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USA Today
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Josh Peck surprises 'The Last of Us' fans with cameo: 'A tough secret to keep'
Josh Peck surprises 'The Last of Us' fans with cameo: 'A tough secret to keep' Show Caption Hide Caption Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal discuss father-daughter relationship 'The Last of Us' stars Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal reveal they didn't enjoy their character's estrangement in season 2. "Drake & Josh" fans never thought that they'd see Josh Peck on "The Last of Us," but he found a way to surprise them. The actor, 38, unexpectedly popped up for a small but important role in the opening scene of the HBO series' latest episode, which aired May 4. In an opening flashback sequence, Peck played a FEDRA soldier who tells his comrades a vulgar story about a violent encounter with citizens. The tone in the scene quickly shifts after the sergeant, Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright), calls out Peck's character for his thoughtlessness. But any fans who expected Peck to be a new series regular were sorely mistaken. Isaac soon betrays and murders the soldiers, including Peck's character, and defects to the Washington Liberation Front. The scene serves to provide an origin story for Isaac, who is later seen in the show's present as leader of the WLF. Peck's "Last of Us" role was not announced by HBO and remained a secret until the episode aired. On Instagram, the "Amanda Show" alum shared some behind-the-scenes photos from the set and noted that "this was a tough secret to keep." 'The Last of Us' Season 2 begins with major changes to the video game: What's different? "It was an honor to play a small part in one of my favorite shows, with one of my favorite actors ever," Peck wrote, referring to Wright. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the episode's director, Kate Herron, compared Peck's quick death to Drew Barrymore being unexpectedly killed in the opening scene of "Scream." "We had people read (for the part), obviously," Herron told EW. "Josh's read came in, and Josh is fantastic. We were like, 'We need to get Josh.' But also the idea of it just being Josh ... I love the idea we get to Drew Barrymore him in 'Scream.' People just wouldn't see it coming." ;The Last of Us' creator on Joel's shocking death, Pedro Pascal's return Peck is most widely known for his work on the Nickelodeon shows "The Amanda Show" and "Drake & Josh." Since then, his notable roles have included parts in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" and "How I Met Your Father," a spin-off of "How I Met Your Mother." He currently hosts the podcast "Good Guys," on which he recently reunited with former co-star Drake Bell. The latest episode of "The Last of Us" marked viewers' introduction to Isaac, a key character from the video game on which the HBO series is based. Wright also played Isaac in the game.
USA Today
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Amanda Bynes joins OnlyFans but says she won't post 'sleazy content'
Amanda Bynes joins OnlyFans but says she won't post 'sleazy content' Show Caption Hide Caption Amanda Bynes has joined OnlyFans Former Nickeldeon star Amanda Bynes has joined OnlyFans but has insisted that she won't be posting "any sleazy" content. Bang Showbiz Amanda Bynes is interacting with her fans in a new way. The former child star took to Instagram on Monday to share that she would be joining OnlyFans, but only to connect with her followers. "I'm on onlyfans now! Disclaimer: I'm doing onlyfans to chat with my fans through dm's. I won't be posting any sleazy content," she wrote on her Instagram story. "Excited to join." OnlyFans is an internet content subscription service that has gained a reputation for NSFW content. The platform has become synonymous with the adult entertainment industry and sexual content, but stars from Bella Thorne to "The Sopranos" star Drea de Matteo have made headlines for using the platform, where creators can earn money from users – or "fans" – who pay a monthly membership fee to access their exclusive content. In late 2023, Bynes, 39, released a podcast with friend and biochemist Paul Sieminski, which ended after one episode with tattoo artist Dahlia Moth. She said at the time that the pair planned to "interview our friends, and then we're hoping to take it mainstream and interview celebrities and artists." Drake Bell reminisces on former Nick co-star Amanda Bynes: A 'dynamite force of nature' Outside of her brief stint as a podcast host, Bynes has largely stayed out of the spotlight in the past decade. The "Amanda Show," "Hairspray" and "What a Girl Wants" actress has not received any acting credits since 2010's "Easy A." During this time, Bynes also began making headlines for her personal struggles. In 2013, Bynes was placed on a psychiatric hold after having a public breakdown that included a series of legal troubles and outlandish appearances. Her mother was then granted a conservatorship over the actress, which remained in place until 2022. Bynes was reportedly placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold in 2023 following a canceled appearance at the pop culture