Former Nickelodeon star Matthew Underwood has bravely shared his experience of being sexually harassed and assaulted by his former agent when he was just 19 years old, which eventually led him to quit acting and leave Los Angeles. The actor reported the agent to the agency, who has since been fired but remains active in the industry.
Underwood decided to speak out about his harrowing experience after allegations of misconduct against Dan Schneider, the creator of Zoey 101, were featured in a documentary. He defended himself and his co-stars against accusations of being “pedophile defenders” for staying silent about the docuseries.
Despite facing backlash and harassment for not speaking out against pedophiles, Underwood explained the complex reasons why some may choose to stay silent on such issues. The actor, known for playing Logan Reese in Zoey 101 and its sequel film Zoey 102, emphasized that he had only positive experiences on the set of Nickelodeon shows and believes in the possibility of people changing for the better, including Dan Schneider.
Speaking out about his own experience has not been easy for Underwood, but he hopes that by sharing his story, he can raise awareness about the prevalence of harassment and assault in the entertainment industry and support others who have gone through similar experiences. The former actor’s courage in coming forward has sparked important conversations and shed light on the importance of speaking out against misconduct in all forms.
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