Night Agent Star's Early Nickelodeon Role Leaves Fans Astonished
Devotees of the hit Netflix series The Night Agent have been left utterly speechless after uncovering a surprising chapter from lead actor Gabriel Basso's past. The revelation that the 31-year-old star, who portrays FBI Agent Peter Sutherland, once featured as a teen actor in the beloved Nickelodeon show iCarly has sparked widespread amazement across social media platforms.
From Fake Freddie to White House Phone Duty
Gabriel Basso's recent return to screens in the acclaimed Netflix thriller, which premiered in 2023 with subsequent seasons in 2025 and 2026, has cemented his status as a television standout. The series, adapted from Matthew Quirk's novel, follows Sutherland, an FBI agent stationed with a phone in the White House basement, tasked with protecting civilian Rose Larkin, played by Luciane Buchanan. However, long before this high-stakes role, Basso made a memorable appearance in the 2009 iCarly episode titled iLook Alike, where he impersonated Freddie Benson as a lookalike.
The iconic teen sitcom, created by Dan Schneider, aired on Nickelodeon from 2007 to 2012, starring Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, and Nathan Kress. Basso's brief stint as 'fake Freddie' has resurfaced, catching many fans off guard. On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Basso humorously admitted, 'I don't remember much, to be honest. I forgot that this happened, until recently, and everyone was reminding me of it.' He even shared an alternative plot idea involving a battle between the real and fake Freddies, noting, 'But they didn't like that, it's Nickelodeon.'
Social Media Erupts with Shock and Recognition
The discovery has triggered a flood of reactions online, with viewers expressing their disbelief and amusement. One fan exclaimed on X, formerly Twitter, 'PETER SUTHERLAND (GABRIEL BASSO) WAS FREDDYS LOOK ALIKE IN ICARLY??' while another posted, 'I just found out that Gabriel Basso, the actor from The Night Agent, did the doppelgänger of Freddie in iCarly, that's why he seemed familiar to me, I'M P**SING MYSELF.' A third added, 'Dawg I been watching Night Agent and the main character Peter has been looking so familiar to me and I couldn’t remember why. Dawg he was the fake Freddie on the iCarly episode.'
Following his iCarly appearance, Basso built a diverse career with roles in television series such as Eastwick, The Middle, The Big C, Perception, and The Red Road, alongside films like Super 8, Hillbilly Elegy, and Trigger Warning. His portrayal in The Night Agent has garnered significant praise, with the show logging an impressive 168.71 million viewing hours in its first week and securing swift renewals despite delays from the writers' strike.
The Night Agent's Continued Success and Fan Anticipation
The series delves into a conspiracy surrounding the murders of Rose's aunt and uncle, Night Action agents, with Peter navigating treacherous plots and earning a promotion to full agent by season one's end, alongside a romantic storyline with Rose. Fans have eagerly rooted for their relationship in subsequent seasons. As the show remains available for streaming on Netflix, this newfound insight into Basso's early career adds an extra layer of intrigue for audiences, blending nostalgia with contemporary thriller excitement.
