Join L'OFFICIEL as we take a deep dive into the childhood star's shocking memoir.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/iconic-celebrity-tv-show-cameos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iCarly</a>&nbsp;star Jennette McCurdy started acting at a very young age. At age six, McCurdy hopped from audition to audition with her mother attached to her hip, which wasn't her choice. McCurdy's acting career stemmed from her people-pleasing nature and pressure from her mom. Prior to her role as Sam on the hit Nickelodeon show&nbsp;iCarly, McCurdy did a string of smaller roles that didn't satisfy McCurdy's mother Debra. The actress can be seen as a background or supporting character in shows like&nbsp;Malcolm in the Middle,&nbsp;Will &amp; Grace, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/famous-guest-stars-law-and-order-svu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Law and Order: SVU</a>.
In her new memoir titled&nbsp;I'm Glad My Mom Died, the actress gets candid about her mother's abuse, developing an eating disorder, and her feelings toward former Sam &amp; Cat co-star <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/ariana-grande-beauty-moments-red-carpet-music-videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ariana Grande</a>. Join&nbsp;L'OFFICIEL&nbsp;as we dissect key takeaways from McCurdy's chilling memoir.

Her Mother's Abuse

In her book, McCurdy details how her mother pushed her throughout her career. From the very beginning, she was put on a calorie-restrictive diet and could only do certain tasks without her mother's say-so. McCurdy even had a specific wardrobe for auditions&ndash; "a fuzzy pink shirt with a rhinestone heart in the center of it, black faux-leather skorts, and black gogo boots." 
Her mother's influence is what also pushed McCurdy to want to quit acting overall. Eventually, when the actress moved on to her breakout role on Nickelodeon, her mother's rules became even more restrictive. McCurdy mentions in her memoir that she couldn't use the bathroom or shower by herself until she was a teenager. Over time, McCurdy's fixed diet worsened, and so did the star. The actress recalls weighing 61 pounds at about 12 years old, and her mother's encouragement only pushed her further toward an eating disorder.

McCurdy's Time on iCarly

McCurdy's time on iCarly was anything but pleasant. Although her character in the beloved series brought many viewers laughter, the actress was quietly suffering on the inside. McCurdy's mother was also responsible for trying to distance the iCarly&nbsp;actress from her co-star Miranda Cosgrove. Her mother wanted her to stay away from her on-screen best friend "because she doesn't believe in God." Despite her wishes, Cosgrove and McCurdy went on to build a genuine friendship anyway. The author lists Cosgrove as a source of support when recovering from her eating disorder.&nbsp;

"The Creator"

The memoir also relives McCurdy's exploitation at the hands of the Nickelodeon network. In the book, she references someone called the "The Creator," who played a key role in McCurdy's decline. McCurdy recalls a time the two went to dinner together and they forced her to drink alcohol at 18 years old. The unnamed figure claimed the&nbsp;Victorious (another hit Nickelodeon show) cast gets drunk together all the time, and "the iCarly&nbsp;kids need a little edge," she wrote.&nbsp;
This mention in the book also helped readers recall another claim from a Nickelodeon alum about alcohol on set. Former Victorious&nbsp;star Avan Jogia made a TikTok revealing in the comments he didn't remember his time on the&nbsp;Victorious set because he was either drunk or hungover. The comments under the video have since then been deleted. Fans are now left wondering what really went on behind the scenes of their favorite childhood shows.

Her Relationship With Ariana Grande

Since the announcement of her memoir, everyone's been curious about what McCurdy had to say about her former&nbsp;Sam &amp; Cat co-star Ariana Grande, and the star didn't hold back. McCurdy mentioned that she often had to put other endeavors on hold for the series while Grande was allowed to pursue her music career. During the filming of the one-season series, the pop star would have to miss filming to attend award shows or work on her music. The actress grew to be resentful and jealous of the vocalist due to the progression of their careers. McCurdy wrote, "I have to turn down movies while Ariana's off whistle-toning at the Billboard Music Awards."&nbsp;
The actress's anger also stemmed from the show not being the original arrangement made for her spinoff series.&nbsp;The spinoff was initially supposed to follow Sam's life as a former juvenile then later becoming a school counselor. Grande was never mentioned in the deal McCurdy had with "The Creator."
She writes, "When I initially got a development deal with Nickelodeon for my own show a few years ago, I thought it was gonna be just that... my own show. This was supposed to be Just Puckett, the harrowing tale of a brassy juvenile delinquent-turned-school counselor." When her time came to an end with Nickelodeon, McCurdy declares the network offered her $300,000 to not discuss her experience working on the two shows, which the actress forcefully declined.

The Biggest Takeways From Jennette McCurdy's Book 'I'm Glad My Mom Died'

Tags

Related Articles

Film & TV

9 Stars You Forgot Started on Broadway

Film & TV

12 Stars You Forgot Launched Their Careers on Disney Channel

Pop culture

10 Iconic Celebrity TV Show Cameos

Recommended posts for you

Pop culture

Who is Landon Barker?

Pop culture

8 Things You Didn't Know About Ines De Ramon, Brad Pitt's New Girlfriend

Pop culture

13 Things You Didn't Know About Theo James

Beauty

Taylor Swift's Best No Makeup Moments

Film & TV

7 America Ferrera Movies & TV Shows That Prove She Has Always Deserved The Spotlight

Pop culture

The Craziest Trends and Fads from the Early 2010s

Be Well

Say Goodbye to Frizzy Hair With These 9 Anti-Frizz Salon Treatments

Pop culture

A Timeline of Hunter Schafer’s Relationships, Past and Present