"Zoey 101" Star Matthew Underwood Alleges Assault by Former Agent

By Kahlil Worrell

Matthew Underwood is breaking his silence on the subject of sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry, sharing his personal encounter amid discussions surrounding the "Quiet on Set" documentary series.

Premiere Of Dreamworks' — LOS ANGELES - MAY 6: Actor Matthew Underwood attends the film premiere of "Shrek The Third" at the Mann's Village Theater on May 6, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo : Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Following the conclusion of Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101" after its four-season run, Matthew Underwood, known for his role in the show, revealed that he was sexually harassed and assaulted by his former agent at the age of 19.

Underwood, in an Instagram post dated March 28, recounted the incident, emphasizing that his experience on the set of the cable network's show had always been positive until then. His revelation coincided with the airing of the Investigation Discovery docuseries "Quiet on Set: 'The Dark Side of Kids TV.'"

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2023 - Arrivals — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 04: Matthew Underwood attends the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards at Microsoft Theater on March 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo : Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)

"I know many folks want me to respond to the quiet on set documentary," the 33-year-old actor started. "I'm going to share something with you that I never thought I'd have to talk about publicly, as it's honestly none of your business anyway."

Underwood documented two distinct instances of sexual assault. "When I was 12 years old, I was groomed and molested by my best friend's stepfather," he said, later continuing, "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."

The ex-Nickelodeon actor, who refrained from identifying either individual, included: "Again, my trust was betrayed and my self-image crushed. 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 ended my pursuit of acting."

Sony Pictures Premiere Of — WESTWOOD, CA - JULY 17: Actor Matthew Underwood arrives at Sony Pictures premiere of "Monster House" held at Mann's Village Theatre on July 17, 2006 in Westwood, California.
(Photo : Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

In 2009, Underwood took a hiatus from his acting career, but made a comeback last year by reprising his role as Logan Reese in the Nickelodeon sequel film "Zoey 102," which premiered on Paramount+.

Underwood explained that he decided to speak up because he had been receiving death threats for remaining silent on the Quiet on Set docuseries, which surfaced earlier this month. The series delves into allegations of misconduct on the sets of Dan Schneider's Nickelodeon shows from the '90s and '00s, including "Zoey 101."