Nathan Kress

Nathan Karl Kress (born November 18, 1992) is an American actor, director, and former child model. Kress has been acting since the age of four and played the role of Freddie Benson on the Nickelodeon series iCarly and as the voice of Wedge Antilles in the Disney XD animated series, Star Wars Rebels.

Nathan Kress
Kress on Throw Back with Nickelodeon in 2019
Born
Nathan Karl Kress

(1992-11-18) November 18, 1992
Glendale, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActor, director
Years active1995–present
Spouse(s)
London Elise Moore
​
(m. 2015)​
Children1

Early life

Kress was born on November 18, 1992 in Glendale, California.[1][2] He has two brothers, Andrew and Kevin, neither of whom are involved in show business.[3][4] Kress began his professional career at the age of four when he displayed a natural talent for memorizing and re-enacting the shows he saw on television, prompting his mother to take him to an open "cattle call" showcase where he was quickly signed with a talent agent.[3][4][5] Over the next three years, Kress modeled for various print advertisements, as well as performing in numerous commercials and voice-over roles; the most notable of which was his dual role as the voices of "Easy" and "Tough Pup" in the 1998 feature film Babe: Pig in the City.[2][4][5][6][7] At the age of six, he decided to take a break from acting and return to regular school, where he led a relatively "normal" life for the next five years until deciding to return to acting professionally at the age of eleven.[4][5][6]

Career

At the age of 11, Kress was cast in the lead role as "The Emperor" in a school production of The Emperor's New Clothes.[4] The role rekindled his interest in performing, and at the end of his fifth grade school year, he asked his parents if he could be home-schooled so he could return to acting.[4][6] A mutual friend of Kress from school put him in touch with an agent, and after attending a summer acting "boot camp", Kress was soon going on real professional auditions once again.[4][5][6]

In April 2005, Kress made his first live television appearance since returning to acting in a comedy sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he played a young Simon Cowell of American Idol, and would continue to appear in various comedy sketches on the show a total of 5 times over the next year.[2][8] Kress continued to land steady work over the next two years, appearing in guest-starring roles on dramatic series such as House, Standoff, and Without a Trace as well as the Disney Channel comedy series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.[2][3][8][9] Kress also appeared in several short films including Pickled, Magnus, Inc., and Bag, for which he was awarded a 168 Film Festival Jury Award for his portrayal of a small-fry drug dealer with a conscience.[4][8][10] In addition to live-action roles, Kress continued to work as a voice-actor, lending his voice to various characters in the animated feature film Chicken Little and on the Nickelodeon animated series Shuriken School.[8]

In February 2006, Kress landed a small role on the popular Nickelodeon family series Drake & Josh.[2][3][4][5][11] He played the role of Toplin, a "geeky" kid at a birthday party with a crush on Drake and Josh's younger sister Megan Parker (played by Miranda Cosgrove) in the episode Battle of Panthatar.[3][5][8] Kress did not know it at the time, but this small role would lead to an opportunity that would catapult him to stardom.[3][4][5][12] While filming his scenes for Drake & Josh, television show creator and executive producer Dan Schneider took an interest in him and called him over to talk with him and to introduce him to some network executives.[2][4][5] At the time, Schneider was developing a new series for Nickelodeon, and was on the lookout for someone to play one of the lead roles in the untitled project, which would later become known as iCarly.[4][5][11]

The role of Toplin was similar to a character named Freddie that Schneider was looking to cast on iCarly.[3][4][5] Schneider had been so impressed with Kress' performance that he remembered him, and about 6 months after filming his small role on Drake & Josh, Kress was called in to audition for the role of "Freddie" shortly after his fourteenth birthday.[3][4][5] After several rounds of auditions, Kress was invited back for a screen test with Miranda Cosgrove and Jennette McCurdy and a couple of days later he was notified that he had landed the role of "Freddie".[4][5][11] Although iCarly would not premiere until the fall of 2007, the decision was made to cut Kress' scenes with Miranda Cosgrove out of the Drake & Josh episode that had started it all, in order to avoid any potential confusion among the young Nickelodeon viewing audience.[3][5]

