Latest news with #residuals
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Drake Bell claims Nickelodeon doesn't pay residuals to child stars
Drake Bell, a former child actor who found fame starring on the Nickelodeon sitcom "Drake & Josh," accused the network of not paying its stars. Bell, 39, claimed he and co-star Josh Peck never received residuals for their show, which ran for three years on the kid-focused network before its final episode aired in 2007. The actor, who previously revealed alleged abuse he suffered while working for Nickelodeon, addressed what he said was a misconception in the entertainment world. "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. I saw you on TV, you're rich,'" Bell said during an appearance on "The Unplanned Podcast." "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." Bell noted that most networks pay actors residuals for work used after its initial run, but said Nickelodeon only offers a one-time payment to actors. Host Matt Howard wondered if the network was attempting to take advantage of stars due to their age, to which Bell said, "Keep going. Keep trying to figure it out." "It's a lot of evil, corrupt people... that is the answer," Bell said. "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.'" The sitcom, which also received TV films in addition to video games and books, is still popular with audiences, Bell said. "There are three channels doing 'Drake & Josh' marathons. Netflix just bought it, it's top 10 on Netflix, and I gotta figure out how to pay my rent this month," Bell said. "And some fat cat with a cigar is just sitting up at the top of Viacom... It's just like getting high on child labor." He continued, "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. "If Elon [Musk] gets us to Mars and they show 'Drake & Josh,' it's impossible for me to get paid for it." Nickelodeon representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. The documentary "Quiet on Set" premiered in March 2024, covering the bulk of Dan Schneider's time at Nickelodeon. As a showrunner, Schneider was alleged to have run a toxic workplace, discriminated against female writers on staff and made requests for massages from employees on set. The most alarming claim from the documentary came from Bell, who detailed sexual abuse allegations against Brian Peck, an actor and dialogue coach hired by Nickelodeon. Bell recalled the day the relationship went from uncomfortable to full-blown assault and abuse. "I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep, and I woke up to him… I opened my eyes, I woke up and he was sexually assaulting me. And I froze and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react," Bell said. "And I had no idea how to get out of the situation… What do I do, call my mom, 'Hey, can you come pick me up? This just happened, I'll sit here and wait.' I had no car, I didn't drive. I was 15 at this time." He continued, "The abuse was extensive. And it got pretty brutal, pretty brutal. I don't know, I really don't know how to elaborate on that on camera really." When asked by a producer what he would feel comfortable talking about, Bell said, "Why don't you do this, why don't you think of the worst stuff that someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault and that'll answer your question. I don't know how else to put it. It was not a one-time thing." Nickelodeon issued a statement to Fox News Digital regarding the alleged behaviors on past production sets. "Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct," the statement said. "Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crews, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Child star Drake Bell fumes that he has been left struggling to pay rent while 'some fat cat with a cigar' 'is 'high on child labour' due to strict Nickelodeon payment terms
Former child star Drake Bell has hit out at the contract terms from his work with Nickelodeon, that he says have left him struggling to pay rent. The actor, now 39, explained that despite the ongoing success of his show Drake & Josh, he is not living anything close to a life of luxury. Having also starred in Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show, Drake revealed that he was given one-off payments for his work and does not receive residuals. 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.' Drake said that had he been given a fair contract, he would still be benefiting from his work. This is because residual checks - achieved through the sale of reruns - would allow him to still get paid for appearing in reruns of the hit shows, which he still features in. The star is still recognisable to many after starring in the Drake & Josh show with Josh Peck from 2004 to 2007. 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. 'And they're making over $20,000,000 in a year just because other networks are buying the rights for syndication.' The former child star, who also claims to have been sexually abused on-set, described his current financial situation as the result of the actions of 'evil people'. Drake, who is also known for The Amanda Show and The Fairly OddParents, said: '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 'And some fat cat with a cigar is just sitting up at the top of Viacom just going [chuckles]. What do you call it? It's just like getting high on child labor. '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.'
