Jennette McCurdy opens up about being "exploited" on iCarly and Sam & Cat

5 August 2022, 11:56

Jennette McCurdy opens up about new memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died

By Sam Prance

Jennette McCurdy says Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 to keep quiet in her new memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died.

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Jennette McCurdy is opening up about her negative experiences with Nickelodeon and revealed that they tried to bribe her.

Next week (Aug 9), Jennette McCurdy releases her first memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died. The highly anticipated book sees Jennette write frankly about her time as a child actor, her struggles with eating disorders and addiction, and her difficult relationship with her late mother. The autobiography is about how Jennette retook control of her life as an adult.

Jennette also reveals all about what went on behind the scenes at iCarly and Sam & Cat and how she was exploited.

Jennette McCurdy opens up about being "exploited" on iCarly and Sam & Cat. Picture: @jennettemccurdy via TikTok, Nickelodeon / Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

According to The New York Times, in an excerpt from the book, Jennette reveals that she told her mother that she wanted to quit acting after an "uncomfortable" audition at the age of 6. However, her mother's reaction was hysterical. Sobbing, she said: "You can't quit! This was our chance!" Jennette then said that she'd keep acting and her mom stopped crying.

As for when she got the role of Sam in iCarly at the age of 14, Jennette says she thought this was the moment where things would change with her mum. She writes: "I jump into Mom's arms, she squeezes me, I'm elated. Everything's going to be different now. Everything's going to be better. Mom will finally be happy. Her dream has come true."

The New York Times also reports that, while in iCarly, a person who Jennette refers to as "the Creator" encouraged her to drink alcohol. Jennette also says that she was photographed in her bikini at a wardrobe fitting and when she complained about it to her mum, her mum just told her: "Everyone wants what you have."

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Elsewhere, Jennette explains that her supervisors blocked her from many opportunities while in Sam & Cat unlike her co-star Ariana Grande. She said: "What finally undid me was when Ariana came whistle-toning in with excitement because she had spent the previous evening playing charades at Tom Hanks’ house. That was the moment I broke."

When Sam & Cat finished, Nickelodeon offered Jennette $300,000 to never speak negatively about the show. She said: "My whole childhood and adolescence were very exploited. It still gives my nervous system a reaction to say it."

She ended by saying: "There were cases where people had the best intentions and maybe didn’t know what they were doing. And also cases where they did — they knew exactly what they were doing."

I'm Glad My Mom Died is available to pre-order from all major retailers now.