convention 90s Con. Concerns arise about Amanda Bynes: A look back on her career, mental health journey Late last month, Bynes' former "The Amanda Show" co-stars Drake Bell and Josh Peck discussed their fellow Nickelodeon alum. Bell and Peck reunited for a candid interview on the latter's podcast "Good Guys" podcast about their friendship, the documentary series "Quiet on Set" and their relationship with Bynes today. Bell fondly recalled Bynes' charisma as a young performer, likening her to Jennifer Aniston's breakout "Friends" character Rachel Green. "She was the biggest thing on the planet to me," he said. "All I've ever experienced with Amanda was just like this dynamite force of nature when it comes to talent," Bell told Peck. "Watching her was like watching Carol Burnett, was like watching Tracey Ullman." When asked if he's stayed in touch with Bynes over the years, Bell revealed the former child actors reconnected via text message around 2017 after Bell had seen media coverage of Bynes. Peck added that he runs into the "She's the Man" star "every two to three years." Contributing: Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY
Los Angeles Times
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Drake Bell reunites with Josh Peck, reveals the toll of sexual abuse by ‘monster' dialogue coach
Drake Bell, a year after speaking out about the abuse he endured during his Nickelodeon days, has found 'therapy' in a long-anticipated reunion. 'Drake & Josh' co-stars Bell and Josh Peck reunited on Peck and Ben Soffer's 'Good Guys' podcast to reminisce on their years-long friendship, revisit their hit sitcom and reevaluate how the abuse Bell experienced by a former Nickelodeon dialogue coach impacted both. Bell began his walk down memory lane with a disclaimer. 'I don't know if this is just 'cause we've made a lot of bad choices in our lives or if it's just from trauma but I have a lot of trouble remembering a lot of things,' he said. The hourlong conversation between the 38-year-old former co-stars, who first shared the screen on Nickelodeon's 'Amanda Show' before headlining 'Drake & Josh,' built on the revelations Bell shared last year in the documentary 'Quiet on Set.' In the four-part ID docuseries, Bell went public about the sexual abuse he faced by former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck). Brian Peck was convicted of child sex abuse in 2004 but his victim's name was not disclosed at the time. Bell confirmed in 'Quiet on Set' that he was the unidentified victim referenced in the case. On Monday's podcast, Peck told his ex co-star that during the early days of 'Drake & Josh' he was unaware of Bell's experience and that 'this separation started between us' as a result. Bell explained that the investigation into Brian Peck and 'all the stuff you saw in the documentary' coincided with the filming of the 'Drake & Josh' pilot. That made filming and returning to a Nickelodeon set complicated, Bell said. Being on set was where he felt 'happiest and most comfortable' but 'the worst part was every day I got there, the monster was there,' he said. Bell said despite his desires to focus on building his comedy partnership with Peck, 'I came back to the same stage, the same parking lot, the same dressing rooms, the same green room, the same makeup rooms.' Peck responded: 'Everything's triggering.' Bell recalled how the investigation into Brian Peck's abuse quietly loomed over production. He said people on set allegedly allowed his abuser's behavior and did 'not do anything.' Bell also recalled 'losing my hair' due to the stress of the investigation. 'I had these giant scabs on my head,' he said, 'these were like golf-ball-sized scabs.' Peck said he was not aware Bell suffered sexual abuse until 'Quiet on Set,' but recalled 'feeling something happened.' He remembered asking Bell during their 'Drake & Josh' days if he was still in contact with Brian Peck. 'You just looked at me like, 'No. Brian's a really bad guy,' and I remember thinking, 'Gotcha,' ' Peck said. Later in the podcast, Bell recalled Brian Peck's trial and that the courtroom 'was full of people who I thought were my friends.' He said he also questioned at the time whether he was at fault. 'Drake & Josh' marks a complicated moment in time for Bell, but he doesn't want to discourage fans from enjoying the series, which aired on Nickelodeon from 2004 to 2007. 'That was where I was actually comfortable and happy and stoked,' he said, 'and I'm very proud of what we did.' Bell and Peck are will continue their conversation in another episode. 'I reached out to Drake privately, but wanted to give my support for the survivors who were brave enough to share their stories of emotional and physical abuse on Nickelodeon sets with this world,' Peck said in March 2024 after the doc aired. 'Children should be protected,' Peck added at the time. 'Reliving this publicly is incredibly difficult, but I hope it can bring healing for the victims and their families as well as necessary change to our industry.' After appearing on 'Quiet on Set,' which primarily focused on producer Dan Schneider's controversial Nickelodeon reign, Bell said last year he wanted to tell his own story. 'I could've either allowed this to destroy me or make me stronger for him,' Bell said of his son with ex-wife Janet Von Schmeling.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Drake Bell Says Secret of Brian Peck Abuse Hurt His Friendship with 'Drake & Josh' Costar Josh Peck
