Robbie Shapiro was one of the iconic characters in Nickelodeon’s sitcom Victorious. The Dan Schneider-created show was often stylized as VICTORiOUS, a nod to its lead character, Tori. Victorious originally aired for 4 seasons from March 27, 2010, to February 2, 2013. The show is fondly remembered for its quirky characters, catchy musical numbers, and unique portrayal of High School life at fictitious Hollywood Arts, a performing arts school in Los Angeles.
Robbie Shapiro appeared in every episode as one of Victorious’ top four main characters. Robbie is known for his eccentricities, social awkwardness, and uncanny friendship with his ventriloquist dummy best friend Rex, who acts as his alter ego. At first glance, Robbie might seem like a typical “nerd” archetype. However, there’s much more to his character than meets the eye. Here’s a closer look at the Victorious character, Robbie Shapiro.
Robbie Shapiro’s Appearance & Background
Robbie Shapiro stands out from the other Victorious characters with his dark, curly hair, glasses, and slightly nerdy fashion sense. He is often dressed in plaid shirts and cardigans. While a few other characters are sometimes seen wearing glasses for aesthetic purposes, Robbie is the only character who wears his glasses all the time. The hazel-eyed Robbie stands at 1.78 meters tall, an average height for his age. Because of his appearance, strangers often mistake Robbie Shapiro for actor Andy Samberg.
Robbie is also of Jewish descent. It was implied in Season 1, Episode 3 (“Stage Fighting”) and Season 1, Episode 17 (“Wok Star”). It was mentioned that he spent his bar mitzvah money on fashion pieces. However, Robbie often joins the others in celebrating Christmas. This could mean his family aren’t devoutly Jewish or only one is Jewish. Although he has a sister, neither she nor Robbie’s parents are ever mentioned. However, his paternal grandparents are Sylvia Shapiro and Maury Shapiro. He also has an uncle, Marty.
Rex Is Much More Than A Ventriloquist Dummy
One of the most intriguing aspects of Robbie Shapiro’s character is his relationship with Rex. Although he looks like an everyday puppet, in Victorious, Rex is an extension of Robbie’s personality. His larger-than-life personality often contrasts sharply with Robbie’s timid mind. Rex is more likely to say and do things that Robbie either cannot or would not. Simply put, Rex is brash, confident, and often inappropriate—everything Robbie is not.
Robbie and Rex’s relationship is a source of comedy throughout the series. It is never entirely clear whether Rex’s personality is a product of Robbie’s subconscious or if Rex is truly a separate entity within Victorious. Regardless, Rex represents the conflict between Robbie’s true self and the persona he needs to adopt to navigate social interactions.
This internal struggle is a significant part of Robbie’s character arc throughout the series. Robbie’s reliance on Rex could be seen as a coping mechanism—a way to project the confidence he wished he had. It is one of the reasons Victorious stands out, as it was able to delve into more complex psychological territories while maintaining a light-hearted, comedic tone.
Robbie Shapiro’s Relationship With Other Characters
Friendship is generally a central theme in Victorious, with Robbie Shapiro’s relationship with his friends playing a significant aspect of his character. Despite Robbie’s quirks and insecurities, he’s a loyal and caring friend who’s always there for his peers. Robbie’s interactions with other main characters are pivotal to his development throughout the series. Robbie is close to Tori Vega (Victoria Justice), often considering her a confidante.
Robbie occasionally shows signs of having a crush on Tori, but it is never fully explored or reciprocated in the show. Robbie’s relationship with Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) is one of the most explored dynamics in Victorious. Robbie has an obvious crush on Cat throughout the series, often going out of his way to assist her. Cat, undoubtedly sweet, is somewhat oblivious to Robbie’s affections.
Their back-and-forths lead to several comedic situations on the show. However, despite Cat’s obliviousness, she cares for Robbie’s well-being. Jade West’s (Elizabeth Gillies) tough, no-nonsense attitude makes her one of the few to clash with Robbie. Robbie is often the butt of her jokes. However, there are moments when she shows grudging respect for Robbie. Robbie also shares different levels of closeness with other characters, including André Harris (Leon Thomas III) and Beck Oliver (Avan Jogia).
Who Played Robbie Shapiro?
American actor Matt Bennett played Robbie Shapiro throughout Victorious’ 4 seasons. Although not his acting debut, Nickelodeon’s Victorious was Bennett’s first major acting project. While on Victorious, Matt Bennett guest-starred on iCarly, playing an alternate-universe Gibby and reprising his role as Robbie Shapiro. In 2014, he appeared in an episode of Sam & Cat.
Matt Bennett also guest-starred in The Big Bang Theory (2015), Shameless (2015), Grey’s Anatomy (2018), and Dynasty (2022). Besides these appearances, he voiced Pho in Everybody Wants to Be Poppy (2015) and had a recurring role as Gavin Landers in American Vandal (2018). He played minor supporting roles on the big screen in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) and The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015). Matt Bennett has taken fewer acting roles in recent years and focuses on his career as a DJ. Besides Matt Bennett’s performance as Robbie Shapiro in Victorious, here’s what other Victorious cast members have been up to in their careers.
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