The Role of Penn Badgley and His Mother in the Legal Battle Between Drake Bell and Brian Peck
Discover how Penn Badgley's mother, Lynne Murphy Badgley, stood by Brian Peck amidst allegations of sexual abuse made by Drake Bell, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of the legal case.
How Penn Badgley and His Mom Were Involved in Drake Bells Sexual Abuse Case Against Brian Peck
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Penn Badgley's mother, Lynne Murphy Badgley, showed her support for dialogue coach Brian Peck amidst allegations of sexual abuse by Drake Bell.
A profile of Bell, 37, was featured in a Business Insider article on Monday, March 18. The article highlighted Investigation Discovery's Nickelodeon docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, a production in collaboration with the publication.
Business Insider reported that Lynne wrote in a letter that Peck was always someone she trusted with her son. At the time, Penn was 17 years old while Peck was ultimately sentenced to prison in 2004. Penn had worked on the sitcom What I Like About You, created by Dan Schneider from Nickelodeon, where Peck also appeared as a background actor in two episodes.
We requested a comment from both Penn and Lynne, but they did not respond.
Quiet on Set was the first time Bell opened up about being sexually assaulted by Peck. Peck was arrested in August 2003 for sexually abusing a child. He pleaded no contest to the charges and received a 16-month prison sentence for performing lewd acts and oral copulation with a minor around 14 or 15 years old.
In the documentary, Bell confirmed that he was the child star involved in the lawsuit. The directors of Quiet on Set, Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, were able to reveal the letters of support in the case during the third and fourth parts of the documentary.
Some well-known names and letters were highlighted in the documentary, such as Rider Strong, Will Friedle, James Marsden, and director Thomas DeSanto. Business Insider journalist Kate Taylor, who was featured in the documentary and wrote the profile on Bell, mentioned that the letters requested the judge to consider granting Peck probation. Taylor also mentioned that it was uncertain how much Peck's friends were aware of the charges against him during that period.
How Penn Badgley and His Mom Were Involved in Drake Bells Sexual Abuse Case Against Brian Peck
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Strong, who is 44, and Friedle, who is 47, recently talked about how they used to support Peck. This was just before Quiet on Set was aired. During their podcast called "Pod Meets World," Strong mentioned that he didn't know about the charges against Peck.
"He didn’t deny that something had happened. When we first learned about the case, the narrative we heard was that he admitted guilt for the one thing he did, claiming he was a victim of being misled by someone underage. We believed this story without knowing the full extent of the charges, as it was not easy to search online back then. Looking back, it seems he made a plea deal for one crime, while facing multiple charges that we were unaware of."
On the other hand, Friedle expressed remorse for being present at Peck's sentencing.
Sitting in the courtroom, we felt like we were on the wrong side of everything. The victim's mother turned to us and remarked, "Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn't change what you did to my kid." It was a moment that made me wish the ground would swallow me whole. I couldn't help but question why I was even there. The whole situation was just horrifying.
Reflecting on the experience, Friedle shared, "We didn't know the full story, but that doesn't change the fact that we were involved. I struggle to find the right words to express the mix of emotions churning inside me."
Marsden, who is 50 years old, has not responded to the claims made by Us when they reached out for comment. On the other hand, DeSanto, aged 56, did release a public statement. In his letter, he mentioned that he met Peck through Marsden.
In his statement to Us, DeSanto expressed, “Having dedicated a significant portion of my career to shedding light on systemic abuse and advocating for those without a voice, these experiences have profoundly shaped my understanding of responsibility and advocacy and is at the core of who I am.” He went on to explain that his decisions at the time were made based on incomplete information given to him. He admitted that he lacked full awareness of the gravity of the accusations. DeSanto further added, “With the knowledge and understanding I possess today, I want to personally apologize to Drake and his family and emphatically state that had I been fully informed of all the accusations, my support would have been absolutely withheld.”
Bell remembered seeing Peck's supporters in court during the sentencing. During his statement, Bell looked at them and expressed his disbelief. He told them that they would always remember defending Peck, while he would never forget the crimes Peck committed against him. Bell shared these sentiments during Quiet on Set.
Directors Robertson and Schwartz shared their thoughts on the letters of support during an interview with Us. Robertson expressed curiosity about the circumstances surrounding the writing of the letters, including any potential pressure, requests, and reasons given. She mentioned that they hope to gain more insight in the near future.
When asked about their concerns regarding the public reaction to the letters, Robertson stated, "The letters have been made public and can be accessed by anyone."
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
