Miranda Cosgrove is an American actress, singer, producer, and former child star who became one of the most recognizable young performers on Nickelodeon. She is best known for playing Carly Shay in the hit sitcom iCarly, a role that made her a major television star during her teenage years. She later returned to the character in the Paramount+ revival of iCarly and has continued working in acting, music, voice acting, and production.
Beyond iCarly, Cosgrove is known for playing Megan Parker in Drake & Josh and providing the voice of Margo in the Despicable Me animated film franchise. Her career began when she was a child, but unlike many young entertainers, she successfully maintained a presence in the entertainment industry into adulthood.
Cosgrove has also released music, including her debut album Sparks Fly, and has earned recognition for her work as an actress and recording artist. Away from entertainment, she has pursued higher education, graduating from the University of Southern California.
Who Is Miranda Cosgrove?
Miranda Taylor Cosgrove is an American actress, singer, and producer who rose to fame as a child performer. Her breakthrough came through Nickelodeon, where she appeared in Drake & Josh before becoming the lead star of iCarly. As Carly Shay, Cosgrove played a teenager who creates an internet show with her friends. The series became one of Nickelodeon’s most successful programs and turned Cosgrove into a household name among a generation of young viewers.
Her career expanded beyond television. She became the voice of Margo in Despicable Me, released music, performed live, and later returned to iCarly as both an actress and executive producer. Cosgrove has also been notable for maintaining a relatively private personal life despite growing up in the public eye.
Miranda Cosgrove Age
Miranda Cosgrove was born on May 14, 1993, in Los Angeles, California. She is 33 years old as of August 2026. She grew up in Los Angeles as the only child of Tom Cosgrove and Chris Casey. Her father worked in a dry-cleaning business, while her mother was involved in homemaking and later became part of Miranda’s professional support system.
Cosgrove’s entertainment career started at an unusually young age. She was discovered at the age of three when a talent agent saw her singing and dancing at a festival in Los Angeles. Her mother was initially cautious about allowing her to enter show business. However, Cosgrove eventually began appearing in commercials and modeling assignments.
That early exposure quickly led to auditions for television and film.
Miranda Cosgrove Family and Ethnicity
Miranda Cosgrove is an American actress born and raised in California. Her father, Tom Cosgrove, has Irish and English ancestry, while her mother, Chris Casey, has English, French, and Irish ancestry.
Cosgrove has spoken positively about her close relationship with her parents, particularly her mother, who played an important role in helping her navigate the entertainment industry as a child. Unlike some child stars whose parents became heavily involved in their public careers, Cosgrove has generally kept her family life relatively private.
She does not have any publicly known siblings and has been raised as an only child.
Miranda Cosgrove Education
Despite becoming a successful actress while still young, Cosgrove placed considerable importance on education. She was initially homeschooled because of her demanding acting schedule. Later, she attended the University of Southern California (USC).
Cosgrove initially studied film before changing her major to psychology. She graduated from USC in 2020. Her decision to pursue college was significant because she had already achieved substantial success in entertainment. Rather than abandoning education after becoming famous, she continued her studies while maintaining her professional career.
How Miranda Cosgrove Started Her Career
Cosgrove’s professional career began with commercials. She eventually moved into television and film, with her first major film appearance coming in the 2003 comedy School of Rock. She played Summer Hathaway, a young student who becomes part of Jack Black’s unconventional rock band in the film.
The movie was a major success and gave Cosgrove her first significant exposure to a broad audience. She subsequently appeared in television productions before landing her breakthrough role in Drake & Josh.
Miranda Cosgrove in Drake & Josh
In 2004, Cosgrove began playing Megan Parker in Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh. Megan was the younger sister of Drake and Josh and was known for her mischievous personality and ability to manipulate her older brothers. Although Cosgrove was much younger than the show’s teenage leads, her performance quickly became one of the program’s highlights.
The role helped establish her as a recognizable Nickelodeon performer and eventually led to her own starring vehicle.
Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay in iCarly
Cosgrove’s defining role came in 2007, when she was cast as Carly Shay in iCarly. The sitcom centered on Carly and her friends, Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson, as they created and hosted an online comedy program from their apartment.
The concept was particularly relevant to the late-2000s internet era, and the series became a major success for Nickelodeon. Cosgrove became one of the highest-paid child actors in television during the show’s original run. Reports at the time stated that she earned approximately $180,000 per episode, although compensation figures from entertainment contracts can be difficult to independently verify.
The original iCarly ran from 2007 through 2012 and produced multiple seasons. Cosgrove later reprised Carly Shay in the Paramount+ revival, which premiered in 2021. She also served as an executive producer on the revival, giving her a greater role behind the scenes. The revival continued for three seasons before ending in 2023.
Miranda Cosgrove’s Music Career
Cosgrove also pursued a music career while working on iCarly. She released her debut extended play, About You Now, in 2009. Her debut studio album, Sparks Fly, followed in 2010. The album featured songs such as “Kissin U,” which became one of her best-known singles.
Her music was closely connected to her Nickelodeon career, and she performed songs during live appearances and tours. Although music did not become her primary career, it helped establish Cosgrove as a multi-talented entertainer rather than solely a television actress.
Miranda Cosgrove in Despicable Me
Another important part of Cosgrove’s career has been her work as a voice actress. She provided the voice of Margo, the eldest of the three sisters adopted by Gru, in Despicable Me. The first film was released in 2010 and became a major international success. Cosgrove returned as Margo in subsequent installments of the franchise, including Despicable Me 2, Despicable Me 3, and Despicable Me 4. The franchise introduced her voice to audiences who may not have followed her Nickelodeon work.
