Investigation Discovery recently dropped their extensive true crime docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which highlighted some of thehorrible conditions actors and crew memberssuffered while working on various Nickelodeon shows.
However, many high profile stars likeAmanda Bynes and Ariana Grande have stayed silenton the matter, despite intense pressure from the public urging them to speak up.
“When I was 19, I was sexually harassed and then assaulted by my agent at the time, who had spent a decent amount of time building trust with me as a friend and mentor. Again, my trust was betrayed and my self image was crushed,” Underwoodwrote, “I reported him to the agency and he has since been fired — although he is still active in the industry. This experience provoked my move away from LA and ending my pursuit of acting.”
Underwood explains his decision to come forward now with his assault story because “many people have been blowing up my email telling they hope me and my mom die and that we burn in hell, I’m being called a pedophile defender and all that jazz.”
“I imagine many friends in the business are being equally harassed if they aren’t joining the chorus, so I’m sharing this with hope that some of you can recognize that just because a person doesn’t shout from the rooftops that pedophiles are bad or that people can suck — that does Not mean they don’t have their own reasons for staying silent, good reasons, personal reasons.”
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Underwood also added that he “had a bad experience working on set of a Nickelodeon show and I never had a bad experience with Dan” and his silence also stems from having “nothing to add to the conversation that anyone would care to hear.”
The actor concluded his statement writing, “I can’t believe I even have to say this, but of course I don’t fucking support pedophiles. Please stop wishing death upon my family and please reconsider harassing other actors who wish to maintain their privacy — you never know who has already been a victim of the hell you’re wishing upon them.”
Kayla Harrington was a TV & Movies Writer on Dexerto’s US team, specializing in The Boys, The Walking Dead, House of the Dragon, Marvel and Star Wars. She also has bylines at Mashable, BuzzFeed, and The Mary Sue.
