Jennette McCurdy's dad: Did she find her biological father?

Jennette McCurdy has complicated family dynamics, some of which she has openly shared in her memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died. In the book, she details the abuse she endured at the hands of her late mother, Debra and shocking details about her paternity. This article highlights all you need to know about Jennette McCurdy's dad.

Jennette became a household name in the mid-2000s as a child star on Nickelodeon's iCarly as Sam Puckett. She later starred in Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande. Her last acting project was on Netflix's Between in 2016. She later said she never wanted to be an actress, but her mother was obsessed with making her a star. Whatever happened to her dad?

Jennette McCurdy's profile summary

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Who is Jennette McCurdy's real dad?

Jennette McCurdy's biological father is reportedly American jazz singer Andrew 'Andy' Martin. According to his IMDB profile, he has worked in the music department for projects like Venom (2018), Alita: Battle Angel (2019), and I Am Number Four (2011).

The Sam & Cat star never knew about Andy's existence until she was in her early 20s. She was raised by her mother's husband, Mark McCurdy, who she grew up knowing was her dad. Jennette said in her memoir that Mark played a superficial role in her life and was mostly away for work.

How Jennette McCurdy learnt that Mark McCurdy was not her real dad

The iCarly star discovered that she was not Mark McCurdy's biological child a year after her mother's death. When Debra McCurdy passed away in 2013, Mark started dating Karen who was Debra's friend from high school.

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Karen asked Mark to tell Jennette the truth about her paternity. Jennette and her two older brothers are allegedly children of an affair. While talking to Drew Barrymore, the former actress opened up about her reaction to the news, saying,

I remember feeling like I got the wind knocked out of me. My mouth was really dry, and I think I hugged him. And then his then-girlfriend sort of like joined the hug, and she was well-meaning, but I was like, 'Okay, this is just a hug between us two; we don't need another embrace on top of it'.

Andy Martin and Jennette McCurdy met when the former Nickelodeon star visited Andy at one of his concerts. She took some of her friends, including actress Miranda Cosgrove. The singer told him that he knew about her existence, but he did not want to interfere because he was not sure if Debra had told her the truth about her paternity.

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Does Jennette McCurdy have a relationship with her dad?

The former child star does not have a close bond with either Mark or Andy Martin. After meeting her biological dad, she revealed in her memoir that she was not sure she would see him again.  

In her Drew Barrymore interview, she said the relationship with her biological dad felt strange after some time. She initially wanted it to work as a reunited family and had tried to make her two older brothers, who are also Andy's children, meet him. 

I went to meet him and we had a really great kind of first conversation. And then we saw each other for maybe three to four months, once a week, probably for that amount of time. Then it got to a place where that one felt a little strange also.

Does Jennette McCurdy still talk to her brothers?

The former Nickelodeon actress and her three older brothers, Marcus, Dustin, and Scott, have maintained a close sibling bond. While talking to The Hollywood Reporter in August 2022, the former actress revealed that her siblings had no problem with the memoir title, saying, 

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Not at all. My brothers have been so supportive, so understanding. They get the title, to put it simply. It was also a title that I knew I wanted early on. I wanted something that was bold and also something that I meant sincerely. 

She dedicated her book to her brother. She later told Teen Vogue that they were supportive throughout her writing process.

I'd be writing, and I'd be laughing one second, then I would be crying the next second, just because I'm bringing up so much from the past. And to be able to then call Marcus, Dustin, or Scottie at the end of that and maybe share the memory was really helpful, both personally and creatively. 

Jennette revealed in her memoir that her mother tried to create sibling rivalry with her brothers. While talking to the Washington Post, her brother Dustin revealed that he was not aware of the extent of abuse Jennette endured and used to think she was deliberately getting them in trouble with Debra. 

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For me, having [Jennette] be the breadwinner, this is going to sound really selfish, but it kind of got our mom away from us. So part of me was more than willing to be like, 'Oh, she's fine. Take her out of the house for a while. That sounds great'...Back then, it seemed like Jennette often tried to get us in trouble and kiss up to Mom. Now, I totally get it. She just wanted to stay safe in whatever way she could.

Jennette McCurdy's mom and dad situation is still complicated, but therapy has helped her cope. She continues to have the support of her brothers while her relationship with both her fathers remains distant and strained.

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Source: Briefly News