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Are you ready? In 2005, Nickelodeon viewers were in for a treat when Zoey 101 introduced them to the students of Pacific Coast Academy.
The series, which aired from 2005 until 2008, focused on the lives of Zoey Brooks (Jamie Lynn Spears) and her brother, Dustin (Paul Butcher), as they attended the fictional boarding school and made friends along the way. Shortly after its debut, the teen drama found success and went on to win several awards, even earning an Emmy nod for Outstanding Children’s Program in 2005.
However things took a turn when Spears announced in December 2007 that she was expecting her first child at the age of 16. Although Spears’ pregnancy wasn’t the reason Zoey 101 came to an end, the show aired its final episode in May 2008.
Since its conclusion, many of the cast members have voiced their desire for a potential revival — and even Spears confirmed that she would be willing to return.
“Zoey was the problem solver and the good-at-everything girl. But we need to add some depth to her,” the Mississippi native told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2020, predicting where fans could expect to see her character now. “She and Chase would definitely have some type of tangled love story. I don’t think they would have just left PCA and gotten married. Maybe Zoey would be working in fashion in some capacity.”
Later that year, Spears revealed that she had contacted her former coworkers about bringing the series back in some capacity, telling E! News in July 2020, “I’ve had conversations, and we want to be able to tell everyone’s story the best way we can, and finding the right home for it, I think that’s the most important part right now. These conversations were being had before [the coronavirus] quarantine. … We’re still having them, but everything’s just at a slower pace.”
Several of the cast members later teamed up for a reimagined version of the Zoey 101 theme song “Follow Me,” but not everyone was thrilled about the idea. In January 2022, Alexa Nikolas, who played Nicole Bristow, confessed that her continued feud with Spears was why she didn’t get involved.
“I recently thought we were fine after she tried to use me in her Zoey 101 music video to make herself look better after I finally came out about what happened to me while on set/being left out once again during the reunion reboot ploy,” Nikolas wrote via Instagram at the time, noting that she wasn’t the first one Spears spoke to about the mini reunion. “I’m guessing the pressure from others made her address the issue. I declined her offer. Why now? But I was happy to get an apology finally. So I forgave her.”
When excerpts from Spears’ memoir were allegedly leaked that same month, Nikolas explained that their issues never went away.
“I have no idea what is going on over there with her but I want absolutely nothing to do with it,” she added at the time. “She never addressed anything that she mentioned in the book to me personally because she knows everything she is saying is a total lie and I would have called her out on that. One on one. It’s sad to see someone not change after all these years. Nothing that she said in her book about me actually happened.”
Nikolas concluded: “I wish I could go back in time and tell my 12-year-old self that you are actually extremely lucky to not have a friend like her. You are way better off without her. You don’t need toxic people in your life like that and you deserve better. And that’s the truth on that. I don’t mind saying all the things I should say for free.”
In January 2023, Spears confirmed a follow-up movie titled Zoey 102. The Paramount+ project will reunite Spears, Erin Sanders, Sean Flynn, Matthew Underwood, Christopher Massey, Abby Wilde and Jack Salvatore.
Scroll down to see where the Zoey 101 cast is now:
Credit: Courtesy of Nickelodeon
The Cast of Nickelodeon’s ‘Zoey 101’: Where Are They Now?
Are you ready? In 2005, Nickelodeon viewers were in for a treat when Zoey 101 introduced them to the students of Pacific Coast Academy.
The series, which aired from 2005 until 2008, focused on the lives of Zoey Brooks (Jamie Lynn Spears) and her brother, Dustin (Paul Butcher), as they attended the fictional boarding school and made friends along the way. Shortly after its debut, the teen drama found success and went on to win several awards, even earning an Emmy nod for Outstanding Children’s Program in 2005.
However things took a turn when Spears announced in December 2007 that she was expecting her first child at the age of 16. Although Spears’ pregnancy wasn’t the reason Zoey 101 came to an end, the show aired its final episode in May 2008.
Since its conclusion, many of the cast members have voiced their desire for a potential revival — and even Spears confirmed that she would be willing to return.
“Zoey was the problem solver and the good-at-everything girl. But we need to add some depth to her,” the Mississippi native told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2020, predicting where fans could expect to see her character now. “She and Chase would definitely have some type of tangled love story. I don’t think they would have just left PCA and gotten married. Maybe Zoey would be working in fashion in some capacity.”
Later that year, Spears revealed that she had contacted her former coworkers about bringing the series back in some capacity, telling E! News in July 2020, “I’ve had conversations, and we want to be able to tell everyone’s story the best way we can, and finding the right home for it, I think that’s the most important part right now. These conversations were being had before [the coronavirus] quarantine. … We’re still having them, but everything’s just at a slower pace.”
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Several of the cast members later teamed up for a reimagined version of the Zoey 101 theme song “Follow Me,” but not everyone was thrilled about the idea. In January 2022, Alexa Nikolas, who played Nicole Bristow, confessed that her continued feud with Spears was why she didn’t get involved.
“I recently thought we were fine after she tried to use me in her Zoey 101 music video to make herself look better after I finally came out about what happened to me while on set/being left out once again during the reunion reboot ploy,” Nikolas wrote via Instagram at the time, noting that she wasn’t the first one Spears spoke to about the mini reunion. “I’m guessing the pressure from others made her address the issue. I declined her offer. Why now? But I was happy to get an apology finally. So I forgave her.”
When excerpts from Spears’ memoir were allegedly leaked that same month, Nikolas explained that their issues never went away.
