Drake Bell Reveals Nickelodeon Stars Receive No Residuals Despite Syndication

Drake Bell, star of Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh," revealed that most actors from the network do not receive residual payments for reruns or streaming of their shows, exposing what he calls a "flawed" and exploitative system. Despite "Drake & Josh" airing on multiple networks and trending on Netflix, Bell said he sees no financial return, contrasting this with shows like "Friends," whose cast members earn millions annually from syndication residuals. Bell criticized the entertainment industry for taking advantage of child actors, describing executives as "fat cats" profiting off child labor while former stars struggle financially. He explained that many Nickelodeon performers only receive a one-time payment and that the goal for actors is to reach 100 episodes to qualify for syndication residuals, a threshold "Drake & Josh" did not meet. Additionally, Bell has publicly shared his experience as a victim of abuse by a former Nickelodeon dialogue coach, further shedding light on the network's problematic history. His disclosures have sparked renewed scrutiny over how child actors are treated and compensated within the industry.