Content Warning: The following article discusses sensitive topics including child abuse and eating disorders.
Jennette McCurdy is shedding light on the abusive and controlling behavior of her late mother, revealing that she was forced to shower with her until she reached the age of 18.
The 31-year-old former Nickelodeon star, renowned for her role as Sam Puckett in the sitcom iCarly, previously shared distressing details about her tumultuous childhood in her acclaimed memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, published last year.
During an interview with Louis Theroux on his podcast, McCurdy opened up about her experiences as a child star and the manipulative actions of her mother. McCurdy had previously disclosed that her mother, Debra McCurdy, allegedly compelled her to take showers with her teenage brother when she was just 11 years old.
In the conversation with Theroux, McCurdy revealed that her mother initiated “calorie restriction” when she was 11, as she approached her teenage years, in order to secure younger roles for her. Recounting the distressing experiences, McCurdy stated, “We partnered up to count our calories. She weighed me daily, measured my thighs with a measuring tape, introduced me to diuretics, and we even read calorie books together.”
Furthermore, McCurdy shared shocking details about her mother’s inappropriate physical intrusions, disclosing that she continued showering with her until she turned 18 and subjected her to regular examinations.
McCurdy clarified, “So she showered me until I was 17-18. She would be in the shower with me, shampooing and conditioning my hair, washing my body.”
McCurdy added that her mother conducted breast and vaginal exams during these showers, claiming to check for lumps and signs of cancer.
Although her mother was clothed during these examinations, McCurdy expressed her discomfort, recognizing the violation she felt.
She attempted to assert her independence once by asking if she could shower alone, but her mother’s extreme reaction prevented her from doing so. McCurdy recounted, “She flew into hysterics, and it became clear to me that I could never attempt to shower alone again.”
Only when her mother was re-diagnosed with cancer at the age of 18 and had to undergo rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, leaving her unable to accompany McCurdy on a music tour, did McCurdy finally gain the freedom to shower independently.
The interview took place on the Louis Theroux Podcast, available exclusively on Spotify, with new episodes released every Tuesday.
