Christy Carlson Romano, known for her roles in “Even Stevens” and “Kim Possible,” delves into her journey as a former child star and sheds light on her decision not to engage with the recent Investigation Discovery documentary, “Quiet on Set,” which delves into allegations from behind the scenes at Nickelodeon during the late ’90s and early ‘00s.
In an upcoming episode of Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown podcast, Romano candidly discusses her stance on the documentary, describing it as “extremely triggering” and explaining her reasons for opting out of participating.
“I’ve made a choice for several reasons to opt out of watching that imagery,” Romano reveals, expressing her reservations about the potential emotional toll of revisiting those memories.
Romano discloses that she had previously declined a similar request from the network to participate in a documentary of this nature. She recounts how she was approached by producers interested in exploring her experiences, particularly after she began advocating for herself through her YouTube channel.
“I started to be approached by many reality-show-type producers, and they were like, ‘Hey, how do we do this?’ and I would combat them with saying, ‘Hey, guys, the only way we would do this is if we talk about how do we fix it?'” Romano explains, emphasizing her commitment to addressing the underlying issues and advocating for positive change.
Drawing from her academic background in film, Romano discusses the concept of “trauma p*rn” and the manipulation of emotions through visual storytelling. She highlights the responsibility of documentary filmmakers in shaping narratives and emphasizes the importance of portraying stories with empathy and sensitivity.
She expresses her concerns about the lack of hope and constructive dialogue in the Investigation Discovery documentary. Romano questions the intentions of outsiders attempting to document the experiences of those within the industry, noting the importance of community involvement and genuine understanding.
“These are people who don’t belong to our community. These are outsiders,” Romano asserts, pointing out the disconnect between those creating the documentary and the individuals directly impacted by the issues at hand. She stresses the need for authentic engagement and collaboration in addressing systemic challenges.
In refraining from participating in the documentary, Romano asserts her commitment to advocating for meaningful change within the industry. By sharing her perspective, she encourages a critical examination of media representation and underscores the importance of centering the voices of those directly affected by systemic issues.
