Where are Nickelodeon’s child stars now? From fame, on-set abuse to life today

Last year, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, had revisited the allegedly toxic environments behind some of Nickelodeon’s most beloved shows of the 1990s and 2000s. At the center of the series is creator Dan Schneider, who faced accusations of inappropriate and abusive behaviour toward young actors on hits like iCarly, All That, Victorious, and The Amanda Show.

The documentary reignited conversations about child actors’ treatment in Hollywood. Nickelodeon severed ties with Schneider in 2018 after nearly three decades at the network.

With attention back on Nickelodeon following Tylor Chase’s recent struggles, here’s a look at what the network’s former stars are up to today.

He was charming, good fun and all us 90's kids remembered him as the one-track minded Drake Parker in the show Drake and Josh. Bell began his Nickelodeon career at 12 on The Amanda Show and later starred in Drake & Josh. In the docuseries, he revealed he was sexually assaulted by dialogue coach Brian Peck for months, a case that only identified him as John Doe at the time.

The Los Angeles Police Department arrested Brian Peck in 2003 on charges of 'lewd acts with a child.' He was sentenced to 16 months in prison the following year and was required to register as a sex offender.

Today, Bell continues to work in television and music, having openly shared his struggles with trauma therapy following his experiences on set.

Bolled was part of the first season of The Amanda Show. She described the set as emotionally challenging and said being let go hurt her self-esteem. Today, Bolleau continues acting and runs an organic hair-care brand, speaking openly about the need for change in the industry.

Once a constant fixture in the public eye, Bynes’ early fame came with intense scrutiny that took a toll on her mental health. She spent nearly a decade under a conservatorship managed by her parents, stepping out of the spotlight only in 2022. In 2023, she dipped her toes back into media with a new podcast, briefly pausing after its debut episode before picking it back up.

Her struggles with mental health remained in the headlines when in 2023, Los Angeles police took her in for evaluation, following a reported psychiatric hold earlier that year.

Bynes rose to fame as the star of The Amanda Show and went on to star in hits like She’s the Man and Hairspray.

Megan! (You heard it too)

Cosgrove started on Drake & Josh and became a household name as Carly Shay on iCarly. Clips from her shows appear in the documentary, highlighting content that made some crew members uncomfortable. Cosgrove continues acting, appearing in the iCarly reboot (2021–2023), and will star in the Netflix film Mother of the Bride.

Frierson (All That) shared he felt exposed by sketch content and costumes but stayed silent to protect his opportunities. Today, he works as a musician, comedian, and podcast host.

Gillies starred as Jade West on Victorious and continues acting, recently launching a Christmas album in 2023. She did not participate in the documentary.

Justice (Zoey 101, Victorious) continues to act and release music, though some of her Nickelodeon work is mentioned in the documentary for suggestive humour.

We all loved the butter-sock swinging Sam Puckett. Yet, we weren't aware of what was happening behind the scenes.

In 2022 she published her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, in which she opened up about her time as a child actor. She described her experiences with an unnamed show creator she labeled as abusive and claimed that the network even tried to buy her silence about troubling moments on the set of iCarly.

McCurdy did not return for the 2021 iCarly reboot. That same year, she told listeners on her podcast, Empty Inside, that she had stepped away from acting entirely, admitting she felt “so ashamed” of the roles she had played in the past. However, we do see photos of her occasionally in the show, and we're told that Sam Puckett is now a motorcycling star.