Victoria Justice Is 'Not Condoning' Dan Schneider's Behavior as She Recalls 'Being Treated Unfairly' By Him at Times
"I would say I'm definitely one of the people on that list," Justice said, referring to the people Schneider said he owed an apology in his reaction video
Nickelodeon alum Victoria Justice is detailing her own experience with Dan Schneider as one of his biggest stars.
When Investigation Discovery's Quiet on Set docuseries broke open Nickelodeon's alleged toxic work environment for its child actors, the network's former stars came forward to detail the sexual, sexist and discriminatory abuse they claimed to have endured.
Justice, who helmed her own show Victorious and starred in Zoey 101, revealed that her time with Schneider, who created both series, wasn't perfect but was for the most part positive.
"Something that was very evident in the documentary is that Dan had a very large ego," she told Marie Clarie. "And sometimes that ego clouded his better judgment and affected the way he treated people, and there were times I felt like I was being treated unfairly."
The publication noted that Justice, 31, experienced negative treatment, especially at the end of her run with the network, but it was "never anything sexual" in nature.
The actress also addressed the problematic double entendres and sexual overtones Schneider would sneak into his kids shows, calling his jokes and conduct in "poor taste."
Shortly after the documentary aired, Schneider responded to the allegations made against him and issued apologies to various people who were affected by his behavior on set.
"I would say I'm definitely one of the people on that list," Justice said.
Now that over a decade has passed since Victorious aired its final episode, the former child star revealed that she hasn't been in contact with Schneider but still hears from him through occasional birthday texts. She's also seen him during virtual and in-person reunions she's attended with the cast of Zoey 101 and Victorious.
"I'm not condoning any of his behavior," she explained. "At the end of the day, my relationship with Dan is a very complex one: I met him when I was 12 years old, and he's the person that gave me this big break. He completely changed my life. Most likely I wouldn't be here where I am today if it weren't for him, and for him seeing something in me. For that I will always be grateful."
"After watching his apology, I think he recognizes that he did a lot of things wrong, and I think if he could step back into a time machine, he would do a lot of things differently," she added.
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Since Quiet on Set was released, Schneider has taken legal action, filing a defamation lawsuit against the documentary series producers on May 1. The defendants listed are Warner Bros. Discovery, Maxine Productions and Sony Pictures Television.
In the filing, Schneider claimed the Quiet on Set's producers and creators falsely implied he sexually abused Nickelodeon's child actors and created a false impression of Schneider through a "manipulative mix of editing, speech, and imagery." Additionally, Schneider claimed the series' producers attempted to associate the Nickelodeon showrunner with two convicted child sex offenders — Brian Peck and Jason Handy.
"Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself," the filing reads.
In a statement of his own, Schneider said, "There is no doubt that I was sometimes a bad leader. I am sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it. However, after seeing Quiet on Set and its Trailer, and the reactions to them, I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it. In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted."
He concluded, "I have no objection to anyone highlighting my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to mislead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts like those committed by child predators. I owe it to myself, my family, and the many wonderful people involved in making these shows to set the record straight."
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