Top 10 Nickelodeon Stars Who Fell Off the Map
For this list, we'll be looking at once-notable actors who appeared on Nickelodeon shows and who have since become irrelevant, or were never able to capture the level of success they once had while appearing on the channel. We've included Nickelodeon stars like Tadhg Kelly, Lori Beth Denberg, Danny Tamberelli, Josh Server and more!
#10: Tadhg Kelly
Tadhg Kelly appeared in all three seasons of “Unfabulous,” which aired on Nickelodeon in the mid-2000s. Despite its name, the show WAS fabulous, as it kickstarted Emma Roberts’ career and became one of the most popular shows in the country amongst the young teenage demographic. Tadhg Kelly played Ben Singer, Emma Roberts’ older brother. Unfortunately, he did not share her post-“Unfabulous” success. At least not in front of the camera. While he has continued acting, he hasn’t appeared in much of note. Instead, his IMDb filmography lists him as a production assistant on various shows, such as “Chicken Girls” and a couple small roles in some shorts.
#9: Sean Flynn
“Zoey 101” is undoubtedly one of the most popular shows in Nickelodeon history. It consistently scored high ratings and was even nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program. You would think that starring in it would serve as a major launchpad for promising careers. Sean Flynn starred as Chase Matthews, the first person that Zoey meets at the academy. Unfortunately, Flynn’s post-“Zoey” career hasn’t been spectacular. He appeared in a film called “Return of the Killer Shrews”, a couple of episodes of Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” and a few movies you’ve likely never heard of.
#8: Lori Beth Denberg
Lori Beth Denberg was an original cast member on a different kind of Nickelodeon show titled “All That.” “All That” was a sketch/variety show, similar to “Saturday Night Live” except for a younger audience, which ran for ten seasons between 1994 and 2005. She subsequently starred as a panelist on “Figure It Out,” a show where Nickelodeon celebrity judges tried to guess a child’s secret talent. Since that time, Denberg has seemingly chillin’ mostly. In 2012, she filmed a brief cameo for “Workaholics” and recently appeared alongside her “All That” castmates for a reunion on MTV’s improv show “Wild ‘n Out.” So, yeah, not a whole lot.
#7: Danny Tamberelli
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Danny Tamberelli is another Nickelodeon veteran. He starred as Little Pete in “The Adventures of Pete & Pete” and became a cast member alongside Lori Beth Denberg on “All That” and “Figure It Out.” Unfortunately, not much became of Danny after that. Aside from providing the voice of Jimmy in “Grand Theft Auto V,” Tamberelli has stayed away from the camera, instead opting to play bass and sing in his band Jounce, who are still touring as of 2018. He has also stayed in touch with his “Pete & Pete” co-star Michael Maronna through a podcast called The Adventures of Danny and Mike, so hit that up if you’re feeling particularly nostalgic.
#6: Josh Server
Josh Server was yet another “All That” cast member, and the only one to remain throughout the first six original seasons. After his success on “All That,” Server appeared on “Figure It Out” and played a few bit roles in shows like “Kenan & Kel” and “The Amanda Show.” However, his vigorous career quickly deflated, and Server was resorted to single episode appearances in various series and several reunion specials. In 2018, he appeared as a contestant on “All New Double Dare” and played Mr. McConner in an episode of “Game Shakers.”
#5: Jamie Lynn Spears
It’s tough following an older sibling’s success. It’s even tougher for Jamie Lynn Spears, who has been overshadowed by her older sister her whole life. Nonetheless, she found significant success playing Zoey on “Zoey 101,” only to have that momentum disappear when she announced that she was pregnant at 16. The news generated significant controversy, as Spears was criticized for supposedly betraying Zoey’s innocent ideals and good girl tendencies. Her acting career took a major hit, and she subsequently became a country singer. Her debut EP, titled The Journey, was released in May 2014 and reached #24 on the Country chart.
#4: Irene Ng
Irene Ng played the ambitious overachiever Shelby Woo on Nickelodeon’s “The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo,” which aired for four seasons between 1996 and 1998. After a few guest roles, including on “Figure It Out,” Irene retired from acting and focused on her schooling. Apparently, Irene Ng is quite the achiever herself, as she graduated from Harvard and went to work as a banker for Merrill Lynch. According to her Wikipedia page, Irene has since left the banking biz behind and has since founded a Mandarin preschool in Conneticut. …
#3: Nathan Kress
Alongside “Zoey 101,” “iCarly” is easily one of the most popular shows in Nickelodeon history. Nathan Kress was lucky enough to be on it. He played Freddie Benson, Carly’s neighbor and technical producer of her web show. Kress has acted in various movies and shows since “iCarly’s” end, including “Into the Storm.” He has also become a talented voice actor and lent his voice to “Star Wars Rebels,” where he played Wedge Antilles. In 2015, he married his “Into the Storm” co-star London Elise Moore, and the two gave birth to a daughter in December 2017. It’s nice to see a child actor turn out so well even if he’s not in the spotlight.
#2: Kel Mitchell
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While Mitchell saw success on “All That,” he is perhaps best known for his work on “Kenan & Kel,” where he portrayed Kel Kimble for 62 episodes and a TV movie. His other half, Kenan Thompson, has seemingly left Kel behind, having since made a name for himself in the non-tween demographic as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” Meanwhile, Kel has starred in numerous direct-to-video films and has appeared in multiple bit roles on television. Luckily, he landed a steady gig playing Double G on “Game Shakers,” a Nickelodeon show about two kids who make an app for a science project, but that’s pretty much his biggest role since. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. David Lascher Angelique Bates Raja Fenske
#1: Devon Werkheiser
Werkheiser had quite the career on Nickelodeon. He starred as the titular character in “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide”, as well as a Nickelodeon TV movie called “Shredderman Rules.” Since that time, Werkheiser has continued working in film and on television, although nothing he has done has brought comparable attention. While Werkheiser hasn’t necessarily left acting behind, he seems to be working primarily on his music now, and his second EP, titled Here and Now, was released in June 2015. His IMDb filmography lists two more movies in 2019 – “Santa Girl” and “Crown Vic,” so only time will tell what the future holds for him.
