Bryan Hearne and Giovonnie Samuels starred in the top-rated series “All That” and are now part of the exposé piercing the veil of PG perfection at Nickelodeon with the new scandalous docuseries, “QUIET ON THE SET.” With allegations of sexual impropriety, pedophilia, and a workplace riddled with mental abuse, the highly anticipated series has made headlines across social media and mainstream press.
Being the only Black child actors on the “All That” set wasn’t always comfortable for the preteens. “I thought getting that job would really allow me to help my family out, but that didn’t end up being the case,” Hearne shares.
His time on set often consisted of skits that made him uncomfortable and felt like an inappropriate example of racial profiling. In one scene, Hearne wore a suit with cut-outs that resembled brown-colored male genitalia and eventually shot liquid at another cast mate. Hearne says watching the scene as an adult was just as uncomfortable as shooting the scene when he was a boy.
“At that age, you are already uncomfortable in your body, and then you are asked to do something that makes you even more uncomfortable. You look around at the adults on set, and they’re laughing, so you just keep going,” he says.
That segment wasn’t the only time Hearne felt uncomfortable in a skit, but his mother did her best to speak on his behalf.
“My mother would speak out about things, but sometimes I didn’t want her to because I was afraid I’d be fired,” he explained.
Hearne’s greatest fear happened, and his self-esteem was shaken when the show didn’t renew his contract. “It’s hard being a child actor in the first place, but when you are the only one or one of two, it’s even harder,” Hearne says.
His cast mate Giovonnie Samuels echoes Hearne’s feelings in her testimony. “You are aware from the time you walk on that set, and for us, it was just Bryan and myself. Just us two, [including] both in front [of] and behind the camera,” Samuels explains. “Even at that young age, you feel that burden. You have to go above and beyond, and you realize you aren’t treated the same.”
Hearne and Samuels have used their experience to advocate for others. Hearne has a non-profit called Urban Poets Society that works to empower young artists at their craft. Samuels is launching a podcast aptly titled “The Tokens,” where she plans to host other Black actors who have experienced the overwhelming responsibility of being the only Black person on set.
“I would never discourage a child from wanting to be a part of the entertainment industry, even after what I experienced. I think the solution is having more advocates for children to help them articulate boundaries and ensure their experience is safe,” Hearne says.
“QUIET ON SET” premiered March 17 on ID. It is streaming now on MAX.
