Jennette McCurdy

Jennette Michelle Faye McCurdy (born June 26, 1992) is an American writer, director, podcaster, singer and former actress. She is best known for her role as Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon show iCarly and it's spin-off show Sam & Cat. She has also appeared in a number of other television series, including Zoey 101, Malcolm in the Middle, Will & Grace, Strong Medicine, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Inside, True Jackson, VP, ''Judging Amy, Victorious(2012), and Between (2015–2016). She also produced, wrote, and starred in her own web series titled What's Next for Sarah? (2014)'' and led the science-fiction series Between (2015-2016).

Early life
McCurdy was raised in Garden Grove, California, in a relatively poor Mormon family, though she ultimately left the religion in her early adulthood. Her mother, Debra McCurdy, home-schooled her and her three older brothers. The man she grew up believing was her father, Debra's husband Mark McCurdy, worked two jobs to support the family. After Debra's death, McCurdy learned that she was not his biological child.

Acting
She started her acting career in 2000 at the age of eight on MADtv. Since then she appeared in several television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Malcolm in the Middle, Lincoln Heights, Will & Grace, Zoey 101, True Jackson, VP, Law and Order SVU, Medium, Judging Amy, The Inside, Karen Sisco, Over There and Close to Home. In 2003, she had the chance to act with her inspiration, Harrison Ford in the movie Hollywood Homicide. In 2005, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Television Series - Guest Starring Young Actress for her performance in Strong Medicine as Hailey Campos. She has also appeared in several commercials such as one for Sprint and another commercial for crossing the road safely.

Since 2007, she has a starring role in the Nickelodeon TV series iCarly opposite Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress and Jerry Trainor, as one of Carly Shay's best friends Sam Puckett. In 2008 she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her work on iCarly, and for her performance as Dory Sorenson in the TV movie The Last Day of Summer. She was nominated for a 2009 Teen Choice Award, in the Favorite TV Sidekick category for her work on iCarly. She also was cast to the role of Bertha in Fred: The Movie, a movie based on a YouTube series about Fred Figglehorn.

Music
In June 2008, she announced on her official web site that she was working on her debut album. The first single, "So Close," was released on March 10, 2009. The second single, "Homeless Heart", a cover of a song from Amanda Stott, was released on May 19. The song was released in honor of McCurdy's recently deceased friend Cody Waters, who died at the age of 9 from brain cancer, and 20% of the proceeds were donated to the Cody Waters Foundation. She met Cody Waters through St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. After the single "So Close" was released in March 2009, McCurdy announced that her debut album would be released on June 30, 2009. By the time June ended, no album had been released and on July 6, 2009, McCurdy announced she had signed a deal with Capitol Records Nashville.

On April 16, 2010, samples of select songs from McCurdy's upcoming debut country album were released to the public. Those songs were "Not That Far Away", "Never Let Me Down", "Break Your Heart", "Better", "Stronger", and "Put Your Arms Around Someone". The songs were released early in order for fans to vote for which one they believed should be McCurdy's first single. "Not That Far Away" won, and was released to country radio on May 24, 2010 and iTunes on June 1. She released an EP on August 16/August 17, 2010 which added other songs including "Stronger", "Put Your Arms Around Someone", "Break your heart" and "Me with You". It has also been stated that another of her songs, "Stronger" was released later on NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35 on August 31, 2010.

Philanthropy
In addition to supporting the Cody Waters Foundation, McCurdy was active in campaigns such as stopping child soldiers (she is in the Invisible Children Inc. group) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. McCurdy did a PSA for Safe Kids USA which is aired on Nickelodeon and TeenNick.

McCurdy served as a StarPower Ambassador for Starlight Children’s Foundation, encouraging other young people to commit their time, energy and resources to help other kids and working with Starlight to brighten the lives of seriously ill children.

Post-acting career
In 2017, McCurdy quit acting to pursue a career in writing and directing. She returned to acting in February and March 2020 with her tragicomedy one-woman show "I'm Glad My Mom Died" in theaters in Los Angeles and New York City; plans for further dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She later confirmed in March 2021 on her podcast Empty Inside in an interview with Anna Faris that she does not foresee ever returning to acting.

EPs
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! style="width:40px;"| US Country ! style="width:40px;"| US Heat
 * - style=font-size:smaller;
 * 2010
 * style="text-align:left;"| Not That Far Away – EP
 * Release date: August 17, 2010
 * Label: Capitol Nashville
 * 32
 * 3
 * === Studio albumsEdit ===
 * === Studio albumsEdit ===


 * Jennette McCurdy (2012)

Extended playsEdit

 * Not That Far Away (2010)
 * Jennette McCurdy EP (2012)

Not That Far Away track listing

 * 1) "Not That Far Away" – 3:24
 * 2) "Stronger" – 3:28
 * 3) "Break Your Heart" – 3:24
 * 4) "Put Your Arms Around Someone" – 3:11
 * 5) "Me with You" – 3:00

