Drake Bell's son inspired him to open up about abuse: 'These decisions are no longer for myself'
Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell says becoming a father played a role in his decision to come forward and identify himself as a victim of child sexual abuse.
Former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell says becoming a father played a role in his decision to come forward and identify himself as a victim of child sexual abuse.
In an exclusive interview for TODAY, NBC News’ Kate Snow asked Bell, 37, if part of his motivation for sharing his story in the Investigation Discovery documentary “Quiet on Set” was because of his 3-year-old son, whom he shares with his ex-wife Janet Von Schmeling.
“Yeah,” Bell replied. “As he grows, my hope is that he’ll be able to say, ‘My dad did go through that, and the man that I know today is a hero to me.’”
The “Drake & Josh” star alleged in “Quiet on Set” that he was sexually abused at age 14 and 15 by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach who worked on sets of Nickelodeon shows in the 1990s and early 2000s.
“Imagine the worst thing someone could do to someone as sexual assault,” Bell said in the series. “I don’t know how else to put it.”
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