Drake Bell claims Nickelodeon doesn't pay residuals to former child stars
The 39-year-old actor and musician - who appeared on shows like The Amanda Show and spinoff sitcom Drake and Josh for the network - has claimed that unlike of the deals reached with most adults performers, his early contacts involved one-off payments, which means he doesn't get any money from streaming or syndication.
He told The Unplanned Podcast: "That's the perception of the world, it's always been this way.
"It's like, you know, 'Oh, you made a Folgers Coffee commercial. You must live in a mansion in Hollywood. Like, I saw you on TV. You're rich.'
'That's far from the case. And especially, which is the bummer for most of us on Nickelodeon, we don't get residuals for our shows.'
The star - who previously opened up about his childhood trauma and struggles in 2024 docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV - pointed out how he doesn't get any money despite Drake and Josh's recent move to Netflix.
He claimed: "It's a lot of evil, corrupt people. That's the only thing, that is the answer. There's no other answer.
'Do everything that they do to us mentally and emotionally, and then throw us to the wolves. And we're like, okay, cool. I got rent this month.
"There are three channels doing marathons. Netflix just bought it, it's top 10 on Netflix, and I gotta figure out how to pay my rent this month."
He pointed out how the cast of Friends are still able to earn huge amounts of money from re-runs of the classic sitcom.
He said: 'The Friends cast at the peak was making a million dollars an episode. You make 13 episodes that year, you make $13,000,000. You make 20 episodes that year, you make $20,000,000, right?
'But right now, each cast member of Friends just in syndication alone is making over $20,000,000 a year, and they're not filming a show every week.
"They're not going to work, but they're playing their show and they're using their likeness and they're doing all this, so they get paid for it.'
He compared the studio's approach to the situation to "child labour", while addressing the lack of control young performers have.
He added: 'People don't understand how the business works, the business side of this. They just see what the perception is on Instagram and social media and all the glitz and the glamour of Hollywood.
'We're putting in all of this work. This corporation is making billions with a 'B' off of us, and we're being compensated for the week of work, cool, but that's it.
'And forever, in perpetuity, it literally says in the contract, across universes and galaxies and planets.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Jenna Ortega feels 'incredibly misunderstood' due to Hollywood success
Jenna Ortega feels "incredibly misunderstood". The 22-year-old actress is one of the brightest young stars in Hollywood but is uncomfortable with the public making "assumptions" about her personality. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jenna said: "I think that's part of my struggle with that side of the job, because you feel incredibly misunderstood. "It's almost to a point where it feels like your name doesn't belong to you. I almost don't even resonate with it anymore. "I hate assumptions, and a big part of this job is that people are going to make assumptions about you." The Wednesday star feels that too much information about performers is revealed to the world nowadays. She said: "We know too much. "And the people feel entitled to those bits and pieces of your life where if they were put under the same microscope, they wouldn't feel nearly as comfortable." Jenna explained that she is particularly frightened of people calling out her name in the street and hears "vile things" at times. The star said: "Somebody shouting your name in public is insane. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable when it's grown men approaching me. "Like, you don't stop for somebody because you're going to be late for something and they're calling you a **** w**** in front of your mother. It's horrific." However, Ortega revealed that she can go out in public "unseen" if she wishes. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star said: "Sometimes you go out, and it's a mess. And other times, I could be walking for hours and no one gives a s***. If you really want to go unseen, you can do it." Jenna has worked closely with legendary horror filmmaker Tim Burton on the second season of Netflix's Wednesday and is impressed with the "polite" way the Edward Scissorhands director goes about his work. She said: "He's so polite. He knows everybody's names. He trusts the team. "When I initially started working with him, I would ask him for notes and critiques. He wouldn't give any. It's not because he wasn't trying to be helpful, but he was allowing me the space to find what was going to work for me. "It created a greater confidence in myself. I think he really brings out the best in people and allows them to think out of the box, so you want to get weirder and weirder with it. It's such a joy when someone brings that out of you."
