Avan Jogia, best known for his breakout role as Beck Oliver on Nickelodeon’s Victorious, is opening up about the challenges of growing up in the spotlight. The Canadian actor and former teen heartthrob has released a poetry book titled Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob), delving into the pressures of Hollywood and his personal struggles as a young star.
“I’ve been writing poetry since I was 15 years old,” Jogia shared with Q’s Tom Power in a Zoom interview. “Much of it expressed my frustrations about being on a show that didn’t represent me creatively.”
Jogia reflected on his time on Victorious, describing how the role left him feeling like a “product or brand” rather than a real person. He noted the expectation for teen idols to maintain an idealized, shapeless identity, saying, “You represent a comfort and a perfect thing.”
One of his poems, I am on set getting yelled at, recounts an incident during the filming of Victorious‘ second season. The release of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV last year shed light on systemic failures by Nickelodeon to protect its child actors. Jogia criticized the public’s fascination with such stories, calling it “ambulance chasing and tragedy porn” aimed at profiting from the misfortunes of young performers.
Jogia turned to poetry as a deeply personal creative outlet, explaining, “Writing is one of the most immediate impulses I have.” He found poetry to be a powerful and independent way to process the darker realities of fame.
The full interview with Avan Jogia is available on the podcast Q with Tom Power.
Source: Swifteradio.com
