The Short Answer
Miranda Cosgrove is 33 years old. Born May 14, 1993, in Los Angeles, she started acting at 7 - debuting as Summer Hathaway in School of Rock (2003) - before Drake & Josh and superstardom as Carly Shay on Nickelodeon's iCarly (2007-2012). She launched a music career (Sparks Fly, 2010), voiced Margo in Despicable Me (2010-present), earned an Emmy nomination, and returned for the iCarly revival (2021-2023).
Early Life and Background
Miranda Taylor Cosgrove was born on May 14, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, to Tom Cosgrove, who owned a dry-cleaning business, and Chris Cosgrove, a homemaker. Discovered at age 3 singing and dancing at a restaurant, she began auditioning at 7, appearing in commercials before her film debut as the uptight Summer Hathaway in School of Rock (2003).
Her breakout was Megan Parker, the mischievous little sister on Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh (2004-2007) - a scene-stealer at 11. Then came iCarly (2007-2012): as Carly Shay, host of a web show, Cosgrove became the defining teen star of the late 2000s, with the show peaking at over 11 million viewers. Guinness named her the highest-paid child actor of 2012.
She balanced acting with education - attending USC - and with music: her debut album Sparks Fly (2010) hit No. 8 on the Billboard 200, with the gold single "Kissin U." Since 2010 she has voiced Margo in the Despicable Me/Minions franchise, her most commercially successful work. The iCarly revival (2021-2023) brought her back to Carly Shay as an adult - and to producing.
Miranda's discovery story is Hollywood lore: spotted at 3 singing and dancing on a restaurant table, in commercials by 7, film debut at 10 as the gloriously uptight Summer Hathaway in School of Rock (2003) - holding her own against Jack Black. Drake & Josh's Megan (2004-2007) made her a scene-stealer; iCarly (2007) made her the teen star - at 14, headlining Nickelodeon's biggest show, with the 2009 TV movie and the 2012 finale drawing millions. The music ran parallel: the iCarly soundtrack, the About You Now EP, Sparks Fly (2010, Billboard No. 8) - a genuine pop career, not a vanity project.
Career Highlights
Miranda Cosgrove's career is the rare child-star success story without the crash. School of Rock at 10, Drake & Josh at 11, iCarly at 14 - each step bigger than the last. Her music career (the iCarly soundtrack, About You Now EP, Sparks Fly) made her a genuine pop act, and Despicable Me gave her a film franchise for the ages.
Her accolades - four Kids' Choice Awards, an Emmy nomination, Forbes 30 Under 30 (2022) - reflect a career built on consistency rather than scandal. The iCarly revival let her revisit Carly as a 20-something navigating adulthood, mirroring her own journey. At 33, she has transitioned into producing and selective acting - the former teen queen as industry veteran.
The adult ledger: Despicable Me's Margo (2010-present) - the franchise has grossed billions, her most lucrative work by far; the USC film education, pursued while famous; the iCarly revival (2021-2023) - returning as producer-star, playing Carly as a 20-something navigating adulthood, a meta-commentary on growing up famous; the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 nod; and selective recent roles. Four Kids' Choice Awards, an Emmy nomination, and - rarest of all - a child-star career with no crash, no scandal, no lost years. At 33, she is the blueprint for doing it right.
The Despicable Me franchise gave her a film home - voicing Margo since 2010 - while the iCarly revival (2021-2023) let her revisit Carly Shay as a twenty-something, mirroring her own adulthood. Four Kids' Choice Awards, an Emmy nomination, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod in 2022 reflect a career built on consistency. At 33, she has moved into producing and selective acting: the former teen queen as industry veteran, scandal-free and steady.
The through-line is consistency without scandal: two decades in the spotlight, her personal life intact, her parents still her closest circle. At 33, she is the industry veteran who never needed rebuilding - the rare child star whose second act looks as steady as the first, and whose ageless appeal keeps both generations watching.
Family and Children
Miranda Cosgrove was raised in Los Angeles as an only child by parents Tom and Chris Cosgrove - her father ran a dry-cleaning business, her mother was a homemaker. Her parents managed her early career carefully, keeping her grounded through the iCarly phenomenon and prioritizing her education (she attended the University of Southern California).
She is unmarried and has no children, and she keeps her family life notably private for a former teen idol. Her parents remain her closest circle - a stability that friends credit for her scandal-free transition to adulthood.
Marriage and Relationships
Miranda Cosgrove has kept her dating life almost entirely private - a deliberate choice that sets her apart from many former child stars. Over the years she has been linked to a few fellow young actors, but she has never confirmed a serious public relationship, preferring to keep romance out of the headlines.
At 33, her focus has publicly been on work - acting, producing, and her continued role in the Despicable Me franchise. The private approach has served her well: two decades in the spotlight with her personal life intact.
