Thursday, September 20, 2007


Sep. 20, 2007 (McClatchy-Tribune News Service delivered by Newstex) -- iPods, iPhones, iTunes, iCarly. In a year of all things i-something, Nickelodeon is launching a perfectly timed new series called 'iCarly.'
In this case, the i stands for interactive and innovative. The show, starring Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, is about a teen girl who broadcasts a show over the Internet with the help of her best pal, Sam, and computer wiz neighbor, Freddie. Although we probably should have sent Cosgrove our questions by text message or e-mail, we did it the old-fashioned way and talked to her on the phone. Here's the scoop on the new show.
You might know Cosgrove as Megan, the spunky little sister on 'Drake & Josh.' After four and a half years of playing the smart and sassy sibling, Cosgrove is ready to show you her nicer side as she moves on to her own series.
'It was cool to get to work with them,' says Cosgrove of her TV brothers. 'I've known them since I was like 8, so they are kind of like my brothers. I was sad when 'Drake & Josh' ended, but it's cool because they've actually been to the set a lot.' (Drake Bell and Josh Peck may guest star on the show or direct a future episode.)
Cosgrove, who turned 14 on May 14, says that while she's never posted any videos on the Web herself, she does like to watch them, especially music videos on iTunes. She says she loves the idea that real kids will be able to shoot videos and send them in to be featured on the 'iCarly' Web show within the TV show.
What kind of stuff will be featured? So far, Cosgrove's favorite is a clarinet-playing beat-boxer from New York. 'It's like the coolest thing ever,' she says of the talented musician who will be featured in an upcoming episode.
Cosgrove got started in show business at 3 years old. 'I was at a restaurant when I was 3, and my mom had never even thought about putting me in acting or anything, and an agent just walked up to my mom and asked if I wanted to do modeling and stuff,' she says. Cosgrove's parents thought about it for a few weeks and decided to give it a try. She was a natural.
By the time she started elementary school, Cosgrove was interested in performing and took acting lessons. (She attended a regular school through fifth grade, but now works with a tutor on the 'iCarly' set along with her co-stars. This fall, she's in ninth grade.)
Cosgrove filmed the pilot for 'Drake & Josh' just before she turned 9. (She celebrated her birthday on the set with a party!) While she was waiting to hear if the TV show was a go, she went to work in New York City on 'School of Rock.' While she was finishing the movie, she got the good news that she would start filming 'Drake & Josh' when she got back to Los Angeles.
Cosgrove has been a super-busy actress ever since. Besides working on the new series, she also has made two 'Drake & Josh' movies and appeared in the movie 'Yours, Mine and Ours' with Bell.
(Oh, and don't worry 'D&J' fans, the show will continue to be part of the TEENick lineup!)
So is the real Cosgrove like any of her TV characters? 'I think I'm more like Carly, if I had to pick. ... I'm an only child. But then again, I did pull a lot of pranks on Drake and Josh on set,' she adds with a laugh. 'I think I'm more like Carly because she usually comes up with a plan, and I'm a little like that.'
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(c) 2007, Detroit Free Press.
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