The behind-the-scenes drama of kids TV
is the cut-throat stuff of legend. While Disney Channel stars like Miley Cyrus,
Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato often get the most attention in this department, the stars behind
Nickelodeon's greatest hits were certainly not exempt from starting feuds off-camera.
"Did she hurt you? She tried to, didn't she."
Ariana Grande has stayed close friends with her "Victorious" co-star Liz Gillies,
and she tapped Daniella Monet and Matt Bennett to appear in her video for "thank u, next."
But it seems that her relationships with some of her other co-stars
haven't been as friendly. For example, Grande and Victoria Justice's mutual distaste for each other
elevated itself into the stratosphere long after "Victorious" wrapped.
"We can practice what 'Frozen' preaches, my friends, and let it go."
But Justice wasn't the only actor who ended up on Grande's bad side.
Jennette McCurdy, Grande's co-star on the "Victorious"-slash-"iCarly"
spinoff "Sam & Cat," certainly didn't leave the network on the best terms with the famous singer.
"Hiiii. I'm Cat Valentine. Simple things confuse me."
As was the case with most teens and young adults in the 2010s, much of the drama between
Grande and McCurdy played out — unfiltered — on social media. In the time between "Victorious"
and "Sam & Cat," Grande's career had made a considerable leap. The singer had already
recorded her first full-length album and notched her first top-ten hit, "The Way," in 2013.
It was a feat that was practically unheard of on the Nickelodeon side of kids' entertainment.
McCurdy's image was maturing, too, but in a much different way than Grande's.
And the first sign of trouble between the co-stars came in November 2013.
It all started when the gossip column "Crazy Days and Nights" claimed that Grande's team
was upset that McCurdy had been, quote, "getting drunk and hitting strip clubs."
Not wanting anything to slow the momentum of Grande's career, the column noted,
"[Grande's team wanted] the co-star removed from their mutual show
in favor of someone more clean cut. Either that or they [were] going to walk."
"Sam, you always come up with the best exit lines."
Of course, the gossip couldn't be verified, but McCurdy's public image was being damaged
in ways that appeared to be out of her control. According to the Daily Mail, in March 2014,
racy photos of McCurdy leaked online. As the outlet reported,
Grande attended the Kid's Choice Awards the next month, while McCurdy was noticeably absent.
Grande also took home the award for Favorite TV Actress over,
who else, but McCurdy. Days later, TMZ reported that McCurdy had skipped the awards not because
of the photo scandal — as many assumed — but because of a different reason. The outlet noted,
"Grande [made] WAY MORE money than [McCurdy] and [she had] been trying to renegotiate her deal."
Grande quickly took to Facebook to deny the rumor, posting:
"I am NOT making more money than my costar, nor do I think I should be. I am, have always been,
and always will be about equality and fairness."
"Alright, somebody better tell mama what's goin' on here."
About two months later, McCurdy posted a long missive on "TwitLonger" that
was widely interpreted as a shot at Grande. McCurdy wrote:
"[...] being friends with you takes the 'better' out of me.
In fact, I might possibly be the worst version of myself when I'm around
you. [...] So for these sincere reasons, I am officially dropping you as a friend."
"None of this woulda' happened if you hadn't stolen my friend Jade."
"Oh, what kinda friend are you?"
A few weeks after that, "Sam & Cat" was canceled after just one season, with "The Hollywood
Reporter" noting, quote, "behind-the-scenes conflicts." Post-show, Grande continued with
her music career, while McCurdy moved on to other projects. And one of those was a web series called
"What's Next For Sarah." The show also featured a character named Gloriana — a thinly veiled mockery
of McCurdy's former castmate, complete with a high pony and a whistle register.
"OK so there's like there's like these sparkles that are just like raining down on me. Oh my God,
do you like it? Cuz I love — Sarah? [Snaps] Can I get some juice?"
All of that was back in 2014. And although they haven't spoken about each other publicly in more
recent years, McCurdy did appear in a video jamming to Grande's hit "Into You," in 2016.
So is the hatchet officially buried? Maybe. But at the very least, more than seven years
after their last drama-filled interaction, they both seem to have moved on. And maybe there's a
little hope for the former pals. According to McCurdy, it seems that the two might
still have a special place … in each other's phones, at least. She told E! News in 2018,
"We hung out about a year ago, but we still text and catch up that way."
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