Miranda Cosgrove Movies and TV Shows
Cosgrove has built an extensive entertainment résumé. Her notable acting credits include:
- School of Rock
- Yours, Mine & Ours
- Drake & Josh
- iCarly
- The Naked Brothers Band
- Despicable Me
- Despicable Me 2
- Despicable Me 3
- Despicable Me 4
- Crowded
- The Intruders
- North
- 7 Secrets
- The Good Wife
She has also made guest appearances and participated in numerous Nickelodeon specials and television projects. Her work on iCarly remains her most prominent live-action television role, while Margo has become her best-known voice role.
Miranda Cosgrove Height and Appearance
Miranda Cosgrove is approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) tall. Her appearance has changed naturally over the years as she transitioned from a child actor into an adult performer. Because she entered the entertainment industry so young, audiences have been able to watch her grow up on screen. She has generally maintained a relatively understated public image rather than adopting the highly publicized celebrity lifestyle associated with some former child stars.
Miranda Cosgrove Boyfriend and Relationship Status
Miranda Cosgrove has historically kept her romantic life private. She has been linked to several people over the years, including actor and musician James Maslow and iCarly co-star Nathan Kress in online fan speculation, although many internet claims about her relationships have not been substantiated. Cosgrove has not publicly confirmed a marriage, and there is no reliably established information that she currently has a husband.
As of 2026, her current relationship status is best described as private. She has generally avoided making her dating life a major part of her public image.
Miranda Cosgrove Family and Personal Life
Cosgrove’s personal life has remained relatively low-key despite her early fame. She has maintained a close relationship with her family and has frequently spoken about her mother and father with affection. Her decision to attend USC after becoming a successful actress also reflects an interest in having a life beyond entertainment.
Cosgrove has spoken about enjoying activities such as reading, traveling, and spending time with friends. She has also developed interests outside acting, including psychology and filmmaking.
Miranda Cosgrove Net Worth
Miranda Cosgrove has an estimated net worth of approximately $10 million as of 2026. Her wealth has been accumulated through several sources, including acting, television production, music, voice acting, endorsements, and royalties.
Her earnings from iCarly represented a particularly important part of her early financial success. At the height of the original series, she was reportedly one of the highest-paid young television actresses. Her work as Margo in the Despicable Me franchise also provided another major source of entertainment income.
Because her contracts, investments, property holdings, taxes, and other financial information are private, the $10 million figure should be regarded as an estimate rather than an audited financial figure.
Miranda Cosgrove Salary
Cosgrove’s exact current salary is not publicly known. However, she became one of the highest-paid child television stars during the original iCarly run. Multiple reports from the period stated that she earned approximately $180,000 per episode.
If accurate, that would have translated into several million dollars over the course of a full season, before accounting for taxes, commissions, and other expenses. Her compensation for the Paramount+ iCarly revival was not publicly disclosed. Because she was also an executive producer, her overall compensation would have included more than simply an acting fee.
For an updated estimate, her current annual entertainment income could reasonably fall in the $500,000 to $2 million range, depending on acting projects, production work, voice acting, royalties, and other contracts.
Her historic iCarly salary is generally reported at around $180,000 per episode.
Miranda Cosgrove Career and Achievements
Cosgrove’s career is unusual because she successfully transitioned from one of the most recognizable child stars of the 2000s into an adult entertainer while avoiding many of the public controversies associated with former child celebrities. Her achievements include becoming the star of a successful Nickelodeon sitcom, releasing a studio album, appearing in a major animated film franchise, attending and graduating from USC, and returning to her signature character as an adult.
Her role as executive producer on the iCarly revival was particularly important because it demonstrated that her involvement with the franchise had evolved beyond acting. She was no longer simply the child star playing Carly Shay; she had become an adult creative professional with a role in shaping the production.
Miranda Cosgrove Today
Miranda Cosgrove remains active in entertainment while maintaining a more private lifestyle than during her Nickelodeon years. Her most recent major work includes the Despicable Me franchise and the iCarly revival. She has also continued exploring opportunities in voice acting, television, film, and production.
Her career illustrates the longevity that can come from successfully transitioning from child entertainment into adult work. At 33, Cosgrove has already spent more than two decades working professionally in Hollywood. Few actors who began at such a young age have accumulated such a broad combination of television, film, music, voice acting, and production credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Miranda Cosgrove?
Miranda Cosgrove was born on May 14, 1993, making her 33 years old in 2026.
What is Miranda Cosgrove’s height?
Miranda Cosgrove is approximately 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) tall.
What is Miranda Cosgrove’s net worth?
Miranda Cosgrove’s estimated net worth is approximately $10 million as of 2026.
How much did Miranda Cosgrove make from iCarly?
She was reportedly paid approximately $180,000 per episode during the original iCarly series, although her exact contracts have not been publicly verified.
Who is Miranda Cosgrove’s boyfriend?
Miranda Cosgrove keeps her romantic life private. She has been linked to people in the entertainment industry in the past, but her current relationship status has not been reliably confirmed.
Is Miranda Cosgrove married?
No publicly verified information indicates that Miranda Cosgrove is married. She has not publicly confirmed having a husband.
What is Miranda Cosgrove best known for?
She is best known for playing Carly Shay in iCarly and Megan Parker in Drake & Josh. She is also widely recognized as the voice of Margo in Despicable Me.
Did Miranda Cosgrove go to college?
Yes. She attended the University of Southern California (USC) and graduated in 2020 after studying psychology.
What happened to Miranda Cosgrove after iCarly?
After the original iCarly ended, Cosgrove continued acting, voice acting, and studying at USC. She later returned as Carly Shay in the Paramount+ revival and worked as an executive producer.
Is Miranda Cosgrove still acting?
Yes. She continues to work in entertainment, particularly through acting and voice work. She remains associated with the Despicable Me franchise and has continued developing projects beyond Nickelodeon.