Family Roots and Extended Family
The Cosgrove family: father Tom Cosgrove, who owned a dry-cleaning business; mother Chris Cosgrove, a homemaker - the non-industry parents who managed her career with unusual wisdom, prioritizing school (USC) over maximum exploitation. An only child, Miranda has described her parents as her grounding wire through the iCarly phenomenon. The family's low profile - no reality shows, no tell-alls - is the anti-Hollywood-parenting story: they protected the kid, banked the success, and let her become an adult on her own schedule.
Tom and Chris Cosgrove made an unusual pact when Miranda's career exploded: school came first, always. They turned down projects that conflicted with her education, limited her work hours as a minor, and banked her earnings carefully - the anti-stage-parent playbook. Miranda has said her mother home-schooled her on sets and that her father, who owned a dry-cleaning business, kept the family in their modest Los Angeles home rather than upgrading to a star's mansion. That normalcy, she credits, is why she survived child stardom intact - and why, at 33, she could choose USC film classes over the fame treadmill without missing a beat.
Where Are They Today?
As of October 2026, Miranda Cosgrove is 33 and working as an actress and producer, with the Despicable Me franchise continuing and selective TV and film projects. A decade and a half after iCarly ended its original run, she remains beloved by the generation that grew up with Carly Shay.
At 33, she is a case study in doing child stardom right: no meltdowns, no disappearances - just a steady evolution from teen idol to respected adult performer. The question "how old is Miranda Cosgrove" always carries a fond disbelief: the iCarly girl is in her thirties now.
At 33, Cosgrove works as an actress and producer - the Despicable Me franchise continuing, selective TV and film roles, and the industry respect that comes from a scandal-free two decades. The iCarly revival's end (2023) closed the Carly chapter for good; what comes next is hers to choose. She remains beloved by the generation that grew up with her - and newly discovered by their kids.
A decade and a half after iCarly's original run, Cosgrove remains beloved by the generation that grew up with Carly Shay - and discovered by new ones on streaming. Her ageless appearance keeps the question coming: the iCarly girl is in her thirties now, a case study in doing child stardom right.
Why Fans Keep Asking
People ask "how old is Miranda Cosgrove" because iCarly is eternal - streaming to new generations of kids who assume Carly is still a teenager, while original fans do the math and feel ancient. Her ageless appearance doesn't help: at 33, she could still pass for much younger. The answer bridges two audiences: the kids discovering her now, and the millennials who grew up with her.
People ask her age because iCarly is eternal on streaming - new young viewers assume Carly is still a teen, while original fans do the math and feel ancient. At 33, Miranda could still pass for much younger, which only confuses the timeline further. The question bridges two audiences: the kids discovering her now, and the millennials who grew up alongside her.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Miranda Cosgrove?
Miranda Cosgrove is 33 years old, born May 14, 1993.
33 - born Miranda Taylor Cosgrove on May 14, 1993, in Los Angeles; she turned 33 in May 2026.
She rang in 33 in May 2026, with tributes pouring in from iCarly co-stars past and present.
What is Miranda Cosgrove famous for?
Carly Shay on iCarly (2007-2012, revived 2021-2023).
Carly Shay on Nickelodeon's iCarly (2007-2012), revived 2021-2023.
The original iCarly ran from 2007 to 2012 and made her one of the highest-paid child actors on television.
Was Miranda Cosgrove on Drake & Josh?
Yes - she played Megan Parker (2004-2007).
Yes - Megan Parker, the mischievous little sister, on Drake & Josh (2004-2007).
She played the scheming younger sister Megan Parker, stealing nearly every scene from Drake Bell and Josh Peck.
Is Miranda Cosgrove married?
No - she keeps her dating life private.
No - she keeps her dating life almost entirely private.
She has never publicly confirmed a long-term relationship, preferring to keep romance out of the spotlight.
Does Miranda Cosgrove have kids?
No children.
No children.
She has said she is open to the idea someday but is currently focused on acting and producing.
Who does Miranda Cosgrove voice in Despicable Me?
Margo, the eldest of Gru's daughters, since 2010.
Margo, the eldest of Gru's adopted daughters, voicing the role since 2010.
She has voiced Margo, the eldest of Gru's adopted daughters, in every Despicable Me film since 2010.
Margo is the eldest of the three orphan girls adopted by Gru, voiced by Cosgrove in every film since 2010.
Did Miranda Cosgrove sing?
Yes - debut album Sparks Fly (2010), Billboard No. 8; single "Kissin U."
Yes - debut album Sparks Fly (2010) hit No. 8 on the Billboard 200; the single "Kissin U" went gold.
Her debut album Sparks Fly reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200, with the single Kissin U earning gold certification.
Sources
- Miranda Cosgrove - WikipediaBiographical overview: birth date, career summary, family details.
- People - Miranda CosgroveCoverage of Cosgrove's career and iCarly revival.
- Biography - Miranda CosgroveBiographical profile of the actress and singer.