Filmography
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * 2001
 * Shadow Fury
 * Anna Markov
 * 2002
 * My Daughter's Tears
 * Mary Fields
 * rowspan="2"| 2003
 * Hollywood Homicide
 * Van Family Daughter
 * Taylor Simmons
 * Amanda Simmons
 * rowspan="2"| 2004
 * Breaking Dawn
 * The Little Girl
 * Tiger Cruise
 * Kiley Dolan
 * TV movie
 * 2005
 * See Anthony Run
 * Lucy
 * Short Film
 * 2006
 * Against Type
 * Meredith
 * TV movie
 * 2007
 * The Last Day of Summer
 * Dory Sorenson
 * rowspan="2"| 2008
 * Proving Ground: From the Adventures of Captain Redlocks
 * Aria Krait
 * iCarly: iGo to Japan
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV movie
 * rowspan="4"|2009
 * iCarly: iDate a Bad Boy
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * iCarly: iQuit iCarly
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * Minor Details
 * Mia
 * rowspan="2"| 2010
 * Fred: The Movie
 * Bertha
 * TV Movie
 * Best Player
 * Prodigy
 * TV Movie
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * iCarly: iDate a Bad Boy
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * iCarly: iQuit iCarly
 * Sam Puckett
 * TV Movie
 * Minor Details
 * Mia
 * rowspan="2"| 2010
 * Fred: The Movie
 * Bertha
 * TV Movie
 * Best Player
 * Prodigy
 * TV Movie
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * Best Player
 * Prodigy
 * TV Movie
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * - style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
 * skit="1"| 2000
 * MADtv
 * Cassidy Gifford
 * 2002
 * C.S.I.
 * Jackie Trent
 * Episode: "Cats in the Cradle"
 * 2003
 * Malcolm in the Middle
 * Daisy (Female Dewey)
 * Episodes: "If Boys Were Girls"
 * rowspan="2"| 2004
 * Karen Sisco
 * Josie Boyle
 * Episode: "No One's Girl"
 * Strong Medicine
 * Hailey Campos
 * Episode: "Selective Breeding"
 * rowspan="7"| 2005
 * Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
 * Holly Purcell
 * Episode: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - (season 6)|Episode: "Contagious"
 * Medium
 * Sara Crewson
 * Episode: "Coded"
 * Judging Amy
 * Amber Reid
 * Episode: "My Name is Amy Gray"
 * Malcolm in the Middle
 * Penelope
 * Episode: "Buseys Take a Hostage"
 * The Inside
 * Madison St. Clair
 * Episode: "Everything Nice"
 * Over There
 * Lynne
 * Episode: "Situation Normal"
 * Zoey 101
 * Trisha Kirby
 * Episode: "Bad Girl"
 * rowspan="2"| 2006
 * Will & Grace
 * Lisa
 * Episode: "Von Trapped"
 * Close to Home
 * Stacy Johnson
 * Episode: "Escape"
 * 2007
 * Lincoln Heights
 * Beckie
 * Episode: "Betrayal" Episode: "Tricks and Treats" Episode: "House Arrest"
 * 2007-2012
 * iCarly
 * Samantha "Sam" Puckett
 * Main Role; 2007 - 2012
 * 2008-2010
 * True Jackson, VP
 * Pinky Turzo
 * Episode: "Amanda Hires a Pink" Episode: "True Drama"
 * 2009-2010
 * Kids' Choice Awards
 * Herself
 * (2009, 2010) Winner - Favorite TV Show (shared with the cast of iCarly)
 * 2010-2015
 * The Penguins of Madagascar
 * Becky
 * Guest role: 2 episodes, voice role
 * 2010
 * Glenn Martin, DDS
 * Mazy
 * Voiceover
 * 2011
 * 2008-2010
 * True Jackson, VP
 * Pinky Turzo
 * Episode: "Amanda Hires a Pink" Episode: "True Drama"
 * 2009-2010
 * Kids' Choice Awards
 * Herself
 * (2009, 2010) Winner - Favorite TV Show (shared with the cast of iCarly)
 * 2010-2015
 * The Penguins of Madagascar
 * Becky
 * Guest role: 2 episodes, voice role
 * 2010
 * Glenn Martin, DDS
 * Mazy
 * Voiceover
 * 2011
 * Glenn Martin, DDS
 * Mazy
 * Voiceover
 * 2011

Cupcake Wars

Herself

Guest judge; Episode: "Jennette McCurdy Country Cupcakes"

Big Time Rush

Training Fan

Episode: "Big Time Concert"

Best Player

Christina "Prodigy" Saunders

Television film

iParty with Victorious

Sam Puckett

Television film

2012

Victorious

Ponnie / Fawn Liebowitz

Episode: "Crazy Ponnie"

Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures

Devon

Episode: "Epic Break-Up"

Camp Orange

Herself

Co-host (season 8)

2013

Ben and Kate

Bethany

Episode: "Gone Fishin'"

Swindle

Savannah Westcott

Television film

2013–14

Sam & Cat

Sam Puckett

Main role; 35 episodes

Melanie Puckett

Episode: "#Twinfection"

2014

The Birthday Boys

Kendra Taylor

Episode: "Love Date Hump"

2015

Comedy Bang! Bang!

Allie Dawson

Episode: "Simon Helberg Wears a Sky Blue Button Down and Jeans"

2015–16

Between

Wiley Day

Main role; 12 episodes

2016

Robot Chicken

Skipper / Nany / Nurse

Episode: "Joel Hurwitz"; voice role

The Eric Andre Show

Herself

Episode: "Jack Black / Jennette McCurdy"