Jennette McCurdy has never shied away from hard conversations.
This week, she brought that same honesty to Call Her Daddy, speaking openly about how her childhood still shapes the choices she’s making as an adult.
The former Nickelodeon star and author of I’m Glad My Mom Died sat down with host Alex Cooper on Wednesday’s episode, reflecting on family, relationships, and a future she’s deliberately keeping flexible.
A childhood that still echoes
As the interview unfolded, McCurdy revisited her upbringing, including what she has described as an abusive relationship with her late mother, Debra.
Near the end of the episode, Cooper asked a question many listeners could relate to: how that childhood has influenced McCurdy’s feelings about becoming a mother herself.
McCurdy’s response was direct. At 33, she said she doesn’t want children right now.
Open, but not undecided
That answer didn’t come with a door slammed shut.
McCurdy explained that while she’s certain about her feelings at this stage of life, she’s open to the idea that they could change later. She noted that many people seem to know early on whether they want kids and rarely shift from that position—but she’s allowing herself space to evolve.
It’s a perspective rooted in caution, not confusion.
Why she chose to freeze her eggs
That mindset led McCurdy to freeze her eggs in September 2025.
She said the decision wasn’t driven by a sudden desire for motherhood, but by the fear of regret. She didn’t want to reach a point years down the line where her feelings had changed and her options had narrowed.
“It was about keeping possibilities open,” she explained.
Navigating the process
McCurdy admitted the idea of egg freezing initially scared her off.
Her first doctor described the process in a way that made it sound physically and emotionally overwhelming, which caused her to delay. About a year and a half later, she sought a second opinion.
This time, the tone was different. The environment felt safer and more supportive, enough for McCurdy to move forward.
Despite warnings about mood swings and emotional intensity, she said the experience itself was far more manageable than expected.
Support made the difference
A nurse assisted her at home throughout the process, checking in nightly.
McCurdy acknowledged that kind of support changed everything. Without it, she believes the experience would have been far more stressful.
It’s a detail that underscores how medical decisions are rarely just medical—they’re shaped by environment, trust, and care.
Where her relationship fits in
McCurdy also shared that she and her boyfriend have talked about children.
Neither of them wants kids right now, she said, but they’ve agreed to stay open and honest if their feelings change—together.
There’s no pressure, no timeline. Just conversation.
Why this conversation resonates
McCurdy’s story lands at the intersection of trauma, autonomy, and modern adulthood.
For many listeners, it reflects a growing shift in how people talk about parenthood—not as an obligation, but as a deeply personal choice shaped by past experiences and present realities.
It’s also a reminder that flexibility, when it comes to life decisions, can be an act of self-protection rather than indecision.
And for McCurdy, that flexibility seems to offer something she didn’t always have growing up: control.
