Actor Matthew Underwood, who starred in the hit Nickelodeon show “Zoey 101,” claimed Friday that he was sexually assaulted by his talent agent when he was 19.
Underwood shared the allegations on his Instagram in response to fans who had asked him about the allegations of abuse and toxicity at Nickelodeon in the wake of Drake Bell’s allegations against Brian Peck, covered in the docuseries “Quiet on Set.”
“When I was 19, I was sexually harassed and then assaulted by my agent at the time, who had spent a decent amount of time building trust with me as a friend and mentor,” Underwood alleged. “My trust was betrayed and my self-image was crushed. I reported him to the agency and he has since been fired — although he is still active in the industry.”
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Underwood provided more information to his fans but was clear on his feelings about having to do so.
“I know many folks want me to respond to the ‘quiet on set’ documentary,” he wrote in his lengthy message. “I’m going to share with you something I never thought I would have to talk about publicly, as it’s honestly none of your business anyway.”
The actor alleged that he was sexually assaulted by his best friend’s father, as well as his agent, and described how challenging it was to face these betrayals. The alleged assault he experienced at the hands of his agent ultimately led to the end of his career, he claimed.
“This experience provoked my move away from L.A. and ended my pursuit of acting,” Underwood said.
Actor Matthew Underwood attends the premiere of Dimension Films “The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3D” Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images
Underwood explained people were “blowing up” his email and calling him a “pedophile defender” for not speaking out against Dan Schneider and other Nickelodeon executives.
“So I’m sharing this with hope that some of you can recognize that just because a person doesn’t shout from the rooftops that pedophiles are bad or that people can suck – that does not mean they don’t have their own reasons for staying silent, good reasons, personal reasons,” he noted.
Actor Matthew Underwood arrives for the grand opening party for the Artist Knox Luxury Grooming Pet Salon on June 27, 2009 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images
“I never had a bad experience working on set of a Nickelodeon show, and I never had a bad experience with Dan,” Underwood added. “I have nothing to add to the conversation that anyone would care to hear.”
“I can’t believe I even have to say this, but of course I don’t fucking support pedophiles,” Underwood reiterated in his statement.
Actor Matthew Underwood attends the Pre-BET Awards party sponsored by Adidas. Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images for Capitol
“Please stop wishing death upon my family, and please reconsider harassing other actors who wish to maintain their privacy — you never know who has already been a victim of the hell you’re wishing upon them.” (RELATED: Drake Bell’s Dad Says He Was Accused Of Being ‘Homophobic’ For Raising Alarm About Child Abuser Brian Peck)
Underwood did not name the agent responsible for his alleged sexual assault.