Jennette McCurdy Is Glad Her Mom Died—And Jennifer Aniston Is Making A TV Show About It

Nostalgia has spent years polishing the wholesome glow of iCarly, Zoey 101, and Drake & Josh. But Jennette McCurdy first dulled the shine with her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, in which she exposed the problematic relationship with her mother behind the red-carpet smiles. Apple TV+ doubled down on her truth-telling, announcing a ten-episode dramedy based on the bestseller, with Jennifer Aniston set to star as McCurdy’s mother and McCurdy herself at the show-running wheel.

But McCurdy isn’t alone. Take, for example, Drake Bell. The onetime Nickelodeon heartthrob just opened even deeper wounds on Live from Bed with Jade Iovine, reminding fans that bright orange bumpers often hid the industry’s darkest corners.

Bell’s candor and McCurdy’s upcoming series share a mission: to dismantle the myth that fame is harmless when minors are involved.

Drake Bell pulls back the curtain on child star trauma

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Live From Bed with Jade Iovine (@livefrombedpodcast)

On Iovine’s podcast, Bell admits that “every new interview forces [him] to reopen wounds [he] thought had finally scabbed over,” yet he continues speaking because survivors now “come up and share their stories.” The price is steep—stress once flared so severely he developed “big scabs” on his head—but the payoff is accountability.

Bell recalls a “character letter” blaming him, not his abuser, for what happened. The note was a reminder that predatory power “still talks loudest in children’s television.” Facing internet trolls who weaponize his 2021 plea deal, Bell explains that he chose the option that let him stay in California with his newborn son instead of funding “a $900,000 jury trial.” Healing isn’t linear, he added, saying, “sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down,” but every candid interview chips away at the culture of silence that once protected monsters.

Jennette McCurdy was never chasing fame—her mother was

Bell’s confessions echo the revelations McCurdy unleashed in I’m Glad My Mom Died. The former iCarly star detailed how her mother, Debra, micromanaged her calorie intake, monitored her shower schedules, and guilt-tripped her into constantly auditioning for roles. McCurdy even recalled wanting to quit acting, but “[her] mom continually pushed [her] into the entertainment business.” Therapy finally helped her recognize that both Hollywood and her household had normalized exploitation.

Writing the memoir also gave McCurdy a voice she never had as a child. “It was important for me to explore the emotional and psychological abuse I endured during my time as a young performer,” she told Entertainment Weekly ahead of the book’s release. The goal? Empower other young people to speak up before the damage calcifies.

Jennifer Aniston turns McCurdy’s memoir into must-watch TV

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jennette McCurdy (@jennettemccurdy)

Apple TV+ green-lit a ten-episode dramedy inspired by McCurdy’s memoir, with Aniston set to star and executive produce the series. McCurdy will write, produce, and serve as showrunner alongside Ari Katcher (Ramy). Aniston—already the face of Apple’s Emmy magnet The Morning Show—brings Friends-level recognition plus her candid reflections on family estrangement. The streamer promises a deep dive into abuse, eating disorders, and the corrosive codependency that simmered beneath McCurdy’s red carpet smiles.

Why this matters for the next generation of young performers

Pair Bell’s candor with McCurdy’s televised reckoning, and you get a potent spotlight on a system that once churned out sitcom laughs while seeding lifelong trauma. Bell continues to be open about his experiences because honesty allows survivors to break the silence. Jennette McCurdy keeps writing—and now show-running—because she never wants a child to believe that surrendering autonomy is the price of parental love.

Grab your Apple TV+ login and a therapy journal. If Bell’s interview taught us anything, it’s that telling the truth hurts—yet it also heals. When McCurdy’s story debuts with Aniston at the helm, the conversation about protecting young talent might finally reach the people who need to hear it most.