The Real Story Behind Jennette McCurdy’s Novel “Half His Age.”

Jennette McCurdy, actress and author of "Half His Age," discusses the novel's exploration of female rage, power, and desire through the lens of a 17-year-old girl's relationship with her 40-year-old teacher. McCurdy reveals the book was a way to process her own age-gap relationship that began when she was 18, noting the anger she had to work through. She emphasizes the importance of portraying the main character, Waldo, as the instigator to avoid easy judgment and explore the complexities of the relationship. McCurdy also reflects on how her strict upbringing and experiences in Hollywood influenced her attraction to chaotic relationships, and how writing the book allowed her to reframe her past with compassion and find power in her experiences.