Courier-Mail
4 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Update on Harry, Meghan's TV plans after end of Netflix deal: ‘Coming soon'
Don't miss out on the headlines from Royals. Followed categories will be added to My News. IN LONDON Prince Harry and Meghan are poised to sign a new deal with Netflix following the end of their previous multi-year, multimillion dollar contract. It's been widely reported this week that, as expected, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's five-year agreement with the streaming service, which was signed in 2020, will expire in the coming months. However, according to Page Six, they're now set to ink a new 'first-look' contract with Netflix, similar to the type Barack and Michelle Obama have with the company. A 'first-look' deal generally means that there is an agreement where Netflix is granted exclusive rights to preview and potentially purchase a project before it's shopped around elsewhere. A source also revealed that 'there are more TV projects coming soon with both the duke and duchess', while the second season of Meghan's show, With Love, Meghan, is still on track to be released in September. Season two of With Love, Meghan is coming in September. Picture: Netflix Page Six also spoke to industry sources, who confirmed that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is still on good terms with Harry and Meghan and continues to support them. The news that the Sussexes' Netflix deal was ending came just days after the streaming giant released its semi-annual report, 'What We Watched', which ranked With Love, Meghan in 383rd place (out of 7,500) with a total of 5.3 million views. The series outperformed other shows in its category, including The Great British Bake Off, Chef's Table and the most recent season of Queer Eye. They're reportedly entering into a new 'first-look' deal. Picture:for TIME It comes as Meghan is reportedly hitting pause on her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast in order to focus on her lifestyle range, As Ever, according to Page Six. Both product drops this year have seen everything quickly sell out within hours. 'As a growing business, As Ever is continuing to explore growth opportunities that feel aligned with the brand's core values and quality standards,' a source told the publication. 'The brand continues to evolve with new products that align with her vision for quality lifestyle goods at accessible price points.' The couple's 2022 Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, was a massive ratings hit. Picture: Netflix Meanwhile, speculation that Harry and Meghan were considering moving back to the UK in some capacity following a recent 'royal peace summit' were firmly denied recently. Earlier this month, the Duke of Sussex's chief of staff and communications director, Meredith Maines, his UK spokesman, and the King's communications secretary, Tobyn Andrae, held a private meeting in London, reportedly to discuss the rift between the two parties. Tensions had first escalated when Harry and Meghan moved in 2020 to the US, where they are now based, and began to open up about the issues they'd faced during their time working within the monarchy. Having now taken that first concrete step toward reconciliation, rumours have been rife that the Sussexes are eyeing off some form of return to Harry's home country – but a source told US magazine People that they have no intention of leaving Montecito. Instead, the recent chat has been viewed as a potential reopening of the lines of communication between the duke and the King, who have been estranged in recent years. 'It was a good first step,' the insider said. 'It is always better to be talking.' Originally published as Update on Harry, Meghan's TV plans after end of Netflix deal: 'Coming soon'
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Lindsay Lohan eyes more 'dramatic' roles
Lindsay Lohan hopes to play more "dramatic" roles after Freakier Friday. The 39-year-old actress returns in the body-swap comedy sequel as Anna Coleman and has declared that she has her eye on some "serious" parts in the future. Lindsay told The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of Freakier Friday on Tuesday (22.07.25): "(I'm) doing a TV show with Hulu that I'm really excited about and I'd like to take on some more serious, dramatic roles. "And I love doing romantic comedy because that's where my home is and I feel like where my fans want to see me, but I'd like to take on some things that are different; maybe find something that's an action-packed film. Just really show people a different side of me." Lindsay returns alongside co-star Jamie Lee Curtis for the sequel and has promised that it is "bigger" than the original 2003 film Freaky Friday. She explained: "We have more stories to tell. It's a four-way swap and there's more music and there's a lot more physical comedy than the first one, which I love. Any moment that I can pull a Lucille Ball, I'm down for it." Lindsay was just 15 when production started on the original movie and explained that she has always remained close with Jamie as the Halloween star was a "mother figure" to her. The Mean Girls star said: "She was there for me at a time of my life when my mom was busy with my siblings, and she was kind of like another mother figure to me out here in LA. That's kept us pretty tight-knit over time, and we've always just been in contact." Curtis explained that she wanted Lohan to feel "love" during the making of the movie. The 66-year-old star recalled: "I said to her from day one, 'I want nothing from you except your own peace and serenity.' And I am safe, I'm a home base; I don't want anything, I'm not going to ask you to come to anything. "I don't want her to feel transactional with me, I want her to feel love." Lindsay recently expressed her desire to be "fully involved" in the making of her films after she served as an executive producer on her recent Netflix projects. The Parent Trap star said: "It really came from the movies I was doing with Netflix. "I was like, 'I know this.' When I'm reading the script, I'm already visualising where it's going to be, what the character's wearing. "(That journey) was a big part of what the new script was going to be. I like to be fully involved in the projects I do now, from the ground up. I really enjoy sharing my knowledge I've acquired over all these years in the industry, and don't want to let that go to waste. That's a big part of who I am as an actor now."
