Former Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas is speaking out about some horrifying behind-the-scenes details in a new episode of Christy Carlson Romano’s podcast. The actress recently made headlines after detailing the exchange she and Britney Spears had nearly 15 years ago. Sadly, this story does not have the same happy ending.
Instead, it provides a harsh reality check for those of us who grew up watching Nickelodeon, and how far parents will go to make their child famous.
Dan Schnider was THE Nickelodeon producer back in the 90s and early 2000s.
He was responsible for many of the shows we now view as classics — Drake and Josh , iCarly , Sam and Cat , Victorious , and of course, Zoey 101.
Recently, former “Zoey 101” Alexa Nikolas, best known for playing Nicole on the hit show, star sat down with fellow child star Christy Carlson Romano to detail some of her memories from working on the hit Nickelodeon show.
Unfortunately, most of these memories were deeply disturbing.
“He had a digital camera and he would go around with money and ask to take photos of the kids’ feet – their toes,” Alexa recalled of Dan. ‘I remember thinking it was weird, and silly almost, as a kid.’
Her mother, however, was there to protect her.
“I remember my mom going ‘Don’t go over there.’ My mom actually said ‘no’ to it, but I saw other parents allowing their kids to do it.”
If that wasn’t bad enough, the 30-year-old also recalled the producer being present during her wardrobe fittings.
“There was always like a curtain – it was in the trailer – and I remember he was so close to the other side that I could hear the chair creaking whenever I was changing.”
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Looking back as an adult, Alexa knows what was going on was not okay.
“When I got older I looked back at that and I thought ‘Oh, that’s so weird. I don’t remember any other creators in every single wardrobe fitting.'”
“And he would ask for those polaroids,” the “Zoey 101” added.
Dan was fired from Nickelodeon back in 2018 after his allegedly abusive behavior towards staff members, as well as speculation about photos he shared on Twitter including feet of some of the young Nickelodeon actresses he worked with, as reported by Deadline at the time.