Jennette McCurdy, a Nickelodeon child actor known for her role as Sam Puckett on iCarly and resulting role in the spinoff show Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, has revealed Nickelodeon offered her $300K to not speak about her experiences at Nickelodeon. McCurdy's memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died will hit shelves August 9, and details the abuse and struggles that came with child acting at Nickelodeon. McCurdy has since retired from acting to focus on writing and directing, not appearing in anything since 2018 and noticeably missing from the 2021 iCarly reboot.
Although McCurdy refers to the Nickelodeon higher-up who manipulated her as young actor as "The Creator" in her memoir, it is assumed she is referring to iCarly, Victorious, and Sam & Cat creator Dan Schneider, who received complaints from his time at Nickelodeon for alleged temper issues and inappropriate relations with young actors. Nickelodeon parted ways with Schneider and his production company in 2018, and Schneider didn't address the allegations until 2021, stating that "the comedy was totally innocent." With Schneider no longer attached to the series, iCarly's reboot in 2021 saw the return of Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Nathan Kress ad Freddy, and Jerry Trainor as Spencer, but McCurdy continued to stay away from acting.
In an excerpt from her memoir from Vanity Fair, McCurdy reveals the conversation she had with agents and attorneys where Nickelodeon offered her $300K to not publicly speak about her experience at Nickelodeon after Sam & Cat was canceled. McCurdy immediately declined the money, stating that it felt like hush money despite the managers and agents presenting it as a thank you gift or simply free money. She goes on to explain her shock and disgust with the offer after the phone call, citing her personal experience with "The Creator's" abuse and a children's network lacking ethical standards.
In her memoir, McCurdy describes how "The Creator" encouraged her to drink underage, massaged her, and manipulated her as a child actor. McCurdy also details her struggles with addiction, eating disorders, and her complicated relationship with her mom, all of which influenced her decision to quit acting. McCurdy was ultimately happy Sam and Cat ended when it did but did consider if not taking the money offered when the show ended may have been a mistake.
It is good to see McCurdy finally speaking out against her abuse at Nickelodeon, with her decision to not take hush money paying off as she can speak her mind in her memoir. Although "The Creator" is not identified in the memoir, it could lead to some serious repercussions for Nickelodeon and more conversation about the treatment of child actors. McCurdy clearly went through a negatively life-changing experience while with Nickelodeon for iCarly and Sam & Cat, but rightfully denied attempts to keep her quiet despite a large payout, and appears to approach the issue with a mix of humor and candid transparency in her memoir.
Source: Vanity Fair