Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes and Jamie Lynn Spears Weren’t ‘Ready’ to Speak in ‘Quiet on Set’

The accusations rocked fans of Nickelodeon hits like All That, Zoey 101 and Victorious. From allegations of race and gender discrimination to claims of a hostile environment under showrunner Dan Schneider, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV — a docuseries that aired on both ID channel and Max — offered a shocking behind-the-scenes look at the network during the 1990s and 2000s through interviews with former cast members like Giovonnie Samuels, Alexa Nikolas and Kyle Sullivan. Arguably the most horrific among the revelations? The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh star Drake Bell, 37, revealed that, as a teen, he’d suffered “brutal” sexual abuse at the hands of dialogue coach Brian Peck.

Since episodes began airing in March, other Nick alums, such as Josh Peck and Kenan Thompson, have also made statements. But there’s been a surprising lack of comment from some of the biggest names from that era: Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes and Jamie Lynn Spears. “Ariana, Amanda and Jamie Lynn were asked to participate in Quiet on Set, but they all turned it down,” an insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “It wasn’t something they were ready to discuss. They weren’t surprised by any of the allegations, though. Do they think boundaries were crossed when they look back? Absolutely.”

Their public silence hardly means they don’t have opinions, either. Ariana, 30 — who appeared on Victorious and Sam & Cat — did seem to throw shade at the network, posting on Instagram: “The truth always comes out in the end, no matter how hard anyone tries to hide it or stop it.” Adds the insider: “She knows what really happened, and she’ll discuss it when she’s ready.”

Amanda Bynes and Jamie Lynn Spears Have Mixed Emotions

Things are more complicated for Amanda, 38, whom Dan, 58, took under his wing after she got her big break on All That at age 10. “Though she loved him, it wasn’t a healthy relationship,” says the insider of the Amanda Show lead, who famously struggled with her mental health and substance abuse following her Nickelodeon days. “He was powerful and instrumental in turning her into a star, so of course she looked up to him, but the balance was off.”

Likewise, Jamie Lynn, 33, now feels differently about her time on Zoey 101. “Watching the documentary made her cringe,” says the insider. “Some of the physical comedy situations they put her through, which seemed silly as a kid, look very disturbing these days.”

It’s true for all three ladies, says the insider: “They loved being on TV, but now Ariana, Amanda and Jamie Lynn realize what a creepy environment it really was.”