Jennette McCurdy has shared what led her to make the decision to quit acting! During the most recent episode of her podcast Empty Inside, McCurdy talked to Anna Faris while reflecting on her career as a teen television star.
McCurdy says she got into acting to support family
McCurdy said that while acting was something she "initially didn't want to do," it became a means of being able to support her family when she was younger. "And it was very much the pressure of my family [not having] a lot of money, and this was the way out," she explained.
She went on to say that she doesn't think she "would have been as ambitious" in the industry if it wasn't for her family depending on her career. However, McCurdy shared that she made the decision to leave acting "a few years ago," doing so after her mom had passed away.
McCurdy calls career "cheesy" and "embarrassing"
McCurdy managed to land guest spots on several series, but her career took off in 2007 when she starred on the Nickelodeon show iCarly. She played "Sam Puckett" on the show for multiple seasons, and even reprised the character in the short-lived spinoff, Sam & Cat.
However, McCurdy told Faris she's "so ashamed" of her career as a teenager. "I feel so unfulfilled by the roles that I played and felt like it was the most cheesy, embarrassing [thing]," she admitted. "And I imagine there's a very different experience to be had with acting if you're proud of your roles, and if you feel fulfilled by them."
Last year, it was announced that iCarly is getting a reboot on the streaming service Paramount+. While McCurdy won't be returning to the show, original cast members Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress, and Jerry Trainor have all been confirmed to appear.