No regrets here! Josh Peck revealed there isn’t much he would want to change about his years as a child star on Nickelodeon.
“Maybe I would have thought twice about having my awkward teenage years [air] in reruns,” the actor, 36, joked during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly while promoting his partnership with Enfamil. “But the reality is [that] from Drake & Josh to everything I’ve done since then, I’m very proud to have made families happy. I feel incredibly lucky to be 36 and still working and [doing] something that I love.”
Peck originally rose to stardom after appearing on sitcoms such as The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh in the early 2000s. The comedian continued to find success as he got older with starring roles on Grandfathered, Turner & Hooch and How I Met Your Father.
Meanwhile, on the big screen, Peck scored projects including Mean Creek, ATM, Red Dawn, Battle of the Years, The Wackness and an upcoming role in Oppenheimer. The Snow Day actor also released his debut memoir, Happy People Are Annoying, in March 2022.
Off screen, Peck started dating Paige O’Brien in 2011 and they tied the knot in 2017. The couple has since expanded their family with son Max in December 2018 and son Shai in October 2022.
While reflecting on his career, the New York native said he wouldn’t mind if his children wanted to join the entertainment industry as well.
“I’m so glad that Paige comes from this wonderfully athletic family. Her dad [Ken O’Brien] played in the NFL so I’m glad that my son has this great sort of balance between the creative performing side and then also the athletic education side. So, I guess we’ll see [as] more [is] be revealed. I kind of want to allow him to lead us,” Peck told Us. “Eventually, if he finds that he really has a love for acting, then I’ll make sure that he majors in finance in college. I just want to support whatever he enjoys doing and gives him confidence.”
Peck’s eldest child has already started to watch his father’s kid-friendly shows.
“I was lucky enough to do this show for Disney+ called Turner & Hooch last year. We were just watching it yesterday because it is this wonderful family action comedy. So, whereas some of the stuff I’ve done before and after is just very typical two people in a scene talking, Turner & Hooch has a gigantic dog and me sort of being dragged by him and chasing bad guys,” Peck continued. “So, it’s got enough action to hold Max’s attention.”
Peck joked that his son calls his projects “home movies,” adding, “He wonders when I’m gonna bring the dog home. … It really makes me want to make more family friendly [content] knowing that he can enjoy it.”
As Peck and Paige, 32, enjoy their time as a family of four, the pair have partnered with Enfamil’s Family Beginnings. The program, which focuses on making sure new parents get all the support they can, offers coupons, free samples and educational resources.
“Paige and I are team ‘support new parents’ as opposed to ‘scare new parents,’” the Hulu star explained. “I remember a friend of mine said, ‘Don’t worry about anything. It’s only gonna be great. And any minor inconvenience, any lack of sleep will be so overshadowed by how cool this kid is.’ And so a program like Enfamil Family Beginnings really spoke to us because that’s exactly what they’re doing. They’re supporting new parents.”
Paige, for her part, noted that she chose Enfamil formula when she wasn’t producing enough breast milk following her son’s birth. “With Shai we went straight to Enfamil from day one in the hospital, and it’s just been great for us,” the cinematographer told Us. “The second time around it was a little easier to get it in my head that this is totally fine, I’ve done it before and this is what’s right for our family. … It’s OK to pivot and to figure out a new journey for yourself.”
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With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
