Fallen Stars

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder- where’d you go? Ah, the memories!! Your favorite Nickelodeon show is about to have a reunion! Hold on a minute, that’s what they look like now? What have they been up to?? Many celebrities hit fame at a young age or get lucky in a hit movie or show. After the hype is gone and the glitter fades, what happens to some of our favorite stars? Did they fly to the top, or did they take a big flop?

Nickelodeon is full of childhood favorites. Some faces took to the big leagues, while others fell just short. Ariana Grande was never the face of her hit show “Victorious.” She was always just the backup singer and air-headed sidekick. After the popular spin-off “Sam & Cat” ended, Ariana took her chance at fame and launched her music career. With a debut album hitting number 1 on the US Billboard’s top 200 charts, winning 62 awards, and winning titles such as “AMAs Artist of the Year”, Grande continues to make her mark in the music world with the sky as her limit.

Working alongside Grande was Victoria Justice who, unlike Grande, was the highlight and voice of their Nickelodeon show, “Victorious.” Shortly after the show was canceled, Justice was with a record label that helped her release “Gold”, her first single. It had a disappointing reception which prompted her label to drop her. Since then, Justice has continued her absence from the screen and the radio. Justice had a sliver of hope with her show “Eye Candy” in 2014, but it ended abruptly and left her flopped on the floor.

Another popular show on Nickelodeon was “Drake and Josh.” Drake Bell had potential to succeed after the show ended and continued his path to fame voicing Spiderman in the animated series. Fans requested his return as the character onscreen but missed out on the opportunity due to his age. Not long after, Bell became bankrupt, made controversial comments regarding Caitlyn Jenner, and got a DUI. His music career failed with his album “Ready, Set, Go!” and a diving accident lead him unable to play guitar ever again. Bell’s flop in the pool pretty much sums up his career.

Josh Peck may have his name come second in the Nickelodeon title, but his place in stardom comes in first over his co-star. After the show, Josh went on to star in films such as  Mean Creek”, “Drillbit Taylor”, “The Wackness”, “ATM”, “Red Dawn”, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, “Take the 10” and the “Ice Age” franchise. In “Grandfathered”, he starred next to John Stamos with a lead role in the series. Peck continued to reach fame in a different form through Vine and Youtube, making daily funny videos with friends. He flew high in views and continues to rack up jokes and fans on his social media platforms.

Ah, Disney. An output of childhood stars who bop to the top or have people tell them “please, just stop”.  Zac Efron, the heartthrob of all heartthrobs. Whether he’s getting his head in the game in “High School Musical”, throwing a rager at a frat house, or switching bodies with a 37-year-old man, Efron has rocked the box office ever since his Disney premiere. There has little been a time where Efron has not been working on a project or walking a red carpet. The overall consensus is that Efron is soarin’ and flyin’ and there’s not a star in heaven that he can’t reach.

Co-star and lip locker, Vanessa Hudgens, was not able to work this out. As soon as the couple split in 2010, it proved that the limelight only had room for one Wildcat. Hudgens broke the Billboard top 25 with her first two solo albums, yet her most popular song continued to be “Breaking Free” from HSM that reached number 4 on the Billboard charts. She halted her music career and dove into her acting career, which proved even more disappointing. All films she has starred in have been box office duds and her try at Broadway was snubbed by critics. It looks like Hudgens has been hanging around her boo Austin Butler and is looking to flop down on a soft, cushiony bed, not rise to fame.

Livin’ the suite life. One Sprouse sure is, but the other one might be staying home. Cole Sprouse started his acting career young with his brother Dylan. The twins made appearances on Friends, Big Daddy and other sitcoms as young kids. They then were picked up by Disney for the show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and later, The Suite Life On Deck. Every role they did, they did together. After the show ended, the package deal was no longer intact.

In 2016, Cole Sprouse landed a role as the CW’s Jughead Jones on Riverdale, the Archie Comics spinoff series. The show’s fame has exceeded all expectations and has aired two seasons while expecting a third. He has since become a twitter icon, and a “camera dueling” Instagrammer- a page where he catches fans sneaking pictures of him and takes one of them too. Cole is also known for his unofficial relationship with co-star on-screen lover, Lili Reinhart (also known by the ship name, Sprousehart).  

The other twin, Dylan Sprouse, went a different route. Gaming. You read that right. Sprouse got a 4-year degree in video game design at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. He opened up his own business, All-Wise Meadery, where he brews fermented honey-based wine. He’s also had roles in small films, most recently “Dismissed”. As of right now, the other Sprouse twin has laid low in his fame while he figures out who he wants to be. He might flip his flop, but for now, he won’t be following in Cole’s footsteps.

Our childhood favorites have gone down different paths, but the memories they’ve left behind will stick with us forever. Whether they “make it shine” or “walk away” from the limelight, each star will live on amongst our memories and the depths of the worldwide web. 

Photo By: Game Ideas Wiki