On Tuesday, April 2, Josh Peck of “Drake & Josh” fame visited Oakland University to discuss his rise to stardom in a Q&A hosted by the Student Life Lecture Board (SLLB). Attended by almost 600 students, Peck talked about his time on Nickelodeon and his experiences throughout his illustrious career.
Peck stated that he grew up financially insecure with a single mother in Manhattan, New York. While Peck’s mother worked to keep her family afloat, Peck watched TV, which he says raised and saved him.
“Many days and nights were spent with me and the TV, and my best friends who were, you know, ‘Billy Madison’ and ‘Ace Ventura’ and ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,'” Peck said. “These were the people who raised me. I loved sitcoms… shows like ‘Step by Step’ and ‘Family Matters’ and ‘Full House,’ I just loved watching these normal nuclear families on TV.
“I always say about going to work as an actor, like, becoming an actor was like me going to work for the hospital that cured my disease,” Peck added. “TV saved me. I loved it. It was my escape and so, as far back as I can remember, I just thought, ‘I would love to do this [acting].'”
Peck first began his venture into acting by participating in school plays. He then started pursuing stand-up comedy at 10, performing at comedy clubs as late as midnight.
“I would go home and my mom would be like, ‘If you don’t take a nap, I’m not letting you go to the Comedy Cellar at midnight tonight.’ I don’t know too many 10-year-olds who are hearing that,” Peck said. “They would sneak me in through the backdoor so that they wouldn’t lose their liquor license and I would do five minutes and go home.”
Peck’s first film role was in the Nickelodeon movie “Snow Day,” released in 2000. Peck stated he told Nickelodeon’s president at the time, Albie Hecht, that he would love to do a show, and nine months later, Hecht gave Peck his big break in the form of “The Amanda Show.”
After “The Amanda Show” ended in 2002, Peck starred alongside fellow Amanda Show costar Drake Bell in the TV series “Drake & Josh.” Peck went from admiring nuclear families like the Banks and Tanners to portraying one himself. “Drake & Josh” also featured Jonathan Goldstein as Peck’s father, Nancy Sullivan as Peck’s stepmother and Miranda Cosgrove as Peck’s stepsister.
Peck said he appreciated being a part of something people enjoyed with their families during his time on “Drake & Josh.”
“I think it’s a specific honor and privilege when people invite you into their homes and [they] get to enjoy something with [their] family,” Peck said.
After “Drake & Josh” ended in 2007, Peck pursued various voice acting projects in movies like “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” and “Aliens in the Attic.” In 2012, Peck starred alongside Chris Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson in the remake of the 1984 film “Red Dawn,” which was filmed in Mount Clemens, Michigan.
Peck has many fond memories of filming “Red Dawn.” He specifically enjoyed working with Hemsworth, citing how he would refer to Peck and the other younger actors on set as his “cubs.”
“We’d be resting in the middle of the day and he’d [Hemsworth] be like, ‘Oy, tired cubs.’ Or, we’d be in the lunch line and he’d be like, ‘Oy, hungry little cubs.'” Peck said. “[Hemsworth is] just the loveliest, like, it’s not fair cause he’s so handsome and he’s so nice.”
After “Red Dawn,” Peck pursued other projects such as “Grandfathered,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Turner & Hooch” and most recently, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
Peck thought his audition for “Oppenheimer” would be a fun exercise to perfect his craft. However, when Peck was officially cast as Kenneth Bainbridge, he gained and relished the opportunity to work alongside a director as esteemed as Nolan.
“It was an honor to learn from him [Nolan],” Peck said. “I’m glad I made the couple minutes I did in the movie, but even if I didn’t, just getting to be there and watch him for two months was worth it.”
When he’s not acting, Peck hosts a podcast with influencer Ben Soffer called “Good Guys.” He also released a memoir in 2022 detailing his rise to fame called “Happy People Are Annoying.”
Peck’s next project is a movie titled “Summer Camp,” which is expected to come out later this year. Peck will star alongside Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodward in a story about a summer camp reunion.
Speaking to an audience of students, Peck, with an impressive list of accomplishments and experience behind him, shared some advice for those seeking it in closing.
“You guys are going to this wonderful university, and you’re gonna have all of these skills and all this education under your belt and all this experience and I would imagine, or if it were me, I would really want to get out there and put my stamp on life and the world,” Peck said. “What I would tell you is that everything’s going to work out, it just won’t be on your timetable. I once heard a quote, it was, ‘Ask the universe for a good life just try not to be too specific.’ I would say, run full-force at your life, and as long as you continue to grow, you’re not hurting anyone in the process, and each time you’re getting a little bit better, you’re probably doing the right thing.”
