Nikolas Settles Defamation Suit Against Reporter

Actress Alexa Nikolas announced that she has reached a settlement in her defamation lawsuit against former NBC News reporter Kat Tenbarge. The lawsuit, filed in September 2024, alleged that Tenbarge defamed Nikolas by falsely stating she disclosed sealed court and police records regarding Drake Bell. Nikolas, who appeared in the "Quiet on Set" docu-series alongside Bell, argued the documents were public, not sealed, and that Tenbarge ignored her attempts to correct the record.

In a lengthy social media apology, Tenbarge admitted to errors in her reporting. She acknowledged that the Ohio court and police records concerning Drake Bell, shared by Nikolas in September 2024, were not sealed and did not contain personal identifying information on the victim, contrary to her earlier statements. Tenbarge expressed regret for the distress and potential reputational harm caused to Nikolas.

Furthermore, Tenbarge apologized for past questioning regarding Nikolas's group, Eat Predators, and for relying on biased and unverified anonymous sources. She pledged to exercise greater caution, verify claims independently, and approach sources' biases with more sensitivity in her future reporting. Tenbarge was laid off from NBC News in February 2025 and has since launched her own newsletter, Spitfire News.