Drake Bell and Josh Peck reunited on Peck's podcast to talk about their time as child stars on Nickelodeon's in the 2000s Bell revealed in the 2024 docuseries that he had been abused by Brian Peck (no relation) when he and Josh Peck worked on in 1999 Because Josh Peck didn't know about the abuse or the investigation into it, while Bell was dealing with the fallout, he thought his costar had decided to stop being his friend Drake Bell and Josh Peck are opening up about their decades-long relationship, and how it was ultimately shaped by the abuse Bell suffered as a child star. On the March 24 episode of Peck's Good Guys podcast, which he hosts with Ben Soffer, the former Drake & Josh costars talked openly about their relationship and how their friendship shifted over the years. The podcast marked the first time the pair have reunited since the 2024 Quiet on Set documentary premiered; in the documentary, Bell shared publicly for the first time that he had been abused by Brian Peck (no relation to Josh) who had worked with him as a dialogue coach on The Amanda Show. Bell and Josh Peck, both 38, also first met on The Amanda Show. 'We didn't get along at first, but I thought you were so cool, and I really wanted you to like me,' Peck remembered. 'And then, thankfully, we had this shared love of old-school comedy and sitcoms and great television. And so once you realized that I was kind of funny and I liked people who liked funny, we were suddenly inseparable.' 'And it felt like we had this bond and then Drake & Josh started,' he added of their 2004 series. But the actor said that watching Quiet on Set, he realized he never knew all the things Bell was going through. Bell agreed and explained how he felt his accusations about Brian — which were at first a secret — changed their relationship. 'The big break between Drake & Josh and Amanda Show is when I told my mom what was going on,' Bell explained. 'And then when we shot the pilot, we were in the middle of the investigation, but nobody had known anything because Brian hadn't been arrested.' The Drake & Josh pilot was shooting on the same set The Amanda Show filmed on — where Brian abused Bell. The actor said it was devastating to have 'the monster' in his 'safe place.' Related: Where Is Brian Peck Now? All About His Sexual Assault Case and Prison Sentence 'That's the only place I feel comfortable, when I get to set and hang out with you guys, and we go goof around and put on our masks and wigs and makeup and make people laugh and slide around and get dirty,' Bell explained. And though Brian didn't work on Drake & Josh, he came and visited the set while they were filming the pilot. 'I know that this guy's about to get arrested,' Bell said. 'I know that s--- is about to hit the fan, and nobody in here knows it.' Peck asked if his costar was 'furious' that none of the adults on set were protecting him. Bell said that at the time he wasn't because even though he was 14, he wanted to be 'seen as an adult.' But now that he is an adult and a father, it's been 'unbelievably illuminating' and 'really confusing' to think about how no adult stepped up. Related: Drake Bell Reflects on Being in the Spotlight as a Teenager and the Paparazzi 'Highlighting All of Your Missteps' (Exclusive) But at the time, Peck had no idea any of this was going on and thought Bell had just decided he didn't like him anymore. 'Until you sort of shared with me what was happening, I was just looking at it through the prism of a 14-year-old's brain going like, 'He doesn't want much to do with me.' ' Watching the documentary now, 'so much was revealed' to him for the first time, Peck said. Bell said that he was so worried about how the investigation into Brian would affect Drake & Josh. He wondered, 'Is this going to hurt our show? When this drops, is Josh going to look at me and be like, 'Bro, you took our dream away?' Are we going to lose our show?' Bell admitted he was so stressed he began losing his hair. Peck said that even for a child actor "under the most perfect circumstance," he thinks the job is "probably too much pressure for one to handle at that age.' He added that he eventually felt like he and Bell started to rebuild their friendship later on in Drake & Josh, and in retrospect, it was around the time Brian went to jail. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In 2004, Brian pleaded no contest to a charge of oral copulation with a minor under 16 and performing a lewd act with a 14- or 15-year-old in connection with the case. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and was mandated to register as a sex offender. After serving his sentence, Peck was released from prison in 2005. Peck said he remembered asking Bell at one point if he still talked to Brian. 'And you just looked at me like, 'No. Brian's a really bad guy.' And I remember thinking, 'Gotcha.' And it was all that I needed to know.' Drake & Josh ultimately ran for four seasons, from 2004 to 2007. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to . Read the original article on People
