Concerns Raised Over Messaging in Entertainment Industry
Former Nickelodeon star Alexa Nikolas has expressed her strong opposition to the upcoming reboot of Zoey 101, labelling it as “damaging” for survivors of abuse. The 30-year-old actress, who starred alongside Jamie Lynn Spears in the show’s initial seasons from 2005 to 2008, has been vocal about her feelings of insecurity during her time at the network.
Nikolas has previously stated that she did not feel “protected” while working at Nickelodeon, even staging a protest at the network’s headquarters last summer to voice her concerns. Following the announcement in January of a sequel film titled Zoey 102, featuring Spears and several other original cast members, Nikolas returned to protest outside Nickelodeon’s offices on 20 January.
In her comments to TMZ, she emphasised the negative implications of the reboot: “It’s damaging to any survivor that wants to come forward. We want to ensure that as a society we are encouraging survivors to speak out, not discouraging them.”
She raised critical questions about the message this reboot sends to both current and future generations: “What does this say? What kind of message does it send to survivors everywhere?”
At her earlier protest in August, Nikolas held a sign labelling Dan Schneider, the creator of Zoey 101, as “the creator of childhood trauma,” highlighting her belief that those in positions of power within the entertainment industry have a responsibility to support survivors.
