10 Most Successful Nickelodeon Stars & What They're Up To Now (2024)

Nickelodeon is a staple of children's television, with iconic cartoons and live-action shows that have entertained children and teens for generations. And with these live-action shows, many teen actors started their careers in the industry. Shows like Clarissa Explains It All or iCarly have earned a place in fans' hearts, and some of these series' actors became successful afterward.

While a few of these actors have struggled to find success after their time on Nickelodeon, others have thrived in the industry. These celebrities who have managed to achieve new levels of fame are easily recognizable. Some may have forged a different path outside of Nickelodeon, making a name for themselves within the music industry or with talented work behind the scenes.

Updated April 25th, 2024 by David Giatras: After the recent release of Investigation Discovery's documentary, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Nickelodeon has been under the microscope. As many child stars carved out successful careers on the Nickelodeon network, there are some who have found even greater success after their Nickelodeon days. This article has been updated to CBR's current standards.

10 Miranda Cosgrove Returned To Her Nickelodeon Roots For A Popular Revival

iCarly was one of the most successful sitcoms Nickelodeon produced. Fans of the show remember the cast and characters fondly, and iCarly was so popular it earned a revival in 2021. Miranda Cosgrove starred in this show as the titular Carly, a teenager with a popular web show. Cosgrove got her start at Nickelodeon in Drake & Josh as Megan Parker, Drake and Josh's devious little sister. Miranda Cosgrove earned a loyal fanbase after the show and even tried her hand at a music career.

Outside of Nickelodeon, Miranda Cosgrove gave voice to Margo in the Despicable Me franchise, the highest-grossing animated film franchise of all time. She also hosts Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove, earning her a Daytime Emmy nomination. Cosgrove reprises her role of Carly in the iCarly revival, which won praise from fans and critics alike. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after three seasons on a monumental cliffhanger.

9 Nat & Alex Wolff Have Found Success Together And Apart

Nat and Alex Wolff starred together in the Nickelodeon movie and later spin-off series, The Naked Brothers Band. A comedy series with a mockumentary format, the Wolff brothers earned a big following thanks to it. The series was also created by their mother, Polly Draper. After their time at Nickelodeon, they have continued to collaborate while also working on individual projects.

Nat Wolff has starred in some popular films, such as Paper Towns, The Intern and The Fault in Our Stars. Alex Wolff found success with films like Hereditary, two Jumanji sequels and Bad Education. Together, Nat and Alex Wolff starred in Stella's Last Weekend, and have released music as a duo, receiving several awards.

8 Josh Peck Was Recently In A Best Picture Winner

Josh Peck earned a loyal fan base thanks to his time in the popular Nickelodeon shows, The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. On the sketch series The Amanda Show, he met Drake Bell and the duo later starred in their own series, Drake & Josh. The series was about a couple of stepbrothers with opposite personalities, and Josh Peck won over fans with his lovable character. He remains friends with Drake Bell to this day and came out in support of Bell after Quiet on the Set revealed the sexual assault abuse he endured while at Nickelodeon.

Josh Peck continued to showcase his comedic style after Nickelodeon and went on to star in the TV sequel of the popular '90s film Turner & Hooch. He's also had recurring roles in shows like The Mindy Project and Fuller House. Peck played Drew in the sitcom How I Met Your Father, a spin-off of the popular series How I Met Your Mother. He was also part of the ensemble of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which won Best Picture in 2024.

7 Eiza González Went From Nickelodeon Telenovela To Steady Roles In Big Projects

Eiza González is a Mexican actress who starred in the Nickelodeon Latin America telenovela Sueña Conmigo. The series was the 5th Latin American production for Nickelodeon, and it was a big success. González plays a teen with the dream of becoming a singer who appears in a reality show to become famous.

After Nickelodeon, Eiza González managed to land roles in some prominent movies, such as Baby Driver and Hobbs & Shaw. She has guest starred in the Apple TV+ series Extrapolations, Amazon's Mr. & Mrs. Smith and had a role in 2021's Godzilla vs Kong. González is set for roles in the upcoming films In the Grey and Ash.

6 Melissa Joan Hart Moved Behind The Cameras, But Still Acts

Melissa Joan Hart had her big break with Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All. The show starred Hart as the titular character, and she is credited as Nickelodeon's first female lead in a series. She also starred in the highly popular TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which aired on Nickelodeon in many countries due to syndication. Both shows earned Hart a loyal fan base and have remained a huge part of pop culture. After Nickelodeon, she showed interest in the work behind cameras.

