EXPOSED: James Marsden Wrote Letter of Support for Drake Bell's Alleged Abuser Brian Peck Begging Judge Not to Throw Him in Jail
March 13 2024, Published 11:32 a.m. ET
Actor James Marsden made an emotional plea to the court not to sentence his friend Brian Peck to prison time — after the man had been accused of lewd acts with a minor.
Marsden and others wrote letters in support of Peck as part of his 2003 criminal case.
Peck was arrested in August 2003 on a charge of lewd acts with a child. Prosecutors accused him of sexually assaulting a minor in 2001.
It was revealed Peck had been working as the minor’s dialogue coach. Peck was convicted in 2004. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender.
This month, Discovery released a documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV that revealed the victim associated with the criminal case for the first time.
Child actor Drake Bell came forward to reveal he was the kid assaulted by Peck which resulted in the criminal charges being brought.
“The abuse was extensive, and it got pretty brutal,” he said. Bell said the abuse occurred multiple times and it has caused him extensive pain throughout his life.
“I often look back at that time and wonder how in the world I survived," he said. Bell said he turned to drugs and alcohol to use the pain.
Now, the documentary producers revealed Marsden and several others tried to help Peck avoid prison time. Ahead of his sentencing, Marsden wrote a letter to the court to praise Peck’s character. It is unclear how much Marsden knew about the allegations when he wrote the letter.
The actor had worked with Peck on two films.
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Marsden was one of several Hollywood stars to write letters of support for Peck ahead of his sentencing for abusing Bell.
He told the court, “I can easily say that Brian is one of the reasons why I have been as successful as I have been in this industry. I was lucky enough to have been graced with Brian’s guidance, uncommissioned guidance I might add, and support in pursuing an acting career.”
Marsden called Peck his “mentor” in the letter.
He added, “I don’t mean to dramatize this but I am speaking wholeheartedly about a man who’s heart is pure and no matter what you’re talking about, his intentions are always good. He has such an amazing capacity to care about people. This, I find, is very rare. Especially in Hollywood. Brian genuinely cares about other human beings.”
“When I first heard the news of Brian’s arrest I couldn’t breathe. I could not believe what was happening. It was unimaginable,” he said. “I’ve known Brian for 14 years and never once did I ever see any sign of him being capable of something like this. I have lived at his house for months and shared hotel rooms with him and never once did he ever make me feel compromised or uncomfortable in any way. I don’t know what it would take to have something like this occur, whatever it is, it is extremely out of character for Brian.”
Other actors who wrote letters for Peck included Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns.
After Bell came forward, Nickelodeon said, "Now that Drake Bell had disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward."