'Zoey 101' star Matthew Underwood issues a statement following 'Quiet on Set' documentary

"Zoey 101" star Matthew Underwood revealed on Instagram last month that he quit acting after being sexually harassed and assaulted at 19 years old by his former agent.

Underwood, who grew up in Fort Pierce, did not reveal his agent's name in the post, but said he reported the agent and he was fired. He also alleged he was groomed and molested by his best friend's stepfather when he was 12.

He continued on his post about the stories of harassment and abuse revealed in the Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.” At the center of the allegations is Nickelodeon writer and producer Dan Schneider.

Schneider was behind hit shows such as "Drake & Josh," "The Amanda Show," "iCarly" and "Zoey 101" before the children's TV network cut ties with him in 2018 after an investigation found he verbally abused staff members, BBC reports.

"I never had a bad experience working on set of a Nickelodeon show and I never had a bad experience with Dan," Underwood wrote on his Instagram post. "I have nothing to add to the conversation that anyone would care to hear."

In his statement, Underwood said he never planned to share his story because it is "none of your business," but he did so because he has been inundated with emails calling him a "pedophile defender" for not speaking out about "Quiet on Set."

Underwood urged fans to "consider why someone might not share their experiences publicly and not immediately shame them for reserving their right to privacy."

"Please, take a moment and consider that some people might not be making statements because talking about this kind of thing brings up memories and emotions that are difficult to deal with, and they have every right to be silent," Underwood wrote.

Who is Matthew Underwood?

Underwood, 33, was born in Fort Pierce and lived here until about age 13, when he and his family moved to California for his acting and modeling career.

He attended Fairlawn Elementary School and Lincoln Park Academy in St. Lucie County, according to TCPalm archives. He also participated in the Fort Pierce community theater at Pineapple Playhouse and was part of its thespian summer camp.

Underwood starred in four seasons of "Zoey 101" from 2005 to 2008, when the show ended. He played Logan Reese, a jock and ladies' man at Pacific Coast Academy. After 15 years, Underwood was back on the big screen, reprising his role in the Paramount+ movie, "Zoey 102."

In 2012, Underwood was charged with three misdemeanor charges ― contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, possession of 20 grams or less of cannabis and use or possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the St. Lucie County Clerk of Courts.

He pleaded no contest and was not convicted of a misdemeanor. His sentence included 12 months probation with certain conditions, such as: attending and completing a victim impact panel, undergoing random urinalysis, substance abuse evaluation and following recommended treatment.

In 2017, Underwood made national headlines after saving a 4-month-old baby from a car accident in Port St. Lucie. He pulled the infant out of the car after watching it crash into a tree, according to reports. The infant's parents were unconscious, from an apparent heroin overdose, when the car crashed, according to WPTV.

What is 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV' about?

"Quiet on Set" seeks to feature the voices of some former Nickelodeon actors and employees who claim they worked in a toxic workplace for shows Schneider created. The documentary was inspired by Business Insider's investigative reporting.

Schneider worked with the network from 1994 until he parted ways in 2018. The documentary alleges Schneider and other higher-ups at Nickelodeon promoted a harmful work culture, as well as crossed the line with off-color jokes and suggestive gags on his shows.

Some of the victims who have not spoken publicly before included Drake Bell, who recently revealed the alleged sexual abuse he claims he suffered at the hands of former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck, USA TODAY reported.

All five episodes are streaming on Max.

Staff writers Brendan Morrow and Samantha Neely contributed to this article.

Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @gonthescene.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 'Zoey 101' star Matthew Underwood speaks out on abuse he faced while acting