What did Corey Feldman say about pedophilia? Russell Brand claims kids do "weird sh*t" in Hollywood in light of Feldman's past comments

During a recent episode of his Stay Free with Russell Brand podcast, the actor claimed kids do "weird sh*t" in Hollywood, referencing an old interview of actor Corey Feldman. In a clip of the episode shared on X on June 8, 2025, Russell Brand presented footage from an old interview of Feldman alongside his own commentary on the darker underbelly of the entertainment industry.

As the conversation continued about Feldman's interview, a question came up on whether acting could be considered work since children aren't allowed to work.

"What it is, is the Hollywood machine requires it. I’ve been on movies where there are kids working weird sh*t," Russell Brand said.

The interview clip of Corey Feldman used in Russell Brand’s podcast was originally broadcast on ABC News’ program Nightline in 2011. This interview featured Feldman candidly speaking about his traumatic experiences as a child actor in Hollywood.

During the interview, Feldman claimed that pedophilia was a deeply rooted issue within the industry.

"I can tell you that the No. 1 problem in Hollywood was and is and always will be pedophilia. That's the biggest problem for children in this industry," he said.

Feldman also elaborated that the exploitation of minors was often veiled in secrecy in show business and operated covertly. While the "casting couch" was generally associated with adult actors, Feldman claimed that a version of it extended to children in the business and was carried out "under the radar."

In his podcast video, Brand responded to Feldman’s revelations and empathized with the actor’s past.

"He, Corey Feldman—he’s also got the face of someone that looks like they’ve been through and seen too much and has to spend the rest of their life coping with weird sh*t happening to them when they were a kid," Brand said.

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What else do we know about Corey Feldman and his claims of pedophilia ring in Hollywood?

Corey Feldman (Image via Getty)

As per an article by ABC News dated November 9, 2017, actor Corey Feldman had for years spoken publicly about being sexually abused as a child in Hollywood. He had long alleged the existence of a powerful pedophile ring within the entertainment industry and maintained that he had been one of its victims.

Despite making these allegations for years, Corey Feldman did not take any formal legal action until November 7, 2017, when he announced that he had filed an official police report with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter dated November 8, 2017, the LAPD confirmed that Corey Feldman had officially submitted a report detailing incidents of sexual assault and child molestation that occurred during his time as a child actor. They further confirmed that the case was under investigation.

Leading up to this, Feldman had consistently spoken out about the widespread abuse of minors in Hollywood. As early as 2011, in an interview with ABC News' Nightline, Feldman had described how, as a teenager, he was unknowingly surrounded by predators.

"I was surrounded by [pedophiles] when I was 14 years old. ... Didn't even know it. It wasn't until I was old enough to realize what they were and what they wanted ... till I went, 'Oh, my God. They were everywhere,'" Corey Feldman said.

As per the November 2017 ABC News report, Feldman had long wanted to name the predators publicly but held back due to fear of legal retaliation and personal safety threats. However, following the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the emergence of the #MeToo movement, Feldman stated that he felt empowered to expose the truth.

Additionally, apart from the official investigation into the alleged pedophilia ring in Hollywood, Corey Feldman also launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2017 to raise $10 million to fund a film titled Truth. According to him, this film would document his traumatic experiences as a child actor and unmask the individuals involved in the alleged abuse.

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What did Russell Brand say about child actors working in Hollywood?

Russell Brand (Image via Getty)

In his podcast episode, Russell Brand opened up about some unusual practices he had witnessed involving child actors on Hollywood sets.

Brand explained that on many sets, producers and directors were keen on maximizing the screen time of child actors without exhausting them or violating strict labor laws. To achieve this, filmmakers often employed adult actors with dwarfism to serve as "body doubles" for children. These doubles were used primarily for shots where the children’s faces weren’t visible.

Russell Brand also recalled one specific incident from the set of the 2008 Disney film Bedtime Stories, in which he had a role. He remembered befriending “two little kids on the set.” Later, when he approached who he thought were the same children, dressed in familiar outfits, he discovered that they weren’t the kids at all but the adult body doubles with dwarfism portraying the children for the camera.

Brand described these moments as part of the “weird stuff” he observed on set.

He further highlighted the disparity in treatment between the actual child stars and their doubles. The real child actors were given the spotlight and treated with care, while their body doubles were relegated to background roles and used to keep the production moving.

Despite these observations, Brand clarified that his experiences didn’t reach the same disturbing levels of exploitation that Corey Feldman had alluded to.

"But it does show you that if you industrialize the labor of children you’re gonna get into this weird moral territory because those children are being used," Russell Brand added.

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Corey Feldman has largely stepped away from full-time acting, only taking brief cameos and no major roles. He last featured in the 2024 family film Going Viral.

On the other hand, Russell Brand is busy with his Rumble podcast, Stay Free with Russell Brand, where he talks about his revolutionary politics and spiritual awakening.