Credit: A Perfect Pairing/Netflix
Victoria Justice was slated to be the undisputed breakout star of the Nickelodeon teen musical series Victorious. From 2010 to 2013, the show had an unprecedented hold on the entertainment world as it quickly became one of the most-watched music-based shows at the time. It was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Program twice in a row and has a total of four Emmy nominations. Not to mention, the show’s ensemble cast kickstarted the careers of notable stars such as Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies.
But the prosperity was short-lived as Victorious was abruptly canceled after three seasons despite its popularity. This not only devastated the viewers but also divided the fandom after rumors of alleged on-set feuds between Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande caught fire. However, the showrunners never fully confirmed the reasons for its cancelation. Nearly 10 years since its last episode aired, the legacy of Victorious lives on as it is now available on Netflix and Paramount+ for streaming. While Victoria Justice’s career may not have taken the expected trajectory, she is still following her dream of singing and acting and is keeping busy with booked projects.
Victoria Justice’s Journey So Far
Credit: Victorious/Nickelodeon
It is no secret that Victorious put Victoria’s name on the map but not many know that she had previously starred in another popular Nickelodeon show Zoey 101. In 2005, she landed the role of Lola Martinez and acted alongside Jamie Lynn Spears and Alexa Nicolas till the show ended. Surprisingly, this was not Victoria’s first stint onscreen as she made her acting debut when she was only 10 years old during a guest appearance on Gilmore Girls back in 2003. She then went on to appear in an episode of the hit Disney show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody before being on Nickelodeon.
After playing small roles in numerous television shows for eight years, including a cameo on iCarly, Victoria finally got her first major role as the lead in Victorious – playing the sympathetic and talented Tori Vega who, along with her interesting friends, attended the elusive Hollywood Arts High School. Producer Dan Schneider, who had initially cast her on Zoey 101, was impressed with her ability to sing, dance, and act altogether. Thus, he created Victorious around her with her as the lead to give Nickelodeon their “next star”.
But the show was canceled unceremoniously after only three seasons (though a fourth season was later formed by splitting the episodes of the third season). The decision was so sudden that the studio did not even film a series finale to properly wrap up the show. Moreover, the rumors about the existence of a supposed feud between Victoria and her co-star Ariana Grande gained traction after the channel greenlit the Sam & Cat spin-off series starring Ariana’s character and iCarly’s Jennette McCurdy.
Since the rumors refused to die even after the cast of Victorious had moved on, Victoria addressed and denied the speculations in 2021, stating that she and Ariana are on good terms and had a great time filming the series.
What Is She Doing Now?
Credit: @victoriajustice
She might not be a household name for now but Victoria continues to book roles in television series and films consistently. As for her musical career, she has yet to release a full-length album after having a thriving musical career on Victorious. Her debut single Gold was released in 2013 when she was still signed with Columbia Records. But shortly after her solo debut, she left the record label citing creative differences and took a break from making music.
As an independent artist, Victoria released her first single in seven years, titled Treat Myself in 2020. She went on to release two more singles Stay and Too F*ckin’ Nice in the following year. Additionally, for her role in the 2021 Netflix film Afterlife of the Party, she co-wrote and sang the song Home for the film’s soundtrack. In her most recent appearance, she starred alongside the Australian actor Adam Demos in another Netflix rom-com A Perfect Pairing released on May 19, 2022.
Apart from focusing on her career, she has supported various social causes and charities, notably the Girl Up charity campaign of the United Nations Foundation.
Victoria Justice’s Upcoming Projects
In July 2021, it was announced that Victoria would be joining the cast of the comedy film California King which is currently in development. This year, she was added to director Alice Troughton’s mystery thriller film The Tutor which is set to be released in 2023 where she is a part of an impressive cast line-up that includes the Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp, Garrett Hedlund, and Joseph Castillo-Midyett.