“I have no idea what is going on over there with her but I want absolutely nothing to do with it,” she added at the time. “She never addressed anything that she mentioned in the book to me personally because she knows everything she is saying is a total lie and I would have called her out on that. One on one. It’s sad to see someone not change after all these years. Nothing that she said in her book about me actually happened.”
Nikolas concluded: “I wish I could go back in time and tell my 12-year-old self that you are actually extremely lucky to not have a friend like her. You are way better off without her. You don’t need toxic people in your life like that and you deserve better. And that’s the truth on that. I don’t mind saying all the things I should say for free.”
In January 2023, Spears confirmed a follow-up movie titled Zoey 102. The Paramount+ project will reunite Spears, Erin Sanders, Sean Flynn, Matthew Underwood, Christopher Massey, Abby Wilde and Jack Salvatore.
Scroll down to see where the Zoey 101 cast is now:
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Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Jamie Lynn Spears (Zoey Brooks)
Ahead of Zoey 101‘s last season, Spears confirmed that she was expecting her first child with Casey Aldridge. The singer gave birth to daughter Maddie in June 2008. The now-exes dated on and off for two years before calling it quits in 2010.
The Sweet Magnolias star later married Jamie Watson in 2014, Four years later, they welcomed daughter Ivey.
The “Follow Me” performer found her personal life in the spotlight after her older sister, Britney Spears, called out the rest of her family for their involvement in her conservatorship, which officially ended in November 2021. Jamie Lynn’s 2022 memoir, Things I Should Have Said, continued to stir up issues with the pop star, despite the Netflix personality’s claims that she tried to help Britney amid her struggles. That same year, Jamie Lynn’s past feud with Nikolas also resurfaced.
Credit: YouTube; Courtesy of Sean Flynn/Instagram
Sean Flynn (Chase Matthews)
After his days at PCA, Flynn worked on projects including Hatfields and McCoys: Bad Blood, The Last of Robin Hood, The Grail, Devious Maids and Withering High School.
The Georgia native has since become a producer at an entertainment company. In December 2020, Flynn announced his engagement to Lyndsey Monconduit.
Credit: Picture Perfect/Shutterstock; Courtesy of Erin Sanders/Instagram
Erin Sanders (Quinn Pensky)
Sanders appeared on a variety of TV shows — including Big Time Rush, CSI: Miami, Melissa & Joey, Guilty at 17, Six Degrees of Separation and The Call — after playing Quinn Pensky on the Nick series.
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She’s currently dating Adam Johan.
Credit: Shutterstock; Courtesy of Matthew Underwood/Instagram
Matthew Underwood (Logan Reese)
Although Underwood moved behind the camera after starring on the teen drama, fans can still catch him in The Unicorn Sisters, The Alien, Time Hoppers, The Golden Stars and The Magic Studio.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Victoria Justice (Lola Martinez)
The Eye Candy star joined Zoey 101 in season 2. After the Nickelodeon series wrapped in 2008, Justice starred in her own show on the network titled Victorious! Since then, the performer has showed off her acting and singing range in projects including The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, Trust, Bigger, Summer Night and The Outcasts.
In October 2022, Justice unveiled her romance with TikTok star Evan Berger when the couple attended Las Vegas’ RiSE festival together.
Credit: Shutterstock; Courtesy of Christopher Massey/Instagram
Christopher Massey (Michael Barret)
Massey went on to star in several TV shows, including Switched at Birth, All That, That’s So Raven and The Parkers.
He shares daughter Mariah with Cassalei Jackson, and welcomed daughter Bella and son Carter with Bria Miller.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Paul Butcher (Dustin Brooks)
Butcher followed up his Zoey 101 role with appearances in Avatar: The Last Airbender, King of the Hill, MyMusic and Destiny 7.
He later pursued a career in music, releasing the single “Freaky (Tus Manos)” in 2020. He gained a major following on TikTok during the coronavirus pandemic.
Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock; Courtesy of Alexa Nikolas/Instagram
Alexa Nikolas (Nicole Bristow)
The Illinois native’s time on Zoey 101 came with its ups and downs amid rumors of a feud with Jamie Lynn. Following her 2006 exit from the show, the actress appeared on Cold Case, Supernatural, Criminal Minds, Lie to Me, The Walking Dead and Mad Men. Her last on-screen role was in 2013.
Nikolas was previously married to Mike Milosh from 2012 to 2016. After their split, the Red State star accused her ex-husband of grooming and sexual abuse — allegations which he has since denied. She later started dating Michael Gray and the twosome welcomed their first child together in November 2020. Nikolas and Gray tied the knot at Crystal Lake in July 2021.
In August 2022, Nikolas led a protest outside Nickelodeon’s headquarters over her experiences working for the network as a child and the alleged child abuse.
Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock
Kristin Herrera (Dana Cruz)
After briefly starring on Zoey 101 in 2005, the actress went on to take roles on General Hospital and Without a Trace. In 2020, she reunited with her former Nick costars on All That.
In 2016, Herrera announced that she was engaged to Daniel Novak. The couple broke up before rekindling their romance in 2020. One year later, the ER alum confirmed that she was expecting her first child.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Austin Butler (James Garrett)
After winning over fans on Zoey 101, Butler continued to appear on television with roles in Switched at Birth, The Carrie Diaries, Arrow and The Shannara Chronicles. He is set to star in the upcoming miniseries Masters of Air.
The California native will appear alongside Tom Hanks in Baz Luhrmann‘s 2022 Elvis Presley biopic, playing the iconic musician.
Butler dated Vanessa Hudgens for almost a decade before they called it quits in 2020. He was later linked to Kaia Gerber.
