Could ‘iCarly’ star Jeanette McCurdy ever return to acting? Hear her now
Jeanette McCurdy’s refusal to return for the iCarly reboot left fans asking whether the former Nickelodeon star would ever step back in front of the camera. The answer, years later, remains the same. McCurdy has stayed away from acting and built a career centered on writing, directing, and podcasting instead.
Ashamed of her acting career
McCurdy has kept the same view she first voiced on her Empty Inside podcast. She called her Nickelodeon work embarrassing and said she felt unfulfilled by the parts she played from age thirteen to twenty-one. Those comments have not changed. She has maintained her decision against acting roles into 2026, and the discomfort she described at fifteen still stands as the reason she stepped away.
Jeanette McCurdy’s personal life
Born June 26, 1992, McCurdy is now thirty-four. She has said her mother pushed her into acting at six because the family needed money. The pressure shaped her early career and later became central to her memoir. Those reflections on family dynamics and personal challenges informed the book and the public conversation that followed its release.
Calling it quits, at least for now
The one-woman show I’m Glad My Mom Died, which she performed in February 2020, marked the turn. She told Anna Faris she no longer wanted to act and preferred writing and directing. That emphasis has held. She has not taken any on-screen acting projects since quitting around age twenty-three or twenty-four, and recent interviews continue to confirm her focus on writing and showrunning.
Memoir and Television Adaptation
McCurdy published the memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died in 2022. It became a New York Times bestseller and drew wide attention for its candid account of her childhood in entertainment. In July 2025 Apple TV+ announced a ten-episode series based on the book, with Jennifer Aniston starring and McCurdy serving as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. The project directly extends the writing ambitions she described after the solo show.
Debut Novel Half His Age
McCurdy’s first novel, Half His Age, was released January 20, 2026 by Ballantine Books. The story follows a teenage girl in an affair with her teacher and examines power dynamics and consumerism. The book tour and interviews around the release showed her continuing to treat writing as the creative outlet she once said she wanted to pursue.
Ongoing Podcast Work
After Empty Inside, McCurdy launched the podcast Hard Feelings in 2023. Both shows give her a platform built on conversation and personal perspective rather than performance. The work aligns with her stated preference for writing and verbal storytelling over returning to sets.
Current Stance on Acting
Recent interviews in 2026 have reaffirmed that McCurdy quit acting around age twenty-three or twenty-four and has stayed committed to writing and directing. She has described writing as creatively fulfilling and has not signaled any plans to return to on-camera roles. Her current projects keep the focus on behind-the-camera work and long-form storytelling.
