In a TikTok shared by Nickelodeon on Thursday Amanda’s show alum Raquel Lee Bolleau, who appeared in the Investigation Discovery documentaries Silence on the set: The dark side of televisionsays she was disenchanted by her experience with documentaries about toxic agendas on kid’s television.
The film’s directors, Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, were recently joined by contestants Drake Bell, Giovannie Samuels, Bryan Christopher Hearne and co-executive producer Kate Taylor for a panel conversation at the Emmy FYC event, moderated by Scaachi Koula, where they discussed the impact of what has turn out to be successful documentary for ID and streamer Max. The five-part series examined allegations of harassment, sexism, racism and inappropriate behavior involving underage stars and crew members on Nickelodeon television shows hosted by Dan Schneider.
– Do you think that they invited me? – the former child star asked in her video, referring to the event in Los Angeles.
Bolleau continued (watch below): “Let me let you know what my problem with this industry is: Quiet on set they did what the industry all the time does – they get what they need from you and that is it. They never thought I might need to take part in such a discussion.
She said that such treatment was a “very difficult thing” for her, causing her to recall past wounds stemming from her experiences as a baby actress. “This industry has done nothing but hurt me left and right since I was a kid,” Bolleau said.
Other Quiet on set contestant, Marc Summers, former host Double challenge, recently said he had stepped away from the documentary set. “They attacked me,” he said. “They never told me what the documentary was actually about. So they showed me a video of something I could not consider was on Nickelodeon, and I said, “Whoah, let’s stop the tape right there.” What are we doing?'”
The co-directors said in response in an announcement to Hollywood reporter“We clearly inform each participant about the nature of our projects.”
In her video, Bolleau also claimed that the directors didn’t tell her what the documentary would actually focus on. “First of all, you don’t even tell me what kind of documentary I’m going to be a part of,” she said. “You never wondered if it would be liberating for me.”
It’s price noting that sometimes in investigative reporting, reporters discover the exact nature of a story. Despite this, various allegations against Schneider have been made public since 2018, and the executive producer and Business expert reporter Kate Taylor published an in depth investigative piece on Schneider in August 2022.
Bolleau continued: “Number two, it comes out and you tell me, ‘Oh, you’re going to be in episodes number one and number four.’ And then you call me on the day of the fifth episode premiere and say, “Hey, by the way, I desired to let you know that you simply’re on episode five too.” But you also forgot to say, “Oh, we’ll even have a panel discussion where we’ll speak about where you’re today and the way we will move forward.” Do you wish me to share my story, but you do not need to have interaction me in the actual narrative of change?”
THR has reached out to Robertson, Schwartz and ID for comment.
Following the success of the two-day, four-episode series, ID has greenlighted a further fifth episode, Break the silencewhich was released on April 7.
“There has been a flurry of conversation on social media and this is why Quiet on set is part of something much bigger than himself, a true movement for change,” Jason Sarlanis, president of TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID & HLN, linear and streaming, recently said THR about documents. “It has become incredibly clear that as an industry, when it comes to children and entertainment, we simply need to do better.”
Last month, they were Amanda’s show author Jenny Kilgen, who also appears in the documentary, wrote an open letter to SAG-AFTRA, calling on them to “take action to initiate and implement robust child safety protocols to protect young actors.” She also expressed support for state and federal laws, something Robertson and Schwartz have previously said THR was an area they hoped to see changes following the documentary’s success. The actors’ union has since responded by outlining the processes involved.
Credit : www.hollywoodreporter.com
