We Should Really Be Paying Attention To Jennette McCurdy Of ‘Between’

Now on Netflix is Between, a new original drama about the fictional town of Pretty Lake, a quaint suburb recently plagued by a mysterious virus that’s wiped out the adult population over the age of 21. A young ensemble cast consisting of mostly unknown talent could certainly make or break a series; so far, we’re not entirely sure how to feel about Between as a summer drama we can see ourselves keeping up with from week-to-week (Netflix is trying a new release strategy with this particular show). Former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy, however, could very well keep us intrigued enough to see how the six-episode season plays out.

After breaking into the mainstream with tween series iCarly then Sam & Cat, Jennette McCurdy acquired a large following early on in her career before leaving her Nickelodeon roots behind her to branch out on her own. Then came the smart, slighty dark web series, What’s Next for Sarah?, which McCurdy produced and wrote before being cast as the lead in Between. In her latest fare, the 22-year-old plays Wiley, a pregnant high school senior ostracized by her god-fearing family and forced to raise a child on her own amidst losing both parents to the tragedy surrounding her hometown. It might be the fact that her character is forced to grow up quicker than her peers, but McCurdy noticeably carries herself more maturely than her co-stars. She’s self-aware and charismatic — reminiscent of (the wholly underrated) Emily Meade meets early Jennifer Lawrence circa Winter’s Bone.

It’s rare to see a child star make a smooth (or immediate) transition from kiddie TV to a more challenging project. Of this generation, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff were rarities who managed to build careers outside of Disney Channel, but alas, just one has managed to keep it together. Nickelodeon spawned the careers of Jamie-Lynn Spears, Miranda Cosgrove, Ariana Grande, and McCurdy — the latter of the two being the only ones who remain relevant. Point being, it’s difficult for child actors to claw their way out of the kid zone without complications. While McCurdy is no stranger to disappointment or scandal during her tenure at Nick following the leaking of personal photos, the young actress has kept her eye on the prize, and it seems to be paying off.

Whether or not Between receives high praise, the talented McCurdy is receiving exposure to Netflix’s 60 million members as the cover girl for the series. The actress only has one additional project lined up for this year: voicing a character for the animated feature Almost Heroes 3D. But if McCurdy stays on this track, we’ll likely be seeing more of her.

Between airs every Thursday night at 8:30 PM/PT, 11:30 PM/ET only on Netflix streaming.

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Photos: Netflix