The biographical details below are based on what McCurdy has shared publicly herself, in her memoir and in interviews.
Jennette McCurdy spent her childhood and twenties as a working actor, best known for playing Sam Puckett on iCarly and Sam & Cat, before walking away from acting entirely to write. Her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, became one of the bestselling books of the decade and turned her into one of the most direct, unsentimental voices writing about child stardom, disordered eating, and a controlling parent. Her 2026 novel, Half His Age, marks her first work of fiction, returning to the theme of power imbalance in relationships from a different angle. For a critic’s take on the memoir, the New York Times review is a solid, citable starting point.
“I am so grateful my mom is dead.”— Jennette McCurdy, I’m Glad My Mom Died
McCurdy’s memoir of growing up as a child actor under a controlling, emotionally abusive mother who pushed her into show business and, McCurdy writes, into calorie restriction from age eleven. It covers her years on iCarly, her mother’s death from cancer, and the eating disorder and self-destructive relationships that followed.
Blunt, funny in unexpected places, and completely without the softening that most celebrity memoirs use to protect a parent’s memory. The title tells you exactly what kind of honesty to expect, and the book delivers on it from the first page. I read it in a single evening and kept stopping to reread paragraphs — it’s rare for a memoir to be this dark and this readable at the same time.
McCurdy’s first work of fiction follows a teenage girl’s relationship with an older teacher, examining the same territory of power imbalance and manipulation that shaped her own life, this time at a remove, through invented characters rather than memoir.
Read this after the memoir, not instead of it. Knowing what McCurdy has said publicly about her own experience with an age-gap relationship gives the novel’s fictional distance a sharper edge than it would have on its own. I noticed how much restraint she uses here compared to the memoir’s directness — it’s a different muscle, and she’s clearly still working it out.
If you have never read her → Start with I’m Glad My Mom Died. It’s the book that made her a writer, and the one that explains everything else about her since.
If you’ve already read the memoir → Half His Age takes the same themes into fiction, with more narrative distance but the same unflinching eye.
Looking for what else I recommend → See my best memoirs list and every book I’ve personally reviewed on my bookshelf.
Frequently asked questions about Jennette McCurdy
What is I’m Glad My Mom Died about?
I’m Glad My Mom Died is Jennette McCurdy’s 2022 memoir about growing up as a child actor under her mother Debra, who pushed her into show business from age six and, McCurdy writes, into disordered eating from age eleven. It covers her years playing Sam Puckett on iCarly, her mother’s death from cancer in 2013, and the eating disorder and self-destructive relationships that followed in its wake.
Is Half His Age based on a true story?
No, Half His Age is a novel, McCurdy’s first work of fiction. It follows a teenage girl’s relationship with an older teacher, examining the same territory of power imbalance and manipulation that shaped McCurdy’s own life, as she has discussed in interviews, but told through invented characters rather than as memoir.
Does I’m Glad My Mom Died contain content warnings?
Yes. The book discusses disordered eating, emotional and physical abuse, and a controlling parent-child relationship in explicit detail. Several editions and audiobook platforms list content warnings for eating disorders and child abuse. If these topics are difficult for you, it’s worth knowing that going in.
What age group is I’m Glad My Mom Died appropriate for?
It’s written for adult readers. While McCurdy’s story begins in childhood, the book’s frank treatment of disordered eating, abuse, and adult relationships makes it a memoir intended for a mature audience rather than young readers.
How old is Jennette McCurdy?
Jennette McCurdy was born on June 26, 1992, making her 34 years old as of July 2026.
Is Jennette McCurdy married?
No, Jennette McCurdy is not married. As of 2026, she has confirmed she is in a long-term, committed relationship but has chosen not to reveal her partner’s identity publicly, keeping that part of her life deliberately private.
Who is Jennette McCurdy dating?
Jennette McCurdy has not publicly named who she is currently dating. She has said she is in a stable, long-term relationship and has discussed future plans with her partner, but she keeps his identity out of interviews and off social media.
Does Jennette McCurdy have a twin?
No, Jennette McCurdy does not have a twin. She is the youngest of four children and the only girl, with three older brothers named Marcus, Scott, and Dustin.
What happened to Jennette McCurdy?
Jennette McCurdy stepped away from acting after Sam & Cat ended in 2014 and moved into writing and directing. In 2022 she published her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which became a bestseller and established her as a writer rather than an actor.
What is Jennette McCurdy doing now?
As of 2026, Jennette McCurdy works primarily as a writer. Following her 2022 memoir, she published her first novel, Half His Age, in 2026, and has largely stepped back from acting to focus on writing.
How old was Jennette McCurdy in iCarly?
Jennette McCurdy was 15 years old when iCarly premiered in September 2007. She continued playing Sam Puckett until the series ended in 2012, when she was 20.
Are Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande friends?
McCurdy and Grande met as children on Nickelodeon and have described real tension during Sam & Cat, which McCurdy attributed partly to a pay dispute. In a February 2025 podcast appearance, Grande called McCurdy an amazing person, suggesting that friction has eased in recent years.
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