always had to be in' her costume fittings and accusing Schneider of taking pictures of actors' feet.
Without specifically naming anyone, iCarly actor Jennette McCurdy also claimed the show's 'creator' shouted at her frequently and forced her to reshoot her first on-screen kiss multiple times in her memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died.
A year later, people took to social media to call out an 'uncomfortable' iCarly scene, some voicing they don't think it should've ever been filmed and a recently released docuseries delves even deeper into the accusations surrounding Schneider.
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In response to Nikolas and McCurdy's claims, former Nickelodeon president of content and production, Russell Hicks, issued a statement which read: "Dan cared about the kids on his shows even when sometimes their own families unfortunately did not.
"He was the shoulder they cried on when something happened to them. He understood what they were going through.
"Dan was like the great high school counsellor you could always turn to for help and guidance. And he was their biggest champion."
The statement asserted that Nickelodeon 'has a talent management department that is keeping tabs on everything that is happening and going to every event these kids go to.'
It added: "Every single thing that Dan ever did on any of his shows was carefully scrutinised and approved by executives at Nickelodeon."
The TV producer and screenwriter behind some of Nickelodeon's most iconic shows has since been accused of creating a 'toxic' work environment in the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV - which was released two days ago on March 17.
A representative for Schneider told UNILAD following the documentary trailer's release: "Dan cared about the kids on his shows even when sometimes their own families unfortunately did not.
"He understood what they were going through and he was their biggest champion.
"The fact is many of the kids on these shows are put in the untenable position of becoming the breadwinner for their family and the pressure that comes along with that.
"Add on top of that the difficulties of growing up and having to do so under the spotlight while working a demanding job, all as a child.
"That is why there are many levels of standards, executives, lawyers, teachers and parents everywhere, all the time, on every set, every day.
"However, it is still a hard place to be a kid and nobody knew that better than Dan."
However, ID's series also hones in on the accusations facing the creative surrounding various scenes 'sexualizing' some of the child actors.
And Schneider's representative has since released another statement in response to those specific claims.
Denying the producer ever intentionally sexualized any of the children, a representative for Schneider told Variety: "Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network.
"If there was an actual problem with the scenes that some people, now years later are ‘sexualizing,’ they would be taken down, but they are not, they are aired constantly all over the world today still, enjoyed by both kids and parents.
"Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts.
"A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes.
"In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny.
"Unfortunately, some adults project their adult minds onto kids’ shows, drawing false conclusions about them."
UNILAD has contacted representatives for Dan Schneider, Alexa Nikolas, Jennette McCurdy and Nickelodeon for comment.