Nickelodeon child stars: where are they now?

The definitive child star of her generation, Miranda Cosgrove first starred opposite Jack Black in the cult classic comedy flick School of Rock (2003) before entering the Nickelodeon universe as Drake’s mischievous sister on Drake & Josh (2004–2007). Her popularity earned her the lead role in the brand-new series iCarly (2007–2012), where she starred as tech-savvy teen Carly Shay. By the show’s final season, she was officially named the highest-paid child actor by Guinness World Records, raking in around $180,000 (£114,000) per episode.

Miranda also enjoyed a flourishing music career – her 2010 album Sparks Fly peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 – and lent her voice to Margo in the Despicable Me franchise. Since 2019, she’s been hosting the series Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove, inspiring young girls to explore STEM subjects. After reprising her lead role in iCarly’s Paramount revival run (2021–2023), Miranda most recently starred in the Netflix rom-com The Wrong Paris (2025), playing a reluctant dating show contestant who accidentally finds herself in Paris, Texas.

One half of the duo Drake & Josh (2004–2007), Josh Peck landed his breakout role after first appearing on the Amanda Bynes-led sketch comedy The Amanda Show (2000–2002). The sitcom was a smash-hit with viewers, making the pair household names in the Nickelodeon universe and launching Josh’s career, who was 17 years old when the first season hit screens. 

During the show’s run, Josh began to voice Eddie in the Ice Age franchise (2006–2016) before once again lending his voice to Casey Jones in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012–2017). Fans may have recently spotted him starring opposite Cillian Murphy in the blockbuster flick Oppenheimer (2023), and he also joined the late Diane Keaton in the comedy flick Summer Camp (2024). After the release of the Quiet on Set (2024) documentary, Josh expressed his support for the survivors who shared their stories, adding “I hope it can bring healing for the victims and their families as well as necessary change to our industry”.

After her lovable sidekick Sam Puckett stole the show in iCarly, Jennette McCurdy led the spin-off show Sam & Cat (2013–2014) alongside Victorious star Ariana Grande. While the sitcom only ran for a season, it gained a devoted following and helped further both the Nickelodeon stars’ careers beyond the network. 

After releasing her self-titled studio album in 2012 and later leading the sci-fi series Between (2015–2016), Jennette stepped away from acting to focus on writing. Her deeply powerful and candid memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died (2022) detailed her complex relationship with her mother while being a child actress, instantly becoming a New York Times bestseller, and Jeanette is set to adapt the book into a series alongside the likes of Jennifer Aniston. The actress is now set to release her debut novel Half His Age in 2026, after telling The Guardian it was her childhood dream to become an author.

Britney Spears’ younger sister Jamie Lynn initially joined the cast of Nickelodeon’s All That (1994–2005) before leaving to star as Zoey Brooks in the new series Zoey 101 (2005–2008). After the major success of the show, Jamie took a step back from acting after the birth of her daughter, Maddie, returning to show business in 2013 with the release of her debut country music single, “How Could I Want More”.

After a slew of reality TV stints in 2023, from Dancing with the Stars to I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Jamie rounded off the busy year with a nostalgic return as Zoey in Zoey 102, a sequel film to the beloved series. She’s also currently starring as Noreen Fitzgibbons in Netflix’s Sweet Magonolias (2020–), with a fifth season expected to drop in 2026.

Saturday Night Live funnyman Kenan Thompson was one of the original Nickelodeon stars, first making a splash as a cast member on the long-running sketch comedy show All That (1994–2005). He later teamed up with fellow castmate Kel Mitchell to star in the hit sitcom Kenan & Kel (1996–2000), whose success spawned several teen comedy films inspired by their iconic “Good Burger” sketch.

Kenan’s early success on the network laid the foundation for his career on SNL, where he’s been a cast member since 2003 – making him the longest-serving cast member in the show’s history. The star previously led the sitcom Kenan (2021–2022), and is currently back on our screens in the 51st season of SNL. Speaking on the Tamron Hall Show in 2024 about Quiet on Set, Kenan shared that a lot of the negativity had started after his Nickelodeon days, adding: “It’s a good thing that the doc is out and it’s putting things on display that need to be, stories that need to be told for accountability’s sake”.

After appearing alongside Jamie Lynn Spears in Zoey 101, Victoria Justice landed the lead role as Tori Vega in the sitcom Victorious (2010–2013), set at a prestigious performing arts high school. A fan favourite, she also starred in several of the network’s films, from the musical Spectacular! (2009) to the comedy horror flick The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010).

Following in the footsteps of her co-star Ariana Grande, Victoria pursued a music career, achieving commercial success with the Victorious album, which charted on the Billboard 200. After releasing her debut single “Gold” in 2013, she took a hiatus from music before returning with 2020’s “Treat Myself”. Victoria has since been a rom-com favourite, starring in Netflix hits like Afterlife of the Party (2021) and A Perfect Pairing (2022) alongside Adam Demos. She also had a recurring role in the short-lived Suits spin-off Suits LA (2025). 

Elizabeth Gillies was another Victorious staple who achieved mainstream success – she first began her career on Broadway as a teen, starring in the musical 13 alongside her future co-star Ariana Grande. An instant network favourite as the edgy mean girl Jade West, she also went on to provide the voice for Daphne in Nickelodeon’s Winx Club revival (2011–2019).

The actress is best known for leading the CW reboot of Dynasty (2017-2022) as Fallon Carrington, based on the iconic ‘80s soap opera. An acclaimed singer who previously covered “Santa Baby” with Ariana Grande in 2013, she released a festive studio album, We Wish You the Merriest, in 2023. Elizabeth recently completed a run as Audrey in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors before passing the baton to The Handmaid’s Tale star Madeline Brewer.

After a breakthrough role as Akeelah Anderson in the film Akeelah and the Bee (2006), Keke Palmer went on to play the title role in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP (2008–2011), which follows a teen girl who lands her dream job as the vice president of youth apparel at a big fashion company. The star also joined Elizabeth Gillies in the Winx Club reboot, while also headlining the network’s Cinderella-inspired flick Rags (2012).

Continuing her fairytale trajectory, Keke made history as the first African American actress to star as Cinderella in the Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella in 2014. Alongside starring in hit TV shows like Scream Queens (2015–2016), she also continued her music career with the release of two studio albums, Big Boss (2023) and Just Keke (2025). Keke’s recent acting credits include Jordan Peele’s horror film Nope (2022), and the 2025 buddy comedy flick One of Them Days with SZA.