THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Zoey 101' 16 years later
"Zoey 101" premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005 and ended in 2008 after four seasons.
Many of the cast members continue to work as actors.
Jamie Lynn Spears and her costars returned for a 2023 film sequel, "Zoey 102," released on Paramount+.
Jamie Lynn Spears starred as the titular character, Zoey Brooks.
Zoey was athletic and often misplaced her Pacific Coast Academy (PCA) dorm room key, so she wore it on a necklace.
Spears reprised her role as Zoey for a movie sequel, "Zoey 102," released on Paramount+ in July 2023.
Many fans speculated that "Zoey 101" ended due to Spears' pregnancy at 16 years old. In a now-deleted Instagram post from 2019, the actor said that the show ended because her "contract was finished," not because she was pregnant.
In a 2020 cover story for Nylon, the actor said that she "didn't become pregnant until probably six months after we wrapped or something like that."
The actor gave birth to her first child with then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge, a daughter named Maddie Briann, in June 2008. Spears and Aldridge had an on-again, off-again relationship (including an engagement) but split in 2010.
She went on to marry Jamie Watson in March 2014 in Louisiana and give birth to a daughter named Ivey Joan four years later.
After her time on Nickelodeon, Spears switched her focus to singing, much like her older sister Britney Spears. She released country music, dropped an EP in 2014 titled "The Journey," and collaborated with her sister for a track called "Chillin' With You."
She also performed at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry and the 2017 CMA Music Festival, and participated in a tribute to Britney at the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards.
She returned to Nickelodeon in 2018 as a contestant on the show "Double Dare."
In July 2020, the "Zoey 101" cast reunited for a sketch as part of the Nickelodeon show "All That." In October of that year, several of the "Zoey 101" stars teamed up for a video that put a fresh spin on the show's "Follow Me" theme song, amid discussions about a revival.
The "Zoey 101" film sequel, titled "Zoey 102," was released in summer 2023, and followed Zoey and her friends as they reunited for Quinn and Logan's wedding.
Spears was joined by the following cast members from the original show: Erin Sanders (Quinn Pensky), Sean Flynn (Chase Matthews), Matthew Underwood (Logan Reese), Christopher Massey (Michael Barrett), Abby Wilde (Stacey Dillsen), and Jack Salvatore (Mark Del Figgalo).
Spears also released a memoir titled "Things I Should Have Said" in 2022.
In 2023, Spears competed on season 32 of "Dancing With the Stars" and was eliminated during week two of the reality TV show. She later appeared as a contestant on the British reality TV series "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!"
She's starred in the Netflix series "Sweet Magnolias" since 2020. The series, based on Sherryl Woods' books, was renewed for a fourth season in October 2023.
Paul Butcher portrayed Dustin Brooks, Zoey's younger brother.
His sibling often had to bail him out of tricky situations.
Butcher is now a musician.
After "Zoey 101," Butcher guest-starred in "Criminal Minds" and appeared in shows like "MyMusic."
He's been releasing music since 2010, in addition to covers of tracks like "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes and "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber.
Sean Flynn played Chase Matthews, Zoey's best friend who was in love with her since they first met.
Chase met Zoey during her first day at PCA. They finally became a couple on the "Zoey 101" series finale.
Flynn is the director of operations at Eagle Rock Studios.
Flynn and the company are based in Atlanta.
Post-"Zoey 101," Flynn appeared in movies like "The Last of Robin Hood" and "Return of the Killer Shrews."
He also slipped back into his Nickelodeon character for the 2015 web short "What Did Zoey Say?" He reunited with Christopher Massey (Michael) to unpack what Zoey said to Chase in her time capsule video from a prior episode.
Four years later, Flynn and the main cast members (sans Spears, who was filming a show at the time) met up and shared photos and videos on social media.
Flynn got engaged to Lyndsey Monconduit in December 2020 and got married in March 2022.
He returned for the "Zoey 102" movie.
Matthew Underwood starred as Logan Reese, an arrogant rich kid at PCA.
Chase and Michael were his best friends and roommates.
Underwood is now a filmmaker.
He's directed and starred in a bunch of shorts and TV movies like "The Unicorn Sisters," "The Alien," and "The Golden Stars."
"Zoey 101" costar Flynn also costarred in some of Underwood's aforementioned projects.
Underwood's Instagram is filled with photos of him on film sets and snaps of him and his "Zoey 101" costars.
In April 2012, the actor was arrested on a charge of possession of drugs in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Police also found him in a bedroom with a 17-year-old girl.
Months later, Underwood was charged with violating probation after being seen at a hookah lounge that he co-owned.
In 2017, the star made headlines after he rescued a baby that was found in a crashed car with two adults who allegedly overdosed on heroin.
Underwood reprised his "Zoey 101" role for the Paramount+ sequel film.
Christopher Massey played Michael Barret, another friend of Zoey and Chase.
Michael was a good friend who also enjoyed playing the flute when he wasn't on the basketball court.
Massey is a musician and a father.
He's released R&B tracks like "Get a Bag" and dropped two albums in 2019 called "Heartbreak Ave" and "Centralia Love." Another album, titled "Fallen Star," was released in 2022.
Massey also appeared in an episode of "Celebrity Family Feud" in 2017 with famous brother Kyle Massey (from Disney Channel's "That's So Raven").
In 2016, the actor was arrested on charges of domestic violence against then-girlfriend Cassalei Jackson.
Massey shares two children, a daughter named Bella and a son named Carter, with Bria Miller. The actor also has a daughter named Mariah with Jackson.
Massey appeared in the "Zoey 101" sequel film.
