Jennette McCurdy Reveals ‘The Moment I Broke’ While Working on ‘Sam & Cat’ With Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande and Jennette McCurdy both rose to prominence as recurring characters on Nickelodeon shows. When they co-starred in a third show, Sam & Cat, on the kids’ network, McCurdy claims she was treated unfairly in comparison to her co-star, who went on to become one of the world’s biggest pop stars.

McCurdy spoke with the New York Times, who published an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died (Aug. 9). In the quoted passage, she claims that Nickelodeon actively discouraged Grande from pursuing other career opportunities while also encouraging her to do so.

Sam & Cat was cancelled in 2014 after 35 episodes in one season. Grande’s debut album Yours Truly featured the singles “The Way” featuring Mac Miller and “Baby I,” both of which charted in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“I want to thank Nickelodeon for fulfilling a childhood dream of mine,” the “Positions” singer tweeted after Sam & Cat was cancelled. “For treating me like family, for being so accommodating and understanding of my hectic music schedule, and for introducing me to many of my fans all those years ago.”
Grande and McCurdy were said to be at odds right before the show ended because Grande was paid more than McCurdy. In 2014, the two-time Grammy winner took to Twitter to clear the air. She later deleted a tweet in which she stated, “The rumours circulating about our contracts and pay not being equal are absolutely ridiculous and false.” I’m not sure who is disseminating these ridiculous quotes, but I wanted to set the record straight and hopefully put a stop to it.
While Grande denied any feud with McCurdy on Twitter, the former co-star appeared to attack her in an episode of her web series What’s Next for Sarah? Gloriana, the main character, wears her hair in a high ponytail like Ariana Grande, claims to be vegan (like Grande) while carrying a leather bag, and boasts about how wonderful her life and music career are.

On her podcast, Empty Inside, McCurdy discussed her time working with Grande during the pop star’s meteoric rise to international fame. She was so torn in so many directions that she couldn’t get to work, according to the Swindle star. That week, they decided that her character needed to be trapped in a box so that she could perform at the Grammys, and I was like, acting on this show with a box while she’s off at the awards show?
McCurdy hasn’t appeared in any films or television shows since her days on Nickelodeon, and she has specifically declined a role in the upcoming iCarly reboot on Paramount+ in 2021. In her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died, her mother Debra, who died of cancer in 2013, is portrayed as a controlling figure.
McCurdy allegedly writes about the humiliation she felt while working for Nickelodeon, and the New York Times claims that the network offered her $300,000 to keep quiet about her time there. She also claims that when she was a teenager on the show, a supervisor she refers to as “The Creator” pressured her to drink alcohol.
The New York Times and Billboard attempted to contact Nickelodeon for comment, but the network declined.
“My entire childhood and adolescence were extremely exploited,” she told the New York Times. When I say it, my nervous system still reacts negatively. There were times when people meant well but were simply unaware. And in the rare cases when they did, they were extremely competent in their endeavours.