Avan Jogia Speaks Out About His Experience as a Nickelodeon Star After Watching BombshellQuiet on SetDoc (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Leon Thomas, Victoria Justice, Avan Jogia, and Elizabeth Gillies in ‘Victorious’ in 2010.Photo:Nickelodeon / Courtesy: Everett

Nickelodeon / Courtesy: Everett

Avan Jogiais opening up about working at Nickelodeon during his teen years.From 2010 to 2013, the actor played Beck Oliver on the hit sitcomVictorious, which turned him into a teen heartthrob. Reflecting on his time starring on the popular musical show, Jogia tells PEOPLE exclusively how his experience differed from the 2024Quiet on Setdocumentary, which explored some of the toxic culture of children’s television shows that young actors and others endured in the 1990s and 2000s.“My experiences on set with my friends and colleagues were so specific and so different than what I witnessed on the documentary,” says the author and actor. “But I also know that two truths can exist at the same time.“Daniella Monet, Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Victoria Justice, Leon Thomas III, Elizabeth Gillies, Matt Bennett of ‘Victorious’ in March 2012.Lisa Rose / Nickelodeon / Courtesy: Everett CollectionJogia says he recalls his time onVictoriouswith his castmates turned friends as “a happy one.““If I look back at my time on that show, and now knowing as an adult how hard I work, I think we just worked really hard,” he explains. “We were on planes all the time to go to openings of things. We shot a show five days a week. We were on all summer doing stuff. Now as an adult looking back at that, I go like, ‘Oh, that’s too much to put on an 18-year-old kid.'“Added Jogia, “My experience looking back trying to discern between what is childhood memory or young people’s memory is interesting. It’s all fragmented.“Overall, theMixed Feelingsauthor recalls mostly “enjoying the time that I had with my friends.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Jogia released his second bookAutopsy, a collection of poetry that meditates on sex, heartbreak, depression and teen stardom.Elsewhere in the interview, he discussed what the most revealing part of the book was for him.Avan Jogia in December 2010.Brian To/FilmMagic"I think the most vulnerable part of the book is talking about what it’s like to be commodified and sort of seen as someone without any density or without an internal world,” Jogia explains. “When we have fantasies about people, it erases the reality.“For Jogia, “having people project their version or fantasy” onto him was something he experienced with “teen idol worship.“Autopsyis on sale now, wherever books are sold.If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Avan Jogiais opening up about working at Nickelodeon during his teen years.

From 2010 to 2013, the actor played Beck Oliver on the hit sitcomVictorious, which turned him into a teen heartthrob. Reflecting on his time starring on the popular musical show, Jogia tells PEOPLE exclusively how his experience differed from the 2024Quiet on Setdocumentary, which explored some of the toxic culture of children’s television shows that young actors and others endured in the 1990s and 2000s.

“My experiences on set with my friends and colleagues were so specific and so different than what I witnessed on the documentary,” says the author and actor. “But I also know that two truths can exist at the same time.”

Daniella Monet, Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Victoria Justice, Leon Thomas III, Elizabeth Gillies, Matt Bennett of ‘Victorious’ in March 2012.Lisa Rose / Nickelodeon / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Lisa Rose / Nickelodeon / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Jogia says he recalls his time onVictoriouswith his castmates turned friends as “a happy one.”

“If I look back at my time on that show, and now knowing as an adult how hard I work, I think we just worked really hard,” he explains. “We were on planes all the time to go to openings of things. We shot a show five days a week. We were on all summer doing stuff. Now as an adult looking back at that, I go like, ‘Oh, that’s too much to put on an 18-year-old kid.'”

Added Jogia, “My experience looking back trying to discern between what is childhood memory or young people’s memory is interesting. It’s all fragmented.”

Overall, theMixed Feelingsauthor recalls mostly “enjoying the time that I had with my friends.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, Jogia released his second bookAutopsy, a collection of poetry that meditates on sex, heartbreak, depression and teen stardom.

Elsewhere in the interview, he discussed what the most revealing part of the book was for him.

Avan Jogia in December 2010.Brian To/FilmMagic

Brian To/FilmMagic

“I think the most vulnerable part of the book is talking about what it’s like to be commodified and sort of seen as someone without any density or without an internal world,” Jogia explains. “When we have fantasies about people, it erases the reality.”

For Jogia, “having people project their version or fantasy” onto him was something he experienced with “teen idol worship.”

Autopsyis on sale now, wherever books are sold.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com