Ariana Grande Breaks Silence On Nickelodeon Allegations

12 June 2024, 16:12

By Sam Prance

"Now looking back on some of the clips I’m like, 'That’s… damn, really? Oh s---, if I had a daughter!'"

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Ariana Grande has opened up about the ongoing allegations surrounding Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider for the first time.

Earlier this year, several cast and crew members discussed their negative experiences working on Nickelodeon shows in the documentary Quiet on Set. Drake Bell came forward as the minor in dialogue coach Brian Peck's sexual assault conviction and multiple people accused Drake & Josh, iCarly and Victorious creator Dan Schneider of inappropriate behaviour.

Disturbing footage of Ariana Grande during her time on Victorious also resurfaced online. In particular, clips of Ariana acting out multiple suggestive and inappropriate scenes for Victorious' webseries including one scene where she tried to put her big toe in her mouth. Viewers accused Schneider and Nickelodeon of "sexualising" Ariana as a child actor.

Now, Ariana has broken her silence on Quiet on Set and spoken about her experience working on Nickelodeon shows.

Read more: Victoria Justice Breaks Silence On Dan Schneider Following Quiet On Set Allegations
Read more: Dan Schneider Is Suing 'Quiet On Set' Docuseries Producers

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Speaking on PodCrushed about Victorious, Ariana said: "I was 14. I flew out to audition with Liz Gillies for Victorious and we were all very excited. We got cast and it was the best news. We were young performers who just wanted to do this with our lives more than anything. We feel so privileged to be part of something that was so special to so many kids."

However, Ariana then spoke about the negative aspects of child acting adding: "Obviously, my relationship to it is currently changing. I'm reprocessing a lot of what the experience was like. I think that environment needs to be made safer. I think there should be therapists, I think there should be parents allowed to be wherever they want to be."

Addressing the ongoing allegations, she continued: "A lot of people don't have the support that they need to get through performing at that level at such a young age but also dealing with some of the things that the survivors who've come forward. There's not a word for how devastating that is to hear about."

Ariana then spoke about how easy it is to be taken advantage of as a child actor who is desperate to impress the adults who employ them. She explained: "There's a strange pattern that occurs where it's really taken advantage of how much it means to the young performer to get a laugh. You're like, 'Oh sh--, I'm doing something great. This is funny. This is good."

Ariana Grande appeared on Dan Schneider's Victorious and Sam & Cat. Picture: Getty

Ariana continued: "Speaking specifically about our show, that was something we were convinced was the cool thing about us. We pushed the envelope with our humour and the innuendos. I don’t know, I think it all just happened so quickly and now looking back on some of the clips I’m like, ‘That’s… damn, really? Oh sh--, if I had a daughter!'"

Addressing Victorious' controversial webseries directly, Ariana said: "So many adults [had to approve that]. The things that weren’t approved for the network were snuck on to our website, and that is another discovery. But, I’m going into it… I guess I’m upset."