If you grew up in the mid-2000s, the theme song for Drake & Josh is basically burnt into your DNA. You probably spent your Saturday mornings watching two stepbrothers get into absolute chaos in a San Diego suburb. But man, the distance between that orange-tinted Nickelodeon set and the reality of 2026 is massive. It’s a lot. Honestly, looking at the actors of drake and josh today feels less like a trip down memory lane and more like a crash course in how complicated life gets once the cameras stop rolling.
We aren't just talking about child stars growing up and getting "normal" jobs. We’re talking about massive career pivots, deep-seated trauma finally coming to light, and a 2025 reunion that nobody actually saw coming.
The Josh Peck Evolution: From "Hug Me Brother" to Oppenheimer and Beyond
Josh Peck is effectively the poster child for the "glow-up," but that’s such a surface-level way to describe his journey. By the time 2026 rolled around, he’d already established himself as much more than the "funny fat kid" from Nick. He’s a dad of three now. Yeah, three. He and his wife, Paige O’Brien, welcomed their third son, Meyer Lane, in July 2025.
It’s wild to see him in "dad mode" on Instagram after years of watching him freak out over a game sphere.
But career-wise, Josh did something most Nickelodeon alums fail to do: he stayed relevant without staying stuck. He was in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (even if it was a small role, it’s Nolan, okay?). He’s also been crushing the podcast game with Good Guys.
Why the "Feud" Wasn't What We Thought
For a long time, the internet was convinced these two hated each other. Remember the 2017 wedding drama? Drake wasn't invited, tweets were sent, and hearts were broken. However, the real story turned out to be much heavier.
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On a 2025 episode of his podcast, Josh admitted he had no idea why Drake had distanced himself back in the day. He thought Drake just didn't like him. He didn't realize that while he was living his life, Drake was spiraling through some of the darkest experiences imaginable in the industry.
Drake Bell and the "Quiet on Set" Fallout
You can’t talk about the actors of drake and josh without talking about the 2024 documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. It changed everything. For decades, fans wondered why Drake’s life seemed so chaotic—the legal issues, the move to Mexico, the name change to Drake Campana.
Then the truth came out. Drake revealed he had been the victim of horrific abuse by a dialogue coach, Brian Peck (no relation to Josh), during his time at Nickelodeon.
It recontextualized everything:
- The legal trouble in 2021 (the child endangerment plea).
- His estrangement from the industry.
- The frantic energy of his early music career.
By 2026, Drake has mostly stepped away from the traditional Hollywood machine. He’s living in Mexico, releasing music like his 2024 album Non-Stop Flight, and occasionally appearing at nostalgia conventions. He’s been open about how much the public support after the documentary helped him breathe again. It’s a heavy legacy to carry, but he’s seemingly found a weird kind of peace south of the border.
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Miranda Cosgrove is Basically Running the Show
While the boys were dealing with their own stuff, Miranda Cosgrove—our beloved, devious Megan—was quietly becoming a mogul. Seriously.
She didn’t just move on to iCarly; she became an executive producer on the revival. And get this: despite the Paramount+ reboot being canceled a while back, Miranda confirmed in late 2025 that an iCarly wrap-up movie is filming right now in early 2026.
She’s the one holding the keys to the kingdom. She’s also been incredibly vocal about protecting child actors today, likely because she saw firsthand what happened to her "big brothers" on the set of their show.
What About the Rest of the Crew?
- Jerry Trainor (Crazy Steve): He’s still the funniest person on the planet. He’s been right there with Miranda for the iCarly journey and continues to do voice work and indie projects.
- Yvette Nicole Brown (Helen): She’s everywhere. From Community to huge Disney voice roles, Yvette is essentially the most successful person to ever step foot in the Premiere cinema.
- Jonathan Goldstein and Nancy Sullivan: The parents! They actually reunited with Drake and Josh at a Nostalgia Con in mid-2025. Seeing "Walter" and "Audrey" back with their TV sons was the closure the internet desperately needed.
The 2025 Reunion: Making Amends
The most shocking thing happened in June 2025. After years of public awkwardness and "are they or aren't they friends" rumors, the core four—Drake, Josh, Nancy, and Jonathan—all sat on a panel together in Anaheim.
It wasn't some corporate-mandated PR stunt. It felt... real.
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They talked about the trauma, sure, but they also laughed about the "Gamesphere" and the "foam finger." Josh actually apologized on his podcast for not being there for Drake during the darkest times, admitting he just didn't see the signs. Drake, for his part, told fans to stop attacking Josh online, saying Josh had been a huge support privately during the Quiet on Set release.
Why We Still Care in 2026
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, but the actors of drake and josh matter because they represent a turning point in how we view child stardom. We don't just look at them as characters anymore. We see the humans behind the "MEGAN!" screams.
What you can do now:
If you want to support the cast in a way that actually matters today, check out Drake Bell’s latest independent music on Spotify or dive into Josh Peck’s memoir Happy People Are Annoying. It gives a lot of context to his sobriety journey and his struggle with his weight during the show's peak. Also, keep an eye out for that iCarly movie later this year—it’s likely the last time we’ll see that specific "Nickelodeon Golden Era" energy on screen.
The story of the Drake & Josh cast isn't just a "where are they now" list. It's a story of survival, growth, and finally getting to tell your own story on your own terms.