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By Michaela Gordoni
Editor’s note: This story discusses mature themes, including Drake Bell’s abuse. Please prayerfully consider how to proceed.
DRAKE & JOSH star Drake Bell suffered repeat sexual abuse from dialogue coach Brian Peck as a teen — now he’s opening up about the “worst parts” of it.
“I had to come back from THE AMANDA SHOW — where the dude was, where the abuse was happening — [and] the worst part about it being…having the monster in your safe place,” Bell told his co-star, Josh Peck, on a recent episode of Peck’s podcast. “The only place where I feel comfortable is when I get to set and hang out with you guys, and we goof around, put on our masks, and wigs, and makeup, and make people laugh, and slide around and get dirty. Like, that’s where I feel safe.”
The teen had no safe places to go — not even his own home.
“Where I felt most comfortable, where I was the happiest, was when I was on set with you guys,” he told Josh. “And the worst part was, every day I got there, the monster was there.”
Docuseries QUIET ON SET: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDS TV highlighted Bell’s abuse experience. At the time of the abuse in 2003, Bell reported his experience to police anonymously. The abuser came to set while still under investigation.
“So I’m coming back, he hasn’t been arrested, and I don’t know if you remember but he came and visited during the pilot, and… that was an issue,” Bell recalled. “But I still had to play like, ‘Oh, hey, cool! Whatever! You’re about to get arrested, bro, and you don’t even know!’”
“Now I’m entering the DRAKE & JOSH phase, where we should be like, bro, partners, like, ‘This is our time! Let’s be in this together! This is just the first step!’” he said.
“But I came back to the same stage, the same parking lot, the same dressing rooms, the same green room, the same makeup rooms,” he continued. “And in the back of my head, the whole time I’m doing the pilot, I know that there’s this investigation happening, I know that this guy’s about to get arrested, I know that s—’s about to hit the fan, and nobody in here knows it. And I’m 14 or 15.”
Josh had no idea what Bell was going through and assumed that Bell wasn’t very interested in being friends with him. The documentary “revealed” so much to him.
At the time, Bell wasn’t angry at other adults for not knowing about what was happening. Now, though, he feels “confused” and doesn’t understand how no one could have not known anything.
Brian was convicted the following year and pleaded no contest. Many people, including actors Will Friedle and Rider Strong, offered their support to Bell.
“It’s nice to hear those kinds of things,” he said.
Bell doesn’t let his trauma “define” him. He said on the Man Enough podcast, “It’s important for people who have been through experiences like us to see… there’s moments of happiness ahead.”
Read Next: Drake Bell Exposed Sexual Abuse on Set; Now His Life Is Changed for The Better
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