Actor James Marsden and other celebrities have reportedly shown their support for Brian Peck, a former Nickelodeon dialogue coach convicted of child molestation, through written letters.
James Marsden, who has known Peck since his teenage years, expressed in his letter that Peck has endured immense suffering over the past year, equating it to the suffering of a hundred men, as reported by PEOPLE.
The extent of what Marsden and other celebrities knew about Peck’s charges at the time of writing their letters remains uncertain.
These letters of support came to light in the Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” which is scheduled to air on March 17 and 18.
The series delves into the harmful culture within iconic children’s TV shows from the 1990s and early 2000s, focusing on productions by Dan Schneider.
In “Quiet on Set,” former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell shares his harrowing experience of being sexually abused by Peck during his time at Nickelodeon.
Peck was arrested in 2004 on 11 charges related to child sexual abuse. He pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act on a 14 or 15-year-old and to oral copulation with a minor under 16.
Following his conviction for sexually abusing an unnamed Nickelodeon child actor, Peck was required to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. The identity of the abused Nickelodeon actor remained unknown for 20 years until now.
The docuseries also reveals that several well-known actors wrote letters to the judge on Peck’s behalf, with some even attending his sentencing hearing.
Interestingly, neither Dan Schneider nor any top Nickelodeon executives are mentioned as having written letters in support of Peck.
Other celebrities who wrote letters include “Boy Meets World” stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong, who later expressed regret for their actions on their podcast, “Pod Meets World.”
Friedle recounted how Peck had manipulated him into turning against the victim by misrepresenting the charges.
Looking back, Friedle regrets his naivety and feels saddened by his past actions.
The docuseries also names other actors who supported Peck, including the late Alan Thicke, “Saturday Night Live” alum Taran Killam, “Growing Pains” star Joanna Kerns, “Twin Peaks” actress Kimmy Robertson, and “X-Men” producer Tom DeSanto.
Kimmy Robertson wrote in her letter that she believed Peck was pressured into his actions, while Killam noted Peck’s regret over his mistakes.
Joanna Kerns expressed regret upon learning the full extent of the situation, stating she would not have written her letter had she known the truth.
Tom DeSanto, in a statement to PEOPLE, apologized to Drake Bell and his family, acknowledging his lack of full awareness regarding the accusations at the time.
DeSanto emphasized the importance of due diligence and seeking the truth, especially when supporting survivors of abuse.
In the docuseries, Bell recalls his shock at seeing many familiar faces in the courtroom during Peck’s sentencing, condemning those who defended Peck.
Bell’s statement in court highlighted the lasting impact of the abuse he suffered and criticized those who supported his abuser.
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