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Former child star Drake Bell claims ‘no one' on Nickelodeon gets paid residuals: ‘Child labour'
Former child star Drake Bell feels cheated, and he's not thrilled about it. The Drake & Josh star, 39, recently claimed that 'no one' on Nickelodeon receives residuals for their time on the popular children's network. He also slammed the belief that everyone on TV is rich. 'That's the perception of the world, it's always been this way,' Bell said during an episode of The Unplanned Podcast earlier this month. '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,' he explained. 'And especially, which is the bummer for most of us on Nickelodeon, we don't get residuals for our shows.' Bell, who made his Nickelodeon debut on The Amanda Show with Amanda Bynes in 1999 before co-starring on Drake & Josh with Josh Peck from 2004 to 2007, revealed that almost everyone on the network only receives a one-time payment for their work. He then compared Nickelodeon's 'flawed' system to shows like Seinfeld and Friends, and noted how the casts of those sitcoms still earn millions of dollars from syndication residuals. 'You want to get into syndication,' Bell told podcast hosts Abby and Matt Howard. 'You want to get to 100 episodes so that you can get to syndication, and then you want to get into syndication because then you get your residual money, that's where you make your money.' 'For example, the Friends cast at the peak was making a million dollars an episode,' he continued. 'You make 13 episodes that year, you make $13 million. You make 20 episodes that year, you make $20 million, right? 'But right now, each cast member of Friends, just in syndication alone, is making over $US20 million a year, and they're not filming a show every week,' Bell added. '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.' When Matt asked whether Nickelodeon stars didn't receive residuals because they were child actors, Bell claimed it was because the network was run by 'a lot of evil, corrupt people.' 'That's the only thing, that is the answer,' he said. 'There's no other answer.' Meanwhile, Bell lamented how he still doesn't receive residuals despite seeing Drake & Josh replays and marathons on TV and popular streaming services. 'Do everything that they do to us mentally and emotionally, and then throw us to the wolves,' he said. 'And we're like, 'OK, cool. I got rent this month.'' 'There are three channels doing Drake & Josh marathons. Netflix just bought it, it's top 10 on Netflix, and I gotta figure out how to pay my rent this month,' the actor continued. 'And some fat cat with a cigar is just sitting up at the top of Viacom, just going, 'Hehehe.' What do you call it? It's just like getting high on child labour.' Bell, who filed for bankruptcy back in 2014, ended the podcast segment by saying that people outside of the entertainment industry 'don't understand how the business works.' 'They just see what the perception is on Instagram and social media and all the glitz and the glamour of Hollywood,' he said. '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.' The Post has reached out to Bell's rep and Nickelodeon for comment. This wouldn't be the first time the Drake & Josh star slammed Nickelodeon and the 'flawed' system the network had in place to protect child stars. 'And forever, in perpetuity,' Bell concluded. 'It literally says in the contract, across universes and galaxies and planets.' Last year, Bell slammed Nickelodeon's 'pretty empty' apology after the Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV docuseries exposed the toxic behind-the-scenes world of children's TV shows. Bell also revealed in the bombshell docuseries that he had been sexually assaulted by acting coach Brian Peck, and alleged that the shocking abuse is what started him down his self-destructive road.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Drake Bell claims Nickelodeon doesn't pay residuals to child stars
Drake Bell, a former child actor who found fame starring on the Nickelodeon sitcom "Drake & Josh," accused the network of not paying its stars. Bell, 39, claimed he and co-star Josh Peck never received residuals for their show, which ran for three years on the kid-focused network before its final episode aired in 2007. The actor, who previously revealed alleged abuse he suffered while working for Nickelodeon, addressed what he said was a misconception in the entertainment world. "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. I saw you on TV, you're rich,'" Bell said during an appearance on "The Unplanned Podcast." "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." Bell noted that most networks pay actors residuals for work used after its initial run, but said Nickelodeon only offers a one-time payment to actors. Host Matt Howard wondered if the network was attempting to take advantage of stars due to their age, to which Bell said, "Keep going. Keep