Ariana Grande Reflects On Child Acting, Calls For Safer Environment For Kids In The Industry

Ariana Grande recently opened up about her experiences as a child actor on Nickelodeon and shared her opinion on Investigation Discovery’s revealing docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. Speaking on Penn Badgley’s podcast, Podcrushed, released Wednesday, June 12, the Wicked star discussed her time on Victorious and its spinoff Sam & Cat, both created by Dan Schneider, a central figure in the docuseries.

The docuseries sheds light on the toxic cultures of children’s television shows in the 1990s and 2000s, focusing on several series produced by Dan, including All That, The Amanda Show, and Zoey 101. Former actors, writers, and crew members detailed the alleged sexual abuse, harassment, and racial discrimination that occurred behind the scenes.

“A lot of people don’t have the support they need to get through performing at that level at such a young age, but also dealing with some of the things that the survivors who have come forward… there’s not a word for how devastating that is to hear,” Ariana said. 

She emphasized the need for a safer environment for child actors, advocating for the presence of therapists and parents on set.

“I think if anyone wants to do this or music or anything at any level of exposure that it means to be on TV or to do music with a major label or whatever, [it] should be in the contract,” she insisted. 

She also pointed out that young performers are particularly vulnerable to the reactions of adults on set, which can create a “strange pattern” of seeking approval through their performances.

Reflecting on her own experiences, Ariana acknowledged how she and her Victorious castmates, Victoria Justice, Leon Thomas III, Daniella Monet, Avan Jogia, Matt Bennett, and Elizabeth Gillies, often pushed the boundaries with their humor. 

“And the innuendos were like, we were told and convinced as well that it was the cool differentiation. And I don’t know, I think it all just happened so quickly and now looking back on some of the clips I’m like, ‘That’s… damn, really?’” she added.

Ariana also revealed that some content not approved for the network found its way onto their website, adding another layer to her realization of the industry’s issues. “The things that weren’t approved for the network were snuck onto our website or whatever it was, and that is another discovery. But I’m going into it… I guess I’m upset.”

The Thank U, Next singer believes that for those pursuing careers in the entertainment industry, there should be mandatory therapy to help them unpack their experiences. According to her, “there should be an element that is mandatory of therapy, of a professional person to unpack what this experience of your life-changing so drastically does to you at a young age, at any age.”