On September 8, 2007, iCarly debuted on Nickelodeon and quickly became a fan favorite.[13][14] On the show, Kress plays Fredward "Freddie" Benson, the technical producer for the fictional web-show iCarly, which stars his character's two best friends, Carly Shay (Cosgrove) and Samantha "Sam" Puckett (McCurdy).[4][5][15] His character has a crush on the main character Carly, and a feuding, bitter-sweet, love/hate relationship with Carly's best friend and web-show co-star, Sam.[4][5][12] The show became Nickelodeon's most-watched show aimed at tweens, and catapulted Kress to international fame among adolescents.[2][5][12][16][17][18] Kress' performance on the show has been characterized by one reviewer for Variety as "sweetly nerdy".[13]

In 2008, Kress starred in the Nickelodeon television movie Gym Teacher: The Movie.[1][4][8][17] In the movie, Kress played "Roland", a decidedly uncoordinated student who transfers to a new school and must be whipped into shape by his ambitious gym teacher, Dave Stewie (Christopher Meloni).[1][4][17] Later that same year, he starred as Freddie Benson in the television movie iCarly: iGo to Japan, Nickelodeon's first television film adaptation of iCarly television series.[11][16][19] Throughout 2009, Kress continued to play the role of Freddie on iCarly, but was unable to take on other projects due to Nickelodeon's decision to film both seasons two and three of the show back-to-back without the usual hiatus between filming seasons, in order to make up for the time lost during the 2008 writers strike.[5][11][12][20]

In March 2010, Kress guest-starred in the CBS television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in season 10: episode 15 titled "Neverland".[2][8][9][21] Kress played Mason Ward, one of two best friends of a fourteen-year-old victim with traces of blood of an inmate under his fingernails.[21] Kress told Fanlala.com of his CSI role "It was a great opportunity to try my hand at something different. I had done scenes in dramas in the past, but other than a few semi-serious scenes on iCarly, it had been a long time since I've had the opportunity to do anything other than comedy."[21] Later that same year, Kress returned to comedic roles, guest-starring as Prince Gabriel on the Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson, VP, and as the voice of Ronald on the Nickelodeon animated series The Penguins of Madagascar.[8]

Kress in 2011

In 2011, Kress continued to appear in the role of Freddie Benson on the fourth season of iCarly, and in January 2011, Miranda Cosgrove began telling news sources that she was looking forward to returning to Hollywood to begin filming the fifth season of the main character of the Nickelodeon show.[22][23][24] On January 27, 2011 Cosgrove told Cleveland Live News "We're getting ready to start the next season, right after the (Dancing Crazy) tour. I would be willing to do the show as long as people like it and as long as it works."[22] On January 29, 2011, Reuters also reported that Cosgrove was preparing to begin filming season 5,[23] and on February 3, 2011 Cosgrove told The Middletown Press, when speaking of the show and her co-stars, Kress and Jennette McCurdy: "I've known them since I was little. I can't wait to get back. I'm really comfortable doing [iCarly]. It's like my home away from home."[24] The show was later renewed for a sixth and final season, with the series finale "iGoodbye" airing on November 23, 2012. Kress would eventually reprise the role of Freddie Benson in one episode of the show's spin-off series Sam & Cat which aired in January 2014.

In 2014, Kress co-starred in his first major film, Into the Storm, and had a major role in the web show Video Game High School as "The New Law".

In 2015, he debuted as a director on Henry Danger.[25]

In 2019, Kress started a podcast called RadioActive Dads with Brett Davern.

