While Miranda Cosgrove started “iCarly” already a Nickelodeon star thanks to her role as Megan in “Drake & Josh,” the series also introduced audiences to two new faces: Nathan Kress and Jennette McCurdy. Kress played Freddie, Carly’s next-door neighbor who longs for her affection, which leads to him agreeing to help her and Sam (McCurdy) produce a web series together. Although Freddie ultimately has an unlikely romantic history with Sam, he spends most of the series crushing on Carly.
In fact, this character detail led to Kress being kicked out of a “Drake & Josh” episode in its fourth season. The episode, “Battle of Pantthatar”, is set at a classmate’s sweet 16th party, which Drake and Josh attempt to infiltrate. Another party attendee is played by Kress, who, like Freddie, unsuccessfully attempts to flirt with Megan. However, by the time the episode aired, Kress had been cast in “iCarly”, which resulted in his scenes being cut, although Kress could be spotted in the background of some scenes.
Kress would later cite his appearance, or rather his absence, on “Drake & Josh” as a turning point in his career, telling Scholastic that through his performance, the “iCarly” creator “achieved [he] corresponds to the role to play Freddie. It’s pretty fortuitous for Kress, who continues to play Freddie in the Paramount+ “iCarly” reboot that pursues his will with Carly.