Debbie McCurdy was an American celebrity parent. She was popularly known for being the mother of Nickelodeon hit series actress Jennette McCurdy who is known for her role as Sam Puckett in iCarly and its spinoff Sam and Cat. The show was released in 2000, and during that time, Jennette McCurdy was only eight years old
Debbie McCurdy had a noticeable hand in her daughter Jennette’s rise to fame. As a young actress, Debra handled a number of affairs when it came to Jennette’s career. She passed away at the age of 56 after she lost her battle with breast cancer.
Debbie McCurdy’s biography
Debbie McCurdy was born on 17 July 1957, in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California. She later got married to Mark McCurdy, an American businessman. During their marriage, Debbie had an affair outside the marriage, but Mark stuck around following her cancer diagnosis, although they used to fight a lot. Debra McCurdy had four children, including sons Marcus, Dustin McCurdy, and Scott, and daughter Jennette.
Debbie and her family lived in Garden Grove in Orange County, California. She had one child with her husband Mark and welcomed her other three kids from her extramarital affairs. Debbie also had dreams of becoming an actress but was never able to accomplish those dreams.
Her Battle With Cancer
Debbie McCurdy was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995. After 15 years of remission, the cancer returned in 2010. Unfortunately, this time, it affected other parts of her body. After several scans, they also found cancer in her skull, lymph nodes, ribs, sternum, thoracic and lumbar spine, and pelvis. They also found cancer in her brain. During this period she could barely stand.
She underwent another round of chemotherapy for the cancer in the rest of her body. In 2010, Jennette opened up about her mother’s battle with cancer stating that she was “shocked” and “angry” when it returned. The first time Debbie was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer Jennette was only two years old. In 2013 she passed away at the age of 56.
Her Relationship With Jennette McCurdy
Jennette and Debbie had a toxic and abusive relationship. In 2022, Jennette released her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died. The title raised many eyebrows, with everyone turning curious about the actress’s rapport with her late mother. The book explains the ups and downs of her relationship with her late mother. She uses dark humour to examine the traumas of early fame in a field she never intended to pursue.
Jennette stated that her earliest childhood memories were of heaviness and chaos thanks to her mother. Jennette and Debbie were really close when she was younger. Close to the extent that there were few emotional or physical boundaries between them. Throughout Jennette’s childhood, until she was 17, Debbie showered with her. She also stated that sometimes Debbie would shower with both her and her brother Scott. During the showers, Debra performs breast and vaginal “exams” on Jennette. She claimed it was an attempt to check for cancer. In her memoir, Jennette shared that she has found a sense of liberation since her mother’s passing. Nevertheless, she also felt pain and missed her mum.
Debbie Influenced Jennette McCurdy’s Career
Debbie McCurdy had a hand in her daughter, Jennette’s rise to fame. As a young actress, Debra handled a number of affairs when it came to Jennette’s career. She had hopes of becoming an actress but it never materialized. She saw a chance to live and actualize that dream through her daughter. At the age of eleven, Jennette was the primary financial provider for her family. Debbie McCurdy was also always on set with Jennette and she would also drive Jennette back and forth from sets.
When Jennette was eleven she developed an eating disorder thanks to Debbie’s controlling behavior. Debra would portion her meals and count her calories. She did this to restrict Jennette’s calories to halt her puberty. Despite such a poor diet, Jennette started eating only half her meals to impress her mother. They created a plan where Jennette had a maximum of 1,000 calories a day. While playing her role as Sam on iCarly, Jennette was privately suffering from anorexia which later led to binge eating and bulimia. Jennette spent years uncomfortable and unhappy as an actor, admitting that she felt ashamed about some of the work she had done and the parts she had played. Debbie McCurdy’s death made Jennette quit acting.
The Aftermath Of Debbie McCurdy’s Death
In Jennette’s memoir, I’m Glad My Mother Died, Jennette shares that she has felt liberated since her mother’s death. However, she also feels pain and misses her mother which is expected. She added that discovering her identity without her mother was a complicated process. In September 2021, Jennette was scheduled to host Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play in New York City reportedly she had to cancel.
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