Melissa Joan Hart first proved her talents as a director in a few episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and has since directed episodes for shows like The Goldbergs and Young Sheldon. Hart also continued acting, starring in sitcoms like Melissa and Joey and No Good Nick, as well as making cameos in shows like Law & Order: SVU.

5 Nick Cannon Has Made A Name Over The Years As A Host

Nick Cannon began his television career with Nickelodeon's All That, a sketch comedy for young audiences. Thanks to his popularity on the show, Cannon earned his own Nickelodeon spin-off, The Nick Cannon Show. Cannon also had small roles on another popular Nickelodeon sitcom, Kenan & Kel, in his early days with the network. He tried his hand at music and rap as well, releasing his debut album in 2003.

Nick Cannon's biggest success on TV after Nickelodeon came as a host. Cannon hosted Wild 'n Out, a sketch comedy and improv game show series that he also created. Wild 'n Out has had over 300 episodes so far. Cannon also hosted America's Got Talent for 8 years and is the current host of The Masked Singer.

4 Keke Palmer Found Success As Both A Singer And Actress

Keke Palmer started her career with small roles in popular TV shows like Cold Case, ER, and Law & Order: SVU. In 2008, she landed a starring role in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP. Besides playing the main character, Palmer also wrote and performed the theme song for the series.

While continuing a prolific acting career, Keke Palmer found success in the music industry as well. Her 2020 single "Snack" received positive reviews from critics and became a fan favorite. In film, her most prominent roles were in Pixar's Lightyear and Jordan Peele's 2022 horror movieNope, for which she received several award nominations. Palmer has also guest-starred on several popular television shows, including Family Guy, Insecure and The Afterparty.

3 Kenan Thompson Has Become SNL's Longest-Running Cast Member

Kenan Thompson had a successful career at Nickelodeon, starring in different projects for the network. His career in Nickelodeon started as a regular cast member of the sketch comedy All That, before starring in the beloved Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel. In 2004, he starred in the cult classic Good Burger, a Nickelodeon film based on a sketch from All That.

Outside of Nickelodeon, Kenan Thompson continued his sketch comedy career as a cast member for Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history. In 2021, he starred in the sitcom Kenan for which he received an Emmy nomination. Thompson also reunited with Kel Mitchell for the much-anticipated sequel to Good Burger, which hit Paramount+ in 2023.

2 Emma Roberts Became A Horror Icon Post-Nickelodeon

Emma Roberts rose to stardom thanks to her starring role in Nickelodeon's sitcom Unfabulous, one of the most-watched shows in the U.S. among children at the time. During that time, Roberts cemented her career with roles in popular films like Aquamarine, Nancy Drew, and Wild Child.

Leaving behind her career as a child and teen star, Emma Roberts portrayed more mature roles in movies like Scream 4 and We're the Millers. In television, Roberts received critical acclaim for her work in several seasons of the anthology horror series American Horror Story and the comedy horror series Scream Queens. She also appeared in the much-maligned Madame Web as Mary Parker, the mother of Spider-Man.

1 Ariana Grande Is One Of Music's Most Popular Artists

Ariana Grande made her TV debut in an episode of The Battery's Down before securing a main role in the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious. Grande plays Cat Valentine, a fan-favorite character who eventually earned her own . And while Grande's acting career was successful, it was her musical talent that made her an international star.

With songs like "Problem" and "Bang Bang," Ariana Grande secured her place in the music industry. Her vocal range and use of the whistle register have earned Grande some positive comparisons to popular singer Mariah Carey, with whom she collaborated in 2020. Her latest studio album Positions earned Grande her fifth number-one album in the United States. Grande will return to acting in the two-part movie Wicked as Glinda, one of the lead roles.

Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon is an American channel network mainly aimed at kids between 2 and 17.

Founded on 1979

1979

Founders

Vivian Horner

First Original Series

Pinwheel

Notable Shows

SpongeBob SquarePants , Rugrats , Hey Arnold! , The Loud House , Blue's Clues , Rocko's Modern Life , Invader Zim , Kenan & Kel (1996) , Danny Phantom , Drake And Josh , Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (2004)

Notable Movies

Monster High , Good Burger