Drake Bell has extended forgiveness to Rider Strong for his letter in support of Brian Peck, the former Nickelodeon dialogue coach convicted of sexual abuse. Peck, during his 2003 trial, revealed that Strong and nearly 40 others had written character statements to the judge on his behalf.
Bell, 37, recently posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I just had the most amazing conversation with @RiderStrong. We are all healing together. I have nothing but love and forgiveness for him.” This gesture of reconciliation comes after Investigation Discovery aired the docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” where Bell and other former child stars detailed Peck’s misconduct and the toxic work environment created by former studio head Dan Schneider.
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In a podcast interview on “The Sarah Fraser Show,” Bell expressed his surprise and disappointment at not receiving any apologies from those who supported Peck. He revealed feeling betrayed by colleagues he considered friends, who had supported Peck and even wrote letters on his behalf.
Strong, along with his “Boy Meets World” co-star Will Friedle, discussed the abuse they suffered at the hands of Peck on their podcast “Pod Meets World.” They described how Peck, whom they considered a friend, manipulated them, creating a false persona that hid his predatory behavior. Danielle Fishel, another co-star, suggested that Peck’s open homosexuality may have shielded him from scrutiny, as people feared being seen as homophobic if they questioned his actions.
Peck was convicted in 2004 on eight counts of sexual abuse and served 16 months in prison. Despite the dark past, Bell and Strong seem to be moving towards reconciliation, marking a positive step forward for both actors.
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