In a candid interview on "The Louis Theroux Podcast," former child star Jennette McCurdy delved into the intricacies of her relationship with her mother, Debbie, expanding on details from her memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died." McCurdy recounted how her mother controlled aspects of her life, including showering with her until she was 17 or 18 years old. McCurdy described feeling violated by these experiences but felt unable to refuse due to her mother's volatile reactions. She also discussed how her mother's anxieties about her growing up seemed intertwined with her own sense of purpose.
McCurdy's acting career, which included roles in Nickelodeon shows like "iCarly" and "Sam & Cat," began in her childhood. She shared that her mother initiated calorie restriction when she was 11, leading to a protracted struggle with eating disorders. McCurdy revealed that this started with daily weigh-ins and thigh measurements, escalating to the use of diuretics and a shared obsession with calorie counting. While initially fostering a sense of closeness with her mother, this dynamic ultimately fueled a difficult relationship with food, resulting in anorexia and bulimia. The latter has caused lasting dental problems, with McCurdy detailing a particularly distressing incident involving a lost tooth on an airplane. Despite these challenges, McCurdy now considers herself fully recovered from her eating disorder.
