Daniella Monet is joining her fellow former Nickelodeon stars in candidly speaking about what it was like working as a child actor for the network under Dan Schneider.
Less than a week after Zoey 101 actress Alexa Nikolas led a protest outside of the network's headquarters in Burbank, Monet spoke with Insider about her experiences on Victorious, claiming her concerns about feeling "sexualized" were ignored by Nickelodeon.
Monet, who played the role of Trina Vega for Victorious' entire run, says the show was "very [politically correct], funny, silly, friendly, and chill"...for the most part. But, she explained, some scenes were questionable at best. "Do I wish certain things, like, didn't have to be sexualized? Yeah, 100 percent."
The actress recalled one scene in particular where her character was eating a pickle while simultaneously applying lip gloss. When Monet contacted Nickelodeon over the scene, which she felt was too sexual for the show, she says she was ignored and the scene aired as planned.
Schneider Allegedly Repeatedly Ignored Standards Department, Suggested Skimpier Options
Schenider, who created several huge hits for the network—including Victorious, iCarly, and Zoey 101—allegedly made a habit of skirting Nickelodeon's standards department. His shows contained barely subtle sexual innuendos, often including scenes of young actresses being squirted in the face with an unidentifiable "goo" or showing their feet for the camera.
When it came to costuming, Schneider reportedly had to sign off on all outfits, with the executive producer often "repeatedly campaign[ing]" for skimpier options.
"[I] wouldn't even wear some of those things today as an adult," Monet, now 33, said of her Victorious character's costumes, which she described as often "not age appropriate."
Monet's comments echo that of her fellow Nickelodeon alum, Jennette McCurdy, who recently shared that she felt pressured to wear a bikini on the set of iCarly.
In her recent memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy recounted a wardrobe fitting for the teen comedy, writing, "I asked if I could please just try on one-pieces with board shorts, the way that I feel most comfortable in a bathing suit. Being covered up."
But, McCurdy says, that was not enough to appease an intimidating man known only as "The Creator." She continued, "Our wardrobe designer said that The Creator explicitly asked for bikinis, and so she had to at least have me try on one or two of them so he had the option."
Per Variety, reps for Schneider and Nickelodeon have not responded to requests for comment.