By Michaela Gordoni
Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove advises parents on how to protect their kids in the entertainment industry.
She says TV/film acting is “an adult job in an adult world.” When “a kid’s in it, that makes it really strange.”
“Really make sure you’re protecting your kids,” said Cosgrove. “I would just say for somebody that if their kid is really, genuinely dying to do it, be ready for it to get very complicated. And you just have to be really tough and know when to pull your kid out of situations.”
The ICARLY star remembered being disappointed that she couldn’t go to school anymore.
“I started doing homeschooling, which I remember I was kind of bummed about because I really liked school,” she told PEOPLE.
She says her costars, Nathan Kress and Jennette McCurdy, became “family.”
Navigating the pressures of “people all of a sudden knowing who we were” often felt like “so much at once.”
Related: Actress Christy Carlson Romano: Child Stars Need More Protection
“I’ll always love them, and they’ll always be family to me, because we grew up together for so many years,” she said.
She said her parents supported her and never pressured her.
“My mom was never my manager because I think that just might’ve put a real strain on our relationship,” she explained.
“So many kids end up acting since their parents wanted them to do it, and I think that’s where it gets really messy and complicated,” said Cosgrove. “Because then it’s way more about the parent than it is the child. And I really don’t like that. I don’t think it’s fair at all.”
Her co-star, McCurdy, had a very different experience. Her mom was her manager, and McCurdy says she received abuse that stemmed from that.
“Nothing’s perfect, but I feel like my mom helped me a lot because she was always with me – and my dad – just my parents always being there,” Cosgrove told Variety in 2022.
“And originally getting into acting their intentions were for me to make enough money so that I could go to college. So I think all of that helped keep me grounded. I just felt lucky that I have them,” she said.
When Cosgrove rejoined ICARLY for a three-season reboot in 2021, she had an “eye-opening” experience working with a child actor, Jaidyn Triplett, as an adult. She saw how Jaidyn was following her passion and loving it.
“Jaidyn is a person [who] loves acting more than anything and wants to act,” she said.
She doesn’t have many regrets about her childhood career.
“I used to be really embarrassed of outfits I wore a long time ago, and the fact that they’re on the internet and people can see them at any moment,” she admitted.
“Now that I’m older, I don’t feel that way as much. I feel like it’s kind of cute and funny,” Cosgrove said. “It definitely took a while to get there for sure. I feel like everybody has that struggle.”
Cosgrove’s reflections offer a grounded perspective on growing up in the limelight. And her message to parents is clear: protect your kids and make sure their dreams — not yours — lead the way.
Read Next: Danica McKellar Reveals How Her Parents Kept Her Grounded as a Child Star
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