Nickelodeon Stars Of The '90s: Where Are They Now?
If you grew up in the 1990s, you know how important Nickelodeon was to both kids and parents. Known for producing some of the best children's television shows in the world, shows like All That, The Amanda Show, and Drake and Josh have kept fans laughing and learning for over a decade. Some of these child actors have gone on to find fame in films or television, while others have decided to find happiness outside the world of entertainment. So, what have they all been up to since Nickelodeon's fame decades ago?
Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson has become one of the most successful former Nickelodeon stars to date. In the first episode of the 1994 sketch-comedy show All That, Thompson featured a cold-open skit about comically escalating techniques in sneakers. On top of the title 'All That' from '94 to '99, Thompson did double duty on his secondary Nickelodeon show Kenan and Kel from 1996 to 2000. She has starred in 16 films since leaving Nick, including the All That spin-off Good. Burger. Her most notable work after Nickelodeon, however, has been her role on Saturday Night Live. A staple in the show's cast since 2003, Thompson has long since gone on to become one of the true kings of sketch comedy as a child actor.
Josh peck
Peck was introduced to viewers at the age of 13 as a series regular on the second season of The Amanda Show. Peck remained with the show until late 2002, when Nickelodeon offered him a sitcom starring opposite Drake Bell. Drake and Josh ran from 2004 to 2007 and dropped two made-for-TV movies during its run. Since ending his career with Nickelodeon, Peck has gotten roles in 14 movies, made a cameo in The Mindy Project, and voiced the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. Despite moving forward in his career, Peck hosted the 2015 Teen Choice Awards with Gina Rodriguez and Ludacris. Peck was cast in Fox's Fall 2015 comedy series, Grandfathered, alongside John Stamos.
Lori Beth Denberg
Denberg, another All That Original cast member, famously enthralled audiences as the teenage Vital Information Queen of Teenage Decorum from 1994 to 1998. Denberg pulled double duty in 1997 and 1998 on the game show Figure It Out, where he gained notoriety for guessing the correct answer frequently in front of contestants. As her time with Nickelodeon came to an end, Denberg joined as a series regular for The Steve Harvey Show in 1998, playing Lydia Liza Gutman for 66 episodes. Since 2002, Denberg has made cameos in 2004's Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and a 2012 episode of Workaholics, where he played a hilariously satirical version of himself. Denberg joked during the All That Cast reunion at the 2011 Comicazi Expo that she was happy "living her old age" now.
Sean O'Neill
O'Neill is best known for his role as Melissa Joan Hart's best friend and confidante Sam Anders in Clarissa Explains It All. Climbing a ladder not only in Clarissa's room, but in the hearts of fans across America, O'Neill stayed with the show for its entire five-season run. O'Neill provided his voice for the English-speaking adaptations of the 2001 anime noir and the 2002 anime Rhaxphone, ending with the live-action sitcom. When O'Neill's personal website was still up and running, it was listed that he would soon be moving vocals for an Orlando, FL based boy band in the vein of N'Sync or the Backstreet Boys. Today, O'Neill isn't much involved in Hollywood, but according to his IMDb page, he has a small role in the 2015 indie film Penumbra.
Josh Server
Josh Server holds the distinction of being the only All That cast member to remain in all six seasons. Server, who featured a wide range of sketch comedy characters on All That, such as Detective Dan and Bernie Kibitz, was best known to audiences as Earboy. Server, a mainstay on Nickelodeon, made guest appearances between 1996 and 2007 in The Secret World of Alex Mack, Figure It Out, Kenan and Kel, The Amanda Show, and Drake and Josh. The film career after Nickelodeon has been a bit short. However. He guest-starred in the All That spin-off Good Burger in 1997. On the server's IMDB page, he is listed as having a role in the 2015 thriller Uploaded, so it's possible this comedy star may be looking to go in a new direction thematically.
Kel Mitchell
Kel Mitchell was the second half of the iconic Nickelodeon powerhouse duo Kenan and Kel. Mitchell, another Nickelodeon mainstay, pulled double duty as the original cast member of All That from 1994 to 1999, as well as co-starring in the spin-off sitcom Kenan and Kel from 1996 to 2000. Mitchell had a co-starring role in the 1997 film Good Burger, followed by a role in the 1999 Ben Stiller cult classic Mystery Men. Mitchell followed up his film career by rejoining Nickelodeon to do voice acting work for the 2012 kid shows Motorcity and Wild Grinders. Mitchell, still with Nickelodeon as of 2015, announced that he would play the lead in Game Shakers, which premiered the same year.