Apparently Drake Bell's Disappearance Involved A Suicide Threat

Actor Drake Bell attends the opening night of "Rock Of Ages" at The Bourbon Room.
(Image credit: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

Former Nickelodeon actor and music star Drake Bell’s recent disappearance saw the man best known for his role in the sitcom Drake & Josh go missing, with the presumption that his life was in danger. It didn’t take long for the situation to be resolved, as the Daytona Beach Police Department were in contact with Bell that same afternoon, leaving Bell able to joke on Twitter about the situation. However, further updates seem to reveal where the reported danger to his life came in, as 911 audio was released stating that a suicide threat was involved.

TMZ share audio that was obtained from a call originating from the Orlando Police Department. In that call, it was mentioned that a “celebrity who had a falling out with his wife” was texting threats of suicide to their family back in California.

While not mentioned by name, Drake Bell was alleged as saying he was going to “get drunk and hang himself” in an Orlando hotel room. Based on whereabouts cited in this source reporting, these claims seem even more valid.

In the report sourced above, Drake Bell was spotted at Sea World’s Orlando park on Tuesday, with the child he and his estranged wife Janet Von Schmelling are co-parenting. Following the reports of the events that followed, that falling out took place at some point between Tuesday and Wednesday, which then saw Bell threatening to kill himself before or around the time of his reported disappearance Wednesday night.

By Thursday afternoon, the entire situation was supposedly resolved, thanks to Drake Bell finally being reached by the Daytona Beach Police Department. As these new details have surfaced, it’s uncertain how this story will continue in light of the revelations at hand. 

The recent past has been full of legal and personal issues for Bell, as the Ultimate Spider-Man voice actor has seen some serious allegations coming to light. Not too long ago Drake Bell pled guilty to child endangerment in a 2021 case that could have resulted in serious jail time

While Bell avoided that sentence in exchange for community service hours, the case allegedly contributed to Janet Von Schmelling’s decision to separate from him. Coincidentally, it wasn't until those allegations surfaced that the world was made aware that Drake Bell had a wife and family. Her resulting relocation to Florida is more than likely the cause for Bell’s recent visit, which unfortunately ended in the couple's fight. 

Drake Bell being found safe and sound is still a relief, despite the circumstances that have led to this latest chapter. In the moment, some are probably questioning how or if this will affect the unspecified treatment program that Bell had entered this past January. With his threat of intoxication, one might presume that sobriety is one of the goals that the young entertainer is currently working towards; but this is merely speculation with the details at hand. 

All anyone can say for certain is that despite these setbacks, Bell's journey to wellness will continue. It's an unfortunate turn of events that we've seen unfold in the past couple of days, but people are still rooting for Drake to push forward with his treatment, for the sake of himself and his family. 

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.