Victoria Justice Addresses Dan Schneider Doc, Alleges Unfair Treatment

Victoria Justice, who headlined Nickelodeon’s hit series “Victorious” for four seasons and 57 episodes from 2010 to 2013, said in a new interview with Marie Claire that she feels like series creator Dan Schneider owes her an apology because she was “treated unfairly” at times on the show. Schneider also created the series “Zoey 101,” in which Justice appeared prior to “Victorious.”

Schnieder has come under fire this year in the wake of the Investigation Discovery series “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” which included many allegations of misconduct against him due to his tenure at Nickelodeon. Excerpts from “Victorious” featured frequently in the documentary, as Schnieder was accused of making his young actors do inappropriate things on camera. Justice starred in the show alongside Ariana Grande, Elizabeth Gillies and more.

“One thing that was very clear in the documentary is that Dan had a very big ego,” Justice said Marie Claire. “And sometimes that ego clouded his better judgment and affected the way he treated people, and sometimes I felt like I was being treated unfairly.”

Justice did not go into details, but did say that she had moments with Schneider that “were in bad taste,” although nothing sexual ever happened between them. Schneider admitted after the release of “Quiet on Set” that he owed some people an apology, to which Justice said, “I would say I’m definitely one of the people on that list.”

According to Justice, she has had no contact with Schneider since her time at Nickelodeon ended, aside from a few reunion appearances for “Zoey 101” and “Victorious.”

“I don’t condone his behavior,” Justice said. “Ultimately, my relationship with Dan is very complex: I met him when I was twelve years old, and he is the person who gave me this big break. He completely changed my life.”

“Most likely, I wouldn’t be here where I am today if it wasn’t for him, and if he had seen something in me,” she added. “I will always be grateful for that. After seeing his apology, I think he realizes that he did a lot of things wrong, and I think if he could step back into a time machine, he would do a lot of things differently.

Just this week, “All That” cast member Lori Beth Denberg came forward with new allegations against Schneider. That’s what she claimed Business insider that Schneider showed her pornography when she was a teenager and initiated telephone sex with her. Denberg also recounted a time when Schneider allegedly touched her breasts and put his mouth on her.

Schneider released a statement Variety calling Denberg’s accusations “wildly exaggerated and in most cases false”, adding: “As I have previously stated, there were times, especially in the early years of my career, when I made mistakes and showed of poor judgment as a leader. If I did that regarding Lori Beth, I sincerely apologize to her. But I can’t apologize for things I didn’t do.”

Go to Marie Claire’s website to read Justice’s latest interview in its entirety.