Drake Bell Makes Honest Declaration About Amanda Bynes Amid Explosive Nickelodeon Documentary
L: Drake Bell, R: Amanda Bynes
As the world continues to ask about Amanda Bynes in the wake of the release of the explosive investigative series Quiet on Set, Drake Bell is offering his candid experience working with her as a child actor.
During an interview with Amanda Hirsch on her podcast Not Skinny But Not Fat, the former Nickelodeon star opened up even further about the abuse he experienced while working for the network—allegations that first came to light in the viral docuseries, where he was publicly identified for the first time as the minor actor that former dialogue coach Brian Peck was convicted of sexually assaulting—and addressed the suspicions that have arisen regarding Bynes and Dan Schneider, who created a slew of popular series for the network and is at the heart of a laundry list of additional allegations.
Several former castmembers came forward to tell their stories as investigative journalists delved into the mistreatment of the child stars of the '90s and early aughts, but Bynes was not one of them, having remained mum throughout the lead-up to the series and its viral response, even as fans have begged for her take on the varying accusations.
Hirsch reflected on the flashbacks from those days "where we were reminded what a star she was, and the charisma that she had," and asked Bell what he may know about her experiences with the network.
While Bell denied ever seeing anything happen between Schneider and Bynes that would suggest something inappropriate was going on, he also admits he was very focused on his own experience at the time.
He also confirmed that he hasn't spoken to Bynes, whom he called "a really talented, amazing actress," in years, but was happy to look back on their time as colleagues, which, for him, was a dream come true.
Bynes "was a big star" for Bell, who grew up watching her on All That. "...when I booked the Amanda Show, I just couldn't believe...that I got to work with her."
Bell also spoke of her "incredible talent," which he said "oozed from her effortlessly."
He continued, "She was so funny, she was so—I mean, she was like a rocket ship. She got on set and she was just, the talent...was awe-inspiring."
Bynes was one of the most promising performers to come out of the network during that time period. The actress, now 38, went on to star in hit comedies like "She's the Man" and "Easy A" before retiring from acting at the age of 24 in 2010.
Though she quickly backtracked on her decision, she has yet to appear in another film or television series. In 2013, she was placed under a conservatorship due to substance abuse issues, which lasted until 2022. For the last couple of years, she's been pursuing her certification to become a manicurist and has been open about her mental health on her social media platforms,
