Top 10 Stars You Forgot Appeared on Zoey 101
#10: Jennette McCurdy “Bad Girl”
It would be easier for us to list the Nickelodeon shows Jennette McCurdy hasn’t been on, as opposed to the ones she has. The California native had starring roles on “iCarly” and its spinoff “Sam & Cat”, but she also had smaller roles on shows like “Victorious”, and “Zoey 101”. She played Trisha Kirby on the latter, appearing in the season one episode “Bad Girl”. McCurdy played the titular baddie, who also happened to be Dustin’s girlfriend. It was a memorable appearance that no doubt played a part in her landing additional work on the network in the future.
#9: Chris Hardwick “Spring Fling”
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Nowadays Chris Hardwick is perhaps best known for his hosting work, having served as the host of shows like “Talking Dead”, “Talking with Chris Hardwick”, and “The Wall”. But upon closer inspection it becomes apparent that he’s dipped his toes in all facets of the entertainment industry over the years - from acting and writing to producing and podcasting. One of his earlier acting gigs saw him playing Garth Berman on “Zoey 101”, the chairman of the board who helps Zoey and her friends get Drake Bell to perform at their school’s Spring Fling. It’s a pretty goofy role, but Hardwick leans into it with all the enthusiasm one would expect from a Nickelodeon guest actor.
#8: Doug Brochu “Wrestling”
Doug Brochu’s acting career may have fizzled out in recent years, but in the late 2010s he was definitely trending upwards. While his time playing the immature yet kind-hearted Grady Mitchell on “Sonny with a Chance” has been well documented, one thing you may not know about Brochu is that he had a small role on “Zoey 101”. Brochu appeared in the season three episode “Wrestling” and played Blatzberg, an out of shape member of the wrestling team. Brochu’s character mainly serves as a lightning rod for abuse from Zoey and the wrestling coach, but the performance nevertheless led to more acting work for the young up and comer.
#7: Ashley Rickards “Dance Contest”
You’d be forgiven for not remembering this blink and you’ll miss it Ashley Rickards moment on “Zoey 101”, as her appearance amounts to less than 10 seconds of screen time. Rickards played Molly Talbertsen in the episode “Dance Contest,” a PCA student who winds up being the customer of the week at the local coffee stand – but only because she’s a cute single female. Rickards would go on to land a number of high-profile roles in her post-“Zoey 101” career, including that of Samantha "Sam" Walker on “One Tree Hill”, and of course, Jenna Hamilton on “Awkward”.
#6: Janel Parrish “Silver Hammer Society”
These days, Janel Parrish’s name is synonymous with “Pretty Little Liars,” thanks to her spellbinding turn as Mona Vanderwaal. However, in the early and mid 2000s she was just another young actress trying to break into the industry. She managed to appear on a number of shows in her formative years, including a one-episode stint on “Zoey 101”. Parrish played Sara, a new student at PCA that Quinn knows from her past. Since her appearance on the Nickelodeon show Parrish has had no trouble picking up small screen work, most notably with her aforementioned role on “Liars”, but she’s recently begun to make an impression on the big screen as well, appearing in the hit teen romance movie “To All the Boys I've Loved Before”.
#5: Drake Bell “Spring Fling”
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Much like Jennette McCurdy and Miranda Cosgrove (more on her in a moment), Drake Bell is Nickelodeon royalty. His starring turn on “Drake & Josh” served as a springboard to plenty of additional work for the network, which included a guest spot on season one of “Zoey 101”. Bell appeared as Drake Parker in the episode “Spring Fling”, performing a concert for the students and faculty of Pacific Coast Academy. Bell performed “Highway to Nowhere" for the enthusiastic crowd, who almost didn’t get the chance to see him after being forced to use their fundraising money to pay for a damaged vehicle.
#4: Kevin McHale “Wrestling” & “Goodbye Zoey?”
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This instantly recognizable “Glee” star has been in the entertainment industry since 2005, with one of his first credited roles coming thanks to “Zoey 101”. Kevin McHale appeared in the season three episodes “Wrestling” and “Goodbye Zoey?” as PCA student and sports announcer Dooley Thibodeaux. It was a relatively small role that, sadly, failed to showcase McHale’s talents as an actor and singer. Thankfully for him (and “Glee” fans everywhere), he’d land the role of a lifetime in Artie Abrams just one year later, finding the perfect outlet for his skills in the process.
#3: Daniella Monet Multiple Episodes
Daniella Monet’s three-episode arc on “Zoey 101” has likely been forgotten by most; which is a shame considering how hilarious she was during her time as Chase’s vengeful ex, Rebecca. Monet appears in the season three episodes “Surprise”, “Chase’s Girlfriend”, and “Zoey’s Balloon”, with the latter seeing her blackmailing Zoey, after stumbling upon a balloon harboring her deepest secret. This would mark the first in a long line of Daniella Monet appearances on Nickelodeon shows, which culminated in her landing the primary role of Trina Vega on “Victorious” in 2010.
#2: Miranda Cosgrove “Paige at PCA”
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Told you we’d be seeing more of Miranda Cosgrove on this list. The “iCarly” star is perhaps the most famous Nick Kid of all time, having appeared in 10 different Nickelodeon TV productions. Sandwiched between her time as Megan Parker on “Drake & Josh” and landing the titular role on “iCarly”, Cosgrove took time out of her packed Nickelodeon schedule to make a cameo on “Zoey 101”. Cosgrove played Paige Howard, a science prodigy that butts heads with Quinn in the season three episode "Paige at PCA". In the end, the two girls must work together to save the school from a potential energy disaster. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions: Harry Shum Jr. “Trading Places” Allison Scagliotti “Backpack” Chris Warren “Webcam” Asher Monroe “School Dance” Shane Harper “Drippin’ Episode!”
#1: Ashley Benson “Quinn’s Date”
Long before she was Hanna Marin on “Pretty Little Liars” or Brit in “Spring Breakers,” Ashley Benson was mining the television landscape for bit roles in an effort to jumpstart her acting career. One opportunity that came her way was a small part on a new Nickelodeon TV series called “Zoey 101”. Benson played Candice, a girl who Quinn accosts in the hopes that she will be willing to participate in her experiment involving the “romantic interaction between males and females”. Quinn hopes to study Candice by filming her kissing her boyfriend, a request that both are shocked by. It’s a blink and you’ll miss it role, but one that nevertheless paved the way for more prominent acting work!
