Drake Bell found fame earlier than most, working as a child actor. Some of his most memorable roles were thanks to his work with Nickelodeon (including the hit sitcoms The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh, in which he starred alongside Josh Peck). Some may have envied his life at the height of his career, but the entertainment industry has a dark side, and stardom can be toxic — this is something the actor knows all too well!
In 2024, as part of the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Bell spoke about how he was sexually assaulted by Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck. At the time, he was 15. In a recent interview with People, the actor reflected on his time as a child star again, but this time, his focus is on the paparazzi and how following him as a teenager made him feel.
Drake Bell Remembers How Challenging It Was To Deal With The Paparazzi As A Teenager
“You’re walking with your friends and you trip outside of the Chateau Marmont on your way to the taco shop, and all of a sudden the next day it’s like, ‘Drake Bell stumbles drunk out of the Chateau Marmont,’” Bell told the publication of how stories can be spun and an angle can be created from something innocent. “You’re like, ‘There was a crack! I tripped on the sidewalk!’ It’s always just that highlighting of all of your missteps.”
Having photographers and journalists follow and dissect your every move is understandably toxic. Still, Bell did not have to contend with social media and the hate that comes with having online platforms (although he does use it as an adult and has 4.4 million followers on Instagram alone). “I’m thankful that Josh and I missed the social media era while we were working,” he said of his former costar Josh Peck. “We didn’t have to compare, ‘Why did Josh have more followers than I do on Instagram? Oh, Josh got more likes on his picture than I did that I posted. What do I have to do?’ I’m just so glad that we didn’t have to live through that.”
Interestingly, Peck does have more followers as an adult, and he boasts an impressive 17 million on Instagram (so if they were to compare now, Bell is an adult and hopefully would not feel insecure about his former co-star having a greater following).
Since his Nickelodeon days, Bell has also tried his hand at singing, but his love for performing has been a huge part of his life. “I want to get on stage and perform. I want to make movies and TV. I want to make people laugh,” he told the publication. “I got to just stay focused and happy and healthy and keep my mind away from the demons. They’re always there, but being positive, trying not to dwell and keeping people around you that care about you …”
Bell tries to focus on the good things in his life, and his love for performing is highlighted on Instagram, where he occasionally posts promotional photos or videos. The most recent post is to bring attention to his concert at Nashville’s Music Forum next week, which fans appear to be looking forward to, judging from the comments on the post!