Personal life

As of February 2011, Kress was finishing up his senior year of high school and hoped to attend UCLA, which is his father's alma mater.[3][12] While filming iCarly, Kress was tutored on the set along with his co-stars Miranda Cosgrove and Jennette McCurdy, and was home-schooled on the weekends or when on hiatus from the shooting of the show.[4][5]

Kress is a devout evangelical Christian and has said that he feels a responsibility to be a great role model to his younger fans.[4][5][11]

On May 29, 2015, Kress became engaged to his girlfriend, actress, stunt performer, and Into the Storm castmate London Elise Moore.[26] They married on November 15, 2015, in Los Angeles.[27] Their first child, a girl, was born on December 21, 2017.[28] On October 21, 2020, Kress announced that he is expecting his second child with his wife.[29]

Philanthropy

Kress works with various charitable causes including The Big Green Help, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Starlight Children's Foundation.[2][30][31][32] In the summer of 2003, before returning to his acting career, Kress and his family traveled to Lithuania with the Christian missionary organization, YWAM (Youth With A Mission), where he has given money to help people build houses for the poor.[4]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1998 Babe: Pig in the City Tough Pup Voice role
2005 Pickled Younger brother Short film
Chicken Little Male Dog
2007 Magnus, Inc. Jacob Short film
Bag Albert
NimBlingDit Alan
2011 Snowflake, the White Gorilla Elvis Voice role; released in U.S. in 2013
2014 Into the Storm Trey
2016 Tell Me How I Die Den
2017 Alexander IRL EJ
Breaking Brooklyn Albee Davis
8 Bodies Cop Short film

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005–2006 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Sketch characters 5 episodes
2005 House Scott Episode: "Spin"
2006-07 Shuriken School Eizan Kaburagi Main voice role
2007 Without a Trace Young Barry Episode: "Eating Away"
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Jamie Episode: "Back in the Game"
Drake & Josh Toplin Episode: "Battle of Panthatar"
Notes from the Underbelly Young Andrew Episode: "Surprise"
2007–2012, 2021[33] iCarly Freddie Benson Main role; 94 episodes
2008 Gym Teacher: The Movie Roland Waffle Television film
2010 Glenn Martin, DDS Don Episode: "Exchange Student"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Mason Ward Episode: "Neverland"
True Jackson, VP Prince Gabriel Episode: "True Royal"
The Penguins of Madagascar Ronald Voice role; episode: "Field Tripped"
2011 Victorious Audience Member Episode: "Who Did It to Trina?"; uncredited cameo
Game of Your Life Phillip Reese Television film
2012 Figure It Out Himself Panelist; 2 episodes
2013 Mr. Young Pete 2 episodes
2014 Major Crimes Tyler Lang Episode: "Return to Sender Part 2"
Sam & Cat Freddie Benson Episode: "#TheKillerTunaJump: #Freddie #Jade #Robbie"
Growing Up Fisher Hunter 2 episodes
Hawaii Five-0 Jake Episode: "Ka Hana Malu"
Henry Danger Himself Episode: "Birthday Girl Down"
2016–2017 Star Wars Rebels Wedge Antilles Voice; 4 episodes
2017 Game Shakers Nathan Kress Episode: "Game Shippers"
2018 LA to Vegas Ryan Episode: "Pilot"
2019 Pinky Malinky JJ Jameson Voice

Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2009 iCarly Freddie Benson Voice
2010 iCarly 2: iJoin the Click
2016 Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Wedge Antilles

Web series
Year Title Role Notes
2014 Video Game High School New Law/The Law Starting in S3E3

As a director
Year Title Notes
2015–2019 Henry Danger TV series, 11 episodes
2016–2019 Game Shakers TV series, 6 episodes

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Refs
2008 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series – Supporting Young Actor iCarly Nominated [34]
2009 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Leading Young Actor iCarly Nominated [35]
Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series (shared with ensemble) iCarly Nominated [35]
2010 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Supporting Young Actor iCarly Nominated [36]
Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series (shared with ensemble) iCarly Nominated [36]
Australian Kids' Choice Awards LOL Award (shared with ensemble) iCarly Won [37]
2012 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Sidekick iCarly Nominated [38]
2015 Streamy Awards Best Ensemble Cast (shared with ensemble) Video Game High School Won [39]

