Ariana Grande broke her silence about the allegations made in Quiet on Set. During an appearance on Penn Badgley‘s “Podcrushed” on Wednesday, June 12, the 30-year-old Nickelodeon alum admitted that she was “upset” over the doc’s revelations.
“Specifically about our show, I think that was something that we were convinced was the cool thing about us — is that we pushed the envelope with our humor,” Grande said, referring to Victorious.
The Wicked actress seemingly pointed out the sexual “innuendos” that the Investigation Discovery docuseries indicated in most of the TeenNick sitcoms, which included Zoey 101, Drake & Josh and several others.
“And the innuendos were … it was, like, the cool differentiation,” Grande added. “And I don’t know, I think it just all happened so quickly, and now looking back on some of the clips, I’m like, ‘Damn, really? Oh, s–t’ … and the things that weren’t approved for the network were snuck onto, like, our website or whatever. I guess I’m upset, yeah.”
While reflecting on her time working with her Victorious co-stars Victoria Justice, Elizabeth Gillies, Avan Jogia, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett and Daniella Monet, Ariana noted that they made “some very special memories” and added that they felt “so privileged to be able to create those roles and become a part of something that was so special for a lot of young kids.”
In Quiet on Set, former cast and crew members from Nickelodeon came forward with shocking accusations against ex producer Dan Schneider, who created almost all of the network’s most popular sitcoms. In response to the backlash he faced from the docuseries, Schneider filed a lawsuit against the creators for defamation.
Other former actors and crew members also shed light on the sexual abuse they faced from separate employees, who were not Schneider. Drake Bell‘s revelations about Brian Peck‘s sexual assault shocked viewers, as he and Nickelodeon had kept his legal situation out of the public eye since the early 2000s.
Nickelodeon responded to the accusations from the docuseries in a statement obtained by Hollywood Life.
“Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct,” the network’s statement read. “Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.