Emma Roberts said the revelations unveiled in Investigation Discovery’s documentary series “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” are “inexcusable” and called for protections against inappropriate behavior on set for children and adults.
“It’s inexcusable. Kids need to be protected, adults need to be protected,” Roberts, who got her start as a teen actress on Nickelodeon’s “Unfabulous,” told Flaunt in an interview. Roberts spoke from her experience as former Nickelodeon star on the Sue Rose-created show, on which she played Addie Singer.
Her remarks come after the slew of abuse allegations against ex-Nickelodeon producer and screenwriter Dan Schneider were laid out in ID’s five-part series. The program notably included interviews with well-known “All That,” “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh” actors, all of whom detailed their alleged troubling run-ins with problematic staff members while working on the popular series. Roberts shared that she’s happy her personal team and family have helped shield her from hostile interactions during her career.
“I have been lucky with the family I have and the people that I’ve worked with. I try to keep doing my job and keep my head down,” Roberts added.
“Unfabulous” aired on the kids network for three seasons, running from 2004 to 2007. The cast included Roberts, Malese Jow, Jordan Calloway, Brandon Calloway and others. The series followed Addie, a seventh-grader who writes songs about her “unfabulous” life. The show went on to have a two-part TV film called “The Perfect Moment.” Roberts went on to book feature films like “Wild Child,” “Aquamarine” and “Nancy Drew,” but the actress remembered her goal always being having her own Nickelodeon show. She told Flaunt her family gave her room to make her own choices about the projects she starred in.
“[When I started] I remember my mom being like, ‘You don’t have to do this. There’s no reason for you to keep doing this if you’re not feeling it,’” Roberts said. “And I was like, ‘I want to have my own show on Nickelodeon. That is my dream.’”
Outside of “Unfabulous,” Roberts also guest-starred on Nick’s smash hit “Drake & Josh.” Its star Drake Bell was spotlighted in “Quiet on Set,” in which he opened up about the abuse he endured from dialogue coach and former actor Brian Peck.
“Quiet on Set” made its debut over the course of two nights on ID beginning March 17. The series followed up with a fifth installment called “Quiet on Set: Breaking the Silence,” and it featured “never-before-seen” footage and a sit-down with “All That” star Shane Lyons.