trying to figure it out." "It's a lot of evil, corrupt people... that is the answer," Bell said. "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.'" The sitcom, which also received TV films in addition to video games and books, is still popular with audiences, Bell said. "There are three channels doing 'Drake & Josh' marathons. Netflix just bought it, it's top 10 on Netflix, and I gotta figure out how to pay my rent this month," Bell said. "And some fat cat with a cigar is just sitting up at the top of Viacom... It's just like getting high on child labor." He continued, "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. "If Elon [Musk] gets us to Mars and they show 'Drake & Josh,' it's impossible for me to get paid for it." Nickelodeon representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. The documentary "Quiet on Set" premiered in March 2024, covering the bulk of Dan Schneider's time at Nickelodeon. As a showrunner, Schneider was alleged to have run a toxic workplace, discriminated against female writers on staff and made requests for massages from employees on set. The most alarming claim from the documentary came from Bell, who detailed sexual abuse allegations against Brian Peck, an actor and dialogue coach hired by Nickelodeon. Bell recalled the day the relationship went from uncomfortable to full-blown assault and abuse. "I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep, and I woke up to him… I opened my eyes, I woke up and he was sexually assaulting me. And I froze and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react," Bell said. "And I had no idea how to get out of the situation… What do I do, call my mom, 'Hey, can you come pick me up? This just happened, I'll sit here and wait.' I had no car, I didn't drive. I was 15 at this time." He continued, "The abuse was extensive. And it got pretty brutal, pretty brutal. I don't know, I really don't know how to elaborate on that on camera really." When asked by a producer what he would feel comfortable talking about, Bell said, "Why don't you do this, why don't you think of the worst stuff that someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault and that'll answer your question. I don't know how else to put it. It was not a one-time thing." Nickelodeon issued a statement to Fox News Digital regarding the alleged behaviors on past production sets. "Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct," the statement said. "Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crews, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience."
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘When they ask if Disney Channel paid me well': Former Child Star shares pay reality
A former child star has shared the jaw-dropping amount he makes in residuals from a popular Disney channel show. Ryan McCartan, 31, starred in Liv and Maddie, a successful tween show that ran from 2013 to 2017. Usually, famous people shy away from discussing money, but he took to Instagram to reveal how much he still makes from the hit show. Residuals are an extra payment made to actors when re-runs are aired. It is separate from the salary they're paid initially. The star really aimed for transparency when he took to Instagram and shared his recent residual cheque of $41 cents. 'When they ask me if Disney Channel paid me well,' he joked. Thankfully, McCartan isn't relying on his measly residual paycheques to get by. Instead, the actor is currently starring in the musical version of The Great Gatsby on Broadway. The 31-year-old also has a million followers on Instagram and describes himself as a 'role model to tens of theatre kids' but he perhaps still most famous for his past relationship. He previously engaged to fellow former Disney star Dove Cameron. The pair met on the Liv and Maddie show and got engaged in 2016 after two years of dating, but they called off their engagement in the same year. McCartan announced their break-up on X and said, 'Dove has decided this relationship isn't what she wants' and added that the pair still loved each other and asked fans to be sensitive because it was a 'painful' time. Cameron also tweeted about their break-up, saying it was an 'intense' time and adding that there was still lots of love between the pair. Later in an interview with Seventeen magazine she admitted it was her first ever real relationship. 'It was on-screen and off-screen. A lot of what I went through in that first relationship, the very low-lows, I did not make public.' 'I was under the impression that I had to make everything look perfect all the time and my partner definitely put that in my ear,' she said. Cameron also said that while fans thought they were sharing 'loads' of their relationship online, she felt like she'd hardly shared anything. Meanwhile, McCartan went on the podcast, allegedly, and said the break-up was 'really hard' and 'plain out sucks,' but he understood that time would heal everything.
