Today it was announced that 'iCarly' will be coming back, and that most of the original cast will be returning as well. However, it seems like Jennette McCurdy will not be joining. Here's why.
Apparently, it's reboot 'o clock in the entertainment industry. We already knew Gossip Girl, Beavis and Butt-head, Ren and Stimpy, and most recently, True Blood is getting the reboot treatment. Today we also learned that Nickelodeon's iCarly is coming back. We know that it'll be produced by Nickelodeon Studios for Paramount+ and that the show is bringing back some of the original cast, like Miranda Cosgrove, Jerry Trainor, and Nathan Cress.
The big question fans have is whether or not Jennette McCurdy, who played Sam, will be returning to iCarly. At this time, it's a "no" and it might have to do with the trauma Jennette experience while on set, specifically in regards to her time with producer Dan Schneider. Nickelodeon and Dan cut ties in 2018 after “multiple complaints of abusive behavior” and his alleged toxicity was brought to light.
Is Jennette McCurdy in the 'iCarly' reboot?
Jennette McCurdy will not be starring in iCarly reboot, and although she hasn't made any public comments about her decision, some are convinced it's because her time on the iCarly set was not a positive one, along with the trauma she faced in Hollywood (she wrote about her eating disorder in 2019, diving into how the industry exacerbated her bulimia and self worth). In 2013, Jennette made a Vine that addressed Dan, saying "Look what you've done to me." Jennette has also publicly stated that she quit acting.
The Vine was particularly alarming in many respects. Although she didn't explicitly say, it seemed like Jennette was mimicking Amanda Bynes, the famous child start now known for her very public (and sad) mental breakdown. Was it a cry for help? Was Jennette calling out Dan for something in particular?
Recently, on November 28, Jennette posted a video to her TikTok with the text, "wondering what it would have been like to have had a healthy, non-traumatic childhood."
childhood is brutal hahaha
♬ I guess well never know - Connor SnowJennette quit acting in 2016, telling Elite Daily, "I had to kind of fight the demons on my own time. I went dark. I went off of social media. I quit acting. I had to make these pretty big life decisions in order to deal with my stuff, my life." In regards to iCarly, Jennette stated, "I still have complicated feelings toward my past from my experience with Nickelodeon. It's something that I work on. I'd like to get to a place of peace with my past. That would be great."
But Jennette isn't totally off the grid anymore. She's got a TikTok following of 2.6 million, is working on a one-woman show called I'm Glad My Mom Died (it's been postponed due to the pandemic), and has her own podcast titled Empty Inside. You can keep up with her on her website. Although she may not be willing to put herself on set again, she seems to appreciate the friendships she gained because of her career.
It sounds like Jennette is working on finding peace with her past on her own terms and in her own way.
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