It's been a long time since Ariana Grande played a redheaded high school student with a hilarious lack of common sense. And she's clearly grown her career to staggering heights as the years passed by.
Given her fame these days, fans might begin to wonder about her time on Nickelodeon way back when. From disputes with her former co-stars on 'Victorious' (and questions of whether they even get along anymore) to worries over how damaging that forced bright-red hair dye job was, it's intriguing to look back at Grande's time on TV.
One thing fans really want to know, though, is whether Ariana was paid more for 'Sam & Cat' than her co-star Jennette McCurdy.
Who Made More On 'Sam & Cat'?
Though the purported drama made headlines back in 2014, Ariana Grande spoke up about the rumors at the time. She stated unequivocally that she and Jennette earned the same amount for their show.
The drama came about when Jennette didn't show up to an event for Nickelodeon. Now, of course, fans know that Jennette was facing her own demons while working on 'iCarly,' and with her personal life in general.
At the time, though, tabloids wanted to suggest that pay disparities between the two popular stars were causing problems. Prompted to speak up by the unfairness of it, Ariana stated, "Jennette and I agreed upfront that we would be treated equally on this show in all regards (as we should be, considering we each work just as hard as the other on this show)."
Further, Grande elaborated, "The rumours circulating about our contracts and our salary not being equal are absolutely ridiculous and false." To really shut down the rumors, Ariana noted, "I am NOT making more money than my co-star, nor do I think I should be."
Why Didn't Ariana Grande Make More?
Thinking back to when 'Sam & Cat' was on the air might give fans some perspective. Nowadays, it would definitely make sense if Ariana Grande was paid more than just about any Nickelodeon star for an appearance on a TV show or at an awards event.
She's a superstar, she's worth more than $100M, and she can have her pick of projects at this point. But in 2014, when rumors were swirling about the girls' pay gap? She was just as much of an unknown as Jennette McCurdy. In fact, she may have been less so.
While Ariana's initial Nick show 'Victorious' lasted four seasons (and 57 episodes), Jennette's spanned six seasons and 97 episodes. Sure, the two series enjoyed a crossover episode, which clearly inspired the later 'Sam & Cat.'
But when that series started? Sam Puckett was arguably the one drawing fans to bump the show's ratings.
