Alexa Nikolas, known for her role as Nicole Bristow on Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101,” has been using her platform to speak out about the abuses she experienced as a child star. In a recent episode of the H3 Podcast, Nikolas discussed why she decided to leave the show after just two seasons, citing constant bullying from co-star Jamie Lynn Spears as a major factor.
Nikolas revealed that Spears created a toxic work environment and seemed to dislike her from the beginning. She described her bubbly personality not clicking with Spears and how the tension between them escalated over time. Spears would exclude Nikolas from group lunches and make harsh comments like asking why she smiled so much, reminiscent of bullying behavior. Nikolas believed that Spears’ influence on the set caused others to engage in similar behavior towards her.
The breaking point came when Spears’ famous sister, Britney Spears, got involved in the drama. Nikolas was asked to meet Britney and Jamie in Jamie’s trailer, hoping for a conversation to clear the air. However, when Nikolas arrived, Ian, her adult guardian on set, disappeared, leaving her alone with a pregnant Britney, who locked the trailer door and started screaming at her. Devastated, Nikolas vomited and sought solace in her own trailer with her mother.
Nikolas recalled an encounter with Dan Schneider, one of the show’s creators who has faced allegations of inappropriate behavior, where she felt blamed for the situation. Her mother insisted that she would not return to set, but was contractually obligated to finish one more scene. During that scene, Nikolas felt insignificant as her cast mates continued to bully her, with one even hitting her in the head. This moment made it into the final cut of the episode and went viral on TikTok.
Following her departure from the show, Nikolas has been vocal about her experiences, trying to expose the toxic culture at Nickelodeon since 2019 through her Instagram account. However, it wasn’t until Jennette McCurdy published her book, which detailed allegations against the network, that people started paying attention. Nikolas credited McCurdy’s book for giving her the courage to speak out even more.
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