“It was so much noise in our house. My brothers and I were quiet because there was so much noise in the house,” Jennette said of their dynamic. “My brother shared with me that [our grandmother] was not happy with the title, but I expected that. I’m not surprised at all. I tried to have a relationship with her but it was clear to me that she was incapable of honoring any boundary that I set. Ultimately, it was a matter of, ‘OK, I just can’t have a relationship with this person.’”
While speaking with Willow, Jada, and Adrienne, Jennette addressed the relationship between her eating disorder and her portrayal of Sam Puckett on iCarly, a character who was notoriously always eating.
“It was so confusing at the time,” said Jennette. “Being caught up in anorexia or binge-eating disorder or bulimia and then, while playing this character who’s slinging a fried chicken leg and beating people with a ham sandwich… it felt like my life was mocking me in a lot of ways, and it was really difficult.”
She also mentioned that her iCarly co-star Miranda Cosgrove was a formative relationship for her and a healthy example of what friendship could look like. “I’m very grateful for that friendship,” explained Jennette. “It did provide me a lot of comfort in those really challenging years. My relationship with Miranda was hugely healing to my concept of women.” Miranda is frequently mentioned in the book as a supportive friend for Jennette, though Jennette did decline the opportunity to participate in the iCarly reboot in 2021.
Jennette also briefly discussed her relationship with fame, reading a passage from the book where she talks about how becoming famous in youth could make one feel stuck as the person or character they were then, and how being famous was never her dream — it was her mother’s. “I’m aware of how whiny this sounds. I’m aware that this is what everybody… yearns for… but it was a really complicated experience for me,” she said. “Some people are equipped to handle fame and do it beautifully… my thought was I wanted to be a child.”
When asked if she wants children of her own, Jennette said that she’s not sure, but loves being an aunt to her young nieces and is still open to the possibility. But Jennette knows one thing for sure: if she were to become a parent, her parenting approach would not mimic her mother’s. “I would never want to have a child for my own identity. That’s a very concrete one for me,” she said.
Video messages from fans and a few fellow celebs, like Bella Thorne, were shown at the end of the conversation, all expressing their support for Jennette McCurdy and thanking her for being so open and brave.
“I’m so proud of you, you’re such a strong voice… you’re so f*cking cool,” said Bella Thorne. “I’m so glad to see you say, ‘I’m taking back my life, I’m taking back my power,'” said Jennette’s friend and singer David Archuleta, as a photo of the two in their younger years flashed on-screen. Jennette’s vulnerability has been a game-changer for survivors of abusive parental relationships, with many across the world sharing their gratitude towards the star for sharing her story and offering them visibility and hope. It’s heartwarming to see that Jennette has a strong support system around her today. Whether it’s acting, producing, writing, or just being — we’re excited to see what comes next for her.