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'I Do Not Reject Apologies': Matthew Underwood Says He Doesn't Forgive 'On A Whim' But Believes' Growth' After Assault Revelation
Matthew Underwood firmly thinks that individuals can grow and learn from their errors as he talks about the backlash he has been experiencing for staying silent.
The former Zoey 101 star revealed his own claimed sexual assault incident after ID's Quiet on Set docuseries aired. The publication of the show has started a discourse about the troubling behaviors occurring in Nickelodeon productions running during the late 1990s and 2000s. The program's original release included charges of abusive behavior by Dan Schneider, who produced and created several Nickelodeon kid's shows, including Zoey 101.
Matthew Underwood needs the importance of moving forward
The 33-year-old Underwood said, "I never had a bad experience with Dan Schneider, and I never had a bad experience working on a Nickelodeon show." In addition, he expressed the opinion that "people can become better humans, and Dan seems to realize that he was and a------ in the past. I think he's capable of being a creative and teammate with whom everyone enjoys working." Days later, though, the former child star released a second statement clarifying that his remarks against Schneider, in particular, had been "misunderstood."
"I have made a lot of blunders in the past. I make silly mistakes every day; that's just part of life as a fallible human," the actor wrote on Reddit, describing it as "further clarification" of his initial statement. The actor who also played Logan Reese on Zoey 101 from 2005 to 2008 returned to the role in the Zoey 102 movie last year. "I have changed since then and am not the same person I was even a year or ten years ago, so I would hate to be judged by those beliefs now." Underwood expressed his belief that if individuals are given the opportunity to truly embark on the process of rehabilitation, even though it may not result in a sudden transformation, they have the potential to become better individuals and serve as positive role models for those who have made similar mistakes in the past.
"I do not extend forgiveness on a whim to anyone who asks for it; that would be naive. I simply reserve the idea that it is fully possible for people to recognize their wrongs and have the capacity to be better." He then added, "I just reserve the belief that it is entirely possible for people to acknowledge their wrongdoings and that they are capable of improving." "When I'm upset, I accept apologies and try not to judge someone's sincerity based on how I personally feel about them. In the hopes that they can find fulfillment in becoming that better person, I would like to give them a chance to show themselves to be better and to support their journey of progress.
Underwood does not judge a person with a single action
Underwood reiterated that this was just his "opinion" as he wrapped up his remarks. Giving someone a chance to improve requires closely monitoring their recuperation and refusing to accept mediocre results. He said, "There are no free passes in life, but animosity for someone doesn't have to last a lifetime either. Underwood further stated that his then-agent, "who had spent a decent amount of time building trust with me as a friend and mentor, sexually harassed then assaulted" him when he was 19 years old. He claimed that the incident caused him to "move away from LA" and give up on his "pursuit of acting."
After the documentary's publication, Schneider, 58, made his own statement and acknowledged, in an on-camera chat with iCarly alumnus BooG!e, that he "definitely owes some people a pretty strong apology." The former Nickelodeon producer stated, "I'm facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. It was incorrect. I never should have put anyone in that situation. That was a bad decision. I could never do that now. I regret doing it at the time. I'm sorry to everyone I ever put in that predicament."
After the publication of the documentary series, Underwood also talked about how, at the age of twelve, he was "groomed and molested" by a friend's father. Because he "couldn't spend any time with them without feeling the personal disgust and betrayal brought on by a man I trusted as a father," the incident caused him to lose the "best friends I'd ever had."
ALSO READ: Who Is Matthew Underwood? All About The Zoey 101 Star As He Opens Up About Sexual Assault Story
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