References
  1. "Nathan Kress - Celebrity". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  2. "Starlight Children's Foundation - StarPower Ambassadors". Starlight.org. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  3. "'iCarly': Nathan Kress talks iFreddy". Scholastic.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  4. "Nathan Kress on 'Gym Teacher: The Movie'". TC Magazine. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  5. "Nathan Kress Talks About the Success of iCarly". Media Blvd. Magazine. Archived from the original on October 4, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  6. Dawn, Randee (October 26, 2009). "A Star Is Born". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  7. Klady, Leonard (November 24, 1998). "Babe: Pig In The City - Film Reviews". Variety.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  8. "IMDb - Nathan Kress". IMDb.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  9. Kroll, Justin (February 7, 2010). "Nathan Kress - Entertainment News". Variety.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  10. "168 Festival Winners". 168 Hour Film Project: 2007. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  11. "Nathan Kress - Web Wonderful". Starry Constellation Magazine. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  12. "Nathan Kress Exclusive Interview". The Star Scoop. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  13. Fries, Laura (June 12, 2008). "'iCarly' Saves TV - TV Reviews". Variety.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  14. "Nielson Top 20 Cable Ratings, September 3–9, 2007". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  15. "iCarly". Nickelodeon Press. Archived from the original on March 21, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  16. "Nathan Kress - i-Amazing". Starry Constellation Magazine. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  17. Shen, Maxine (September 11, 2008). "'Gym' Witted: 'iCarly' Meets 'Law & Order'". The New York Post. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  18. "iCarly Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 18, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  19. Yahr, Emily (November 8, 2008). "'iCarly' Goes to Japan". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  20. "Nathan Kress Interview". Kidzworld. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  21. "Nathan Kress Exclusive 'CSI' Interview". Fanlala. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  22. "Miranda Cosgrove of 'iCarly' is headed to Cleveland". Cleveland Live News. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  23. "Miranda Cosgrove Taps Rivers Cuomo for "High Maintenance" EP". Reuters.com. January 28, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  24. "iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove to perform in Connecticut". The Middletown Press. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  25. Nededog, Jethro. "'iCarly' Star Nathan Kress to Make Directorial Debut on Nick's 'Henry Danger' (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  26. Heller, Corinne (May 29, 2015). "Nathan Kress From iCarly Is Engaged to London Elise Moore—Check Out Details About His Sweet Proposal!". E! Online. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  27. Vulpo, Mike (November 15, 2015). "Nathan Kress Is Married! iCarly Star Says "I Do" to London Elise Moore in Front of Miranda Cosgrove and Friends". E!. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  28. Kress, Nathan [@NathanKress] (December 22, 2017). "Rosie Carolyn Kress, born 12/21/17 at 3:59pm. 6 lbs, 6 ounces of utter joy. Mom and baby are doing amazing. I am an emotional wreck. In the good way!" (Tweet). Retrieved December 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
  29. "iCarly's Nathan Kress and Wife London Expecting Second Child After 'Multiple Miscarriages'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  30. "Nickelodeon Stars Go Green". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  31. "News & Events". Make-A-Wish.org. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  32. "Nathan Kress - Make-A-Wish Foundation's Day Of Fun". Life.com. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  33. Ausiello, Michael. "iCarly Revival Ordered at Paramount+ Streaming Service; Original Stars Miranda Cosgrove, Jerry Trainor and Nathan Kress Returning". TVLine. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  34. "29th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards.
  35. "30th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards.
  36. "31st Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards.
  37. "Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2010 Winners List & Orange Carpet Video!". Take40. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013.
  38. "Lista completa de ganadores Kids Choice Awards 2012".
  39. "5th Annual Streamy Awards".
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