In March, Massey spoke out after the release of Investigation Discovery's shocking docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," which was filled with revelations about unsafe and toxic working conditions that child actors experienced on the sets of Nickelodeon shows. After Massey's mom defended "Zoey 101" creator Dan Schneider on Instagram, the actor said that his story and experience would be told only by him.
Erin Sanders portrayed Quinn Pensky, one of Zoey's book-smart friends with a love for science.
At the start of the series, Quinn and Logan despised each other. Later, they secretly began dating.
After "Zoey 101," Sanders starred on another popular Nickelodeon show, "Big Time Rush."
She played Camille Roberts, an aspiring actor and love interest of Logan.
Sanders also guest-starred on shows like "Mad Men," "Castle," and "CSI: Miami." In 2014, she portrayed Traci Scott in the Lifetime movie "Guilty at 17." You may have also seen her in the miniseries "Six Degrees of Separation."
Sanders reprised her role as Quinn for the "Zoey 101" sequel film.
Alexa Nikolas starred as Nicole Bristow, who was easily distracted by boys.
Because of that, she was sent to an all-girls boarding school at the end of season two.
Nikolas runs an activist organization called Eat Predators.
After leaving "Zoey 101," the actor guest-starred on shows like "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "Supernatural," and "Criminal Minds." Her last roles were in 2013 episodes of "Mad Men" and "The Walking Dead."
Nikolas was previously married to musician Mike Milosh.
She's now in a relationship with Michael Gray and the couple welcomed their first child together, Nova Tíma Vespertine, in November 2020.
After fellow Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy released a memoir in which she wrote about negative experiences as a child star on the set of "iCarly," Nikolas led a protest outside the network's studio in Burbank, California, in August 2022. She held up a sign that read, "Nickelodeon didn't protect me," and said: "I did not feel safe around Dan Schneider while I was working at Nickelodeon."
Nikolas has continued to speak out about sexual misconduct and abuse in Hollywood. She's spoken about being bullied by costars on the set of "Zoey 101" and having uncomfortable experiences with show creator Schneider on podcasts like "Real Pod" and "Vulnerable with Christy Carlson Romano."
When the "Zoey 101" film sequel was announced, Nikolas took to social media to voice her disapproval, saying, "Do NOT support a network that can't even take accountability especially when it comes to CHILDREN. That is beyond low…"
"Eat Predators will def be rolling up to @paramountplus," she added.
Nikolas was one of several former Nickelodeon actors who appeared in "Quiet on Set."
She's continued the conversation around the children's network on social media, calling out Schneider for not taking accountability in his recent apology video that was posted in response to allegations made in "Quiet on Set."
Kristin Herrera portrayed Dana Cruz, Zoey and Nicole's original roommate.
She left the show after season one, ditching California so she could be part of an exchange student program in Paris.
Herrera's last role was on the show "General Hospital."
She played Lourdes Del Torro in episodes that aired in 2008. However, Herrera joined her "Zoey 101" costars for a reunion on "All That."
Based on her Instagram, which is now private, Herrera travels quite a bit these days and has visited destinations like Hawaii and Greece.
In March 2020, Herrera revealed that she was engaged to Daniel Novak. The couple welcomed their first child in May 2022 and got married in October of that year.
Victoria Justice joined the show during season two as Lola Martinez.
She replaced Dana as Zoey and Nicole's new roommate. Lola had big dreams of becoming an actress.
After "Zoey 101," Justice landed her own Nickelodeon show called "Victorious."
The show, which also starred Ariana Grande, lasted for four seasons between 2010 and 2013. She virtually reunited with the whole cast in March 2020.
Justice also guest-starred on Nickelodeon shows like "iCarly" and "True Jackson, VP." Once "Victorious" ended, she starred on a short-lived MTV thriller series called "Eye Candy," based on a book by R. L. Stine.
Justice played Janet Weiss in the TV remake of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and guest-starred on shows like "Man With a Plan," "Queen America," and "American Housewife."
In 2019, she starred alongside "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" actor Lana Condor in the coming-of-age movie "Summer Night."
During her Nickelodeon days, Justice released some solo tracks. In 2020, the actor and singer confirmed that she would be releasing more music.
Her comeback single, "Treat Myself," was released in December 2020. She's since released more singles, most recently the 2024 track "Tripped."
In recent years Justice has starred in movies like the thriller "Trust," the comedy "Afterlife of the Party," and the rom-com "A Perfect Pairing." She didn't return for the "Zoey 101" sequel movie.
Austin Butler joined "Zoey 101" during the final season as James Garrett, Zoey's love interest.
He became Logan and Michael's roommate after Chase left. James and Zoey briefly dated but split during the series finale.
Butler recently starred as Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two."
After "Zoey 101," Butler starred in several shows, including "Ruby and the Rockits," "Life Unexpected," and "Switched at Birth." He also appeared on "The Carrie Diaries," the prequel to HBO's "Sex and the City," and the fantasy series "The Shannara Chronicles."
You may have also seen Butler on shows like "Arrow" and "CSI: NY."
In 2019, the actor starred as Jack in "The Dead Don't Die" and Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."
Butler has quickly emerged as one of young Hollywood's most in-demand actors after his critically acclaimed performance as Elvis Presley in director Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic "Elvis." Butler won a Golden Globe and was nominated for a Critics Choice Award and a SAG Award.
More recently, he starred on the Apple TV+ miniseries "Masters of the Air" alongside Callum Turner and Barry Keoghan.
For his role as Feyd-Rautha in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two," which premiered in March 2023, Butler spent months training and three hours in the hair and makeup chair getting a bald cap applied to his head.
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