Nickelodeon basically raised an entire generation, and then when their star kids started getting older, casually pushed them into adulthood like, “Good luck out there!” Some, like Ariana Grande, rocketed into global superstardom, but others slid quietly into regular, normie jobs, or the mysterious place called “What-happened-to-them-landia.”
From the cowboy chaos of Hey Dude to the orange soda–fueled mayhem of Kenan & Kel, here’s what some of your favorite ’90s and 2000s Nick icons are up to now, and what they look like these days.
Drake Bell
Drake Bell went from The Amanda Show side character to half of the legendary Drake & Josh duo. After the show wrapped, he leaned hard into three things: music and voice acting. Off-camera, his life’s been a bit rocky.
Bell’s dealt with multiple DUIs and a very public rift with Josh Peck over that infamous wedding non-invite, though they eventually hugged it out, restoring the delicate balance of the Nick universe.
Christine Taylor
If you remember Hey Dude, you remember Melody Hanson, the pretty lifeguard who made everyone want to move to a dude ranch. Christine Taylor traded the ranch for Hollywood, starring in The Brady Bunch Movie, Zoolander, and The Wedding Singer, plus tons of TV guest spots.
She married comedy star Ben Stiller in 2000, became a mom, and quietly built a life away from the Nick crowd. Their marriage later ended, but Taylor still pops up onscreen, looking basically like Melody just without the horses.
Ross Hull
Remember the glasses kid from Are You Afraid of the Dark, who gathered everyone around a campfire? That’s Ross right there. After the spooky anthology wrapped, Hull took a wildly practical turn and became a meteorologist.
These days, he’s on TV in Canada delivering forecasts instead of ghost stories. No more creepy Midnight Society intros like in the good old days.
Melissa Joan Hart
Before we had those “Something-something explained” YouTube channels or the internet, we were listening to Clarissa explaining it all from her bedroom. Melissa Joan Hart became Nick royalty as Clarissa, then doubled down on teen icon status with Sabrina the Teenage Witch. After that one wrapped up, she tried her hand at business with a candy/yogurt shop and a clothing line, but kept her acting career going with the sitcom Melissa & Joey and later Netflix’s No Good Nick. Now she’s a mom, a working actor, and still has that eerie, witchy vibe about her.
Kenan Thompson
Kenan started on All That, then grabbed his pal Kel and killed it on Kenan & Kel. After the Nickelodeon checks stopped coming, he landed the ultimate comedy job at Saturday Night Live. Right now, he’s the longest-running cast member in SNL history, with more impressions and wardrobe changes than you can count! Kenan is proof that your goofy Nick fave can grow up and still be hilarious.
Kel Mitchell
Kel Mitchell, forever associated with loving orange soda and the iconic “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger” quote, stayed closer to his Nickelodeon roots. After All That, Kenan & Kel, and the Good Burger movie, he continued doing voice work and Nick projects. He didn’t snag the SNL spot like Kenan did, but he kept busy with roles on Game Shakers and various guest appearances. Plus, his reunion with Kenan on The Tonight Show for a Good Burger sketch proved fans still love him just as much as he loves that orange soda.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes went from scene-stealer on All That to headliner of The Amanda Show, defining Nickelodeon comedy for a whole generation. She starred in movies like What a Girl Wants, She’s the Man, and Hairspray, looking totally poised for long-term A-list status. But a lot of things happened, including her abrupt retirement, legal troubles, and a very public downward spiral that she later linked to substance use. After stepping back, Bynes focused on her education, earning a prestigious degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Today, she’s still out there, just doing her stuff.
Josh Peck
Josh Peck joined the Nick universe through the movie Snow Day and The Amanda Show before coming on Drake & Josh. After the show, he mixed voice work with indie movies and TV projects. A couple of experiments later, Josh decided to lean into social media, vlogs, and family life. These days, he’s a working actor, content creator, husband, and dad filled with potential dad jokes.
Jamie Lynn Spears
Britney’s little sister started on All That and then got her own series, Zoey 101, becoming the face of Pacific Coast Academy. The show ended around the time her pregnancy was made public, and Jamie Lynn stepped out of the teen-star spotlight.
She turned to country music, recording songs, performing at the Grand Ole Opry, and contributing vocals to Britney’s album Britney Jean. Now she’s a mom of two and still balancing music, family, and occasional returns to the Zoey 101 nostalgia train.
