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Zoey 101 Star Victoria Justice Tapped By Nickelodeon for Television and Music Deal

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 August 2008, 09:00 CDT

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon has signed fifteen-year-old actress Victoria Justice to an overall talent and music deal. The announcement was made today by Paula Kaplan, Executive Vice President, Talent and West Coast General Manager, Nickelodeon. As part of the new pact, Nickelodeon, in partnership with Sony BMG Music Entertainment, is developing a comedy series as a starring vehicle for Ms. Justice. Created and helmed by tween hitmaker Dan Schneider (iCarly, Zoey 101, Drake & Josh) the new project will be set in a modern day school for the performing arts and feature original music. The network has also tapped the former Zoey 101 star for a co-starring role in the upcoming Nickelodeon original television movie Spectacular!, a story set in the competitive world of show choirs.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080813/NYW052 )

"Victoria is a rare kind of actress. She's beautiful, yet takes a fearless approach to acting," said Kaplan. "Kids loved her on Zoey 101 because she could boldly take a pie in the face or just as easily tackle a dramatic scene. It is this versatility combined with her musical talent and real-girl qualities that make her someone we are excited about."

"Victoria is the real deal," says Jay Landers SVP Columbia Records. "Besides her acting skills which are already well-known to her fans, she has a terrific recording voice. When she steps up to the mic, her personality shines through. We are looking forward to working with her and to have everyone see her in 'Spectacular!' and beyond."

Ms. Justice joined Nickelodeon in 2005 when she was cast as a series regular in the network's TEENick hit Zoey 101. For three seasons, she played Lola Martinez, Zoey's artsy and dramatic roommate at Pacific Coast Academy. The Zoey 101 series finale "Chasing Zoey" aired in early May to record-breaking numbers and the series continues to be the number-one cable television show among tweens and kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 and the number-two show on all of television in the same demos. (Source: NMR, 1Q08).

Ms. Justice's other television credits include guest-starring in The WB series Gilmore Girls and a role in the Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas special, Silver Bells opposite Anne Heche and Tate Donovan. Her feature film credits include supporting roles in the indie films Fallacy with Gary Busey and When Do We Eat with Michael Lerner, Leslie Ann Warren and Jack Klugman, as well as a leading role in the 2005 Sundance Film Festival hit, Mary. Next up, Ms. Justice will star in The Kings of Appletown, a modern adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, Tom Sawyer, directed by Academy Award winner, Bobby Moresco, ("Crash"). Ms. Justice has appeared in numerous television commercials, as well as fashion campaigns for Gap, Guess, and Ralph Lauren. A native of Hollywood, Florida, Ms. Justice began her professional acting career at age 8 when she appeared in an Ovaltine commercial. Justice is represented by United Talent Agency (UTA).

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than 14 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. .

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080813/NYW052AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comPRN9

Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Jennifer Musselman, +1-310-752-8205, orJennifer.Musselman@mtvstaff.com, or Jodi Davis, +1-212-846-5981, orJodi.Davis@Nick.com, both for Nickelodeon

Source: PRNewswire

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