Drake Bell Is "Safe" After Being Reported "Missing and Endangered" in Daytona Beach
The actor has responded to the incident.
Actor Drake Bell, best known for his starring role on Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh, was reported missing this week, but has now been found alive and safe.
The Daytona Beach Police Department originally posted the following on their Facebook page:
"MISSING
"Officers are looking for Jared Bell, DOB 06/27/1986. [The actor's full name is Jared Drake Bell.]
"He should be traveling in a 2022 grey BMW and his last known location is potentially the area of Mainland High School on 4/12/2023 just before 9p.m.
"He is considered missing and endangered."
They later updated the post with the following:
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"** UPDATE: 4/13/2023 1:26p.m. - At this time, we can confirm law enforcement officials are in contact and Mr. Bell is safe."
Following the mix-up, Bell tweeted, "You leave your phone in the car and don’t answer for the night and this?" with a laugh-cry emoji, implying that it had all been a strange misunderstanding.
As Us Weekly reports, the Nickelodeon star has had a concerning past few years. In 2021, he was sentenced to two years' probation and 200 hours of community service for child endangerment and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
At the time, Bell said, "I just want to say today that I accept this claim because my conduct was wrong. I’m sorry that the victim was harmed in any way, but that was obviously not my intention. I take this matter very seriously, and again I just want to apologize to her and anyone else who may have been affected by my actions."
Shortly afterwards, the actor was spotted "inhaling balloons" repeatedly. He was also embroiled in a public spat with former costar Josh Peck, after Peck didn't invite him to his 2017 wedding.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.