Ex Keke Palmer Co-Star Says Her Mom Was ‘Financially Abusive’

Ashley Argota, who starred in the Nickelodeon show “True Jackson VP” alongside Keke Palmer, recently revealed her time as a child star was anything but glamorous.

In a new TikTok video, the 32-year-old explained that she was forced to drop out of New York University (NYU) after her first semester because she could no longer afford the school’s tuition.

Argota, who also recently spoke about her relationship with Keke Palmer, said that although she was earning a significant income as a child star, her mother, whom she branded a “narcissist,” allegedly took all of her money.

Argota starred in “True Jackson VP” on Nickelodeon from 2008 to 2011, playing Lulu, the lead character’s (played by Palmer) best friend.

Although the show was a massive hit among viewers, Argota claimed she didn’t see much of the money she earned from her time on the series because her mother was “financially abusive.”

“Like I said in my last video, I was not in charge of my finances, even though I was old enough to be in charge of my finances,” Argota told her TikTok followers.

Argota then explained how her mother would allegedly spend her funds without her knowledge, saying, “She basically would do things like get on the phone with financial institutions, and she would just hand me the phone and say, ‘Hey, they just need authorization for you to talk to me.'”

She continued, “Because she was my mom, and I trusted her with my money, I would do it. Then I don’t know [what] she did.”

Argota, who later starred in Nickelodeon’s “Bucket & Skinner’s Epic Adventures” and Disney’s “Girl Meets World,” said that she used to blame herself for what happened to her money. However, she wasn’t the only one in her family experiencing this alleged abuse.

The actress later revealed how her mother would allegedly collect her dad’s paychecks, too, and force him to survive on a small amount each week.

“She would also do things like with my dad, who was working full time as a truck driver at the time. She would wait for that paycheck to be deposited into the joint account that they shared, and she would give him $100 for the week to live off. It was basically an allowance off of his own paycheck, and then she would just take the rest of the money,” Argota claimed.

She added, “In case you are not aware, $100 is not enough for a truck driver who’s driving cross country for hours and hours and hours and weeks at a time to live off of. That’s just not a possibility.”

Argota went on to say that her mother allegedly used the money she earned from “True Jackson VP” on gambling or “really unnecessary things,” like a house that Argota says they “didn’t need.”

“I haven’t talked to my mom in a really long time,” she continued. “That’s OK, and that’s by design. That’s my choice. It’s safer, it’s better, and it’s healthier for me. I know I’m not alone in this. It happens to a lot of people.”

And Argota isn’t the only Nickelodeon star who experienced this alleged abuse from their parents.

“iCarly” star Jennette McCurdy also revealed her mother, who passed away in 2013, controlled every aspect of her life until her early 20s.

“I lived for her,” McCurdy said in an interview. “I believed that she was in some way living for me. And to think she was incapable of even feeling for you, let alone living for you. It’s just really sad. I feel that in my chest.”

In her memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” McCurdy explained that the control she was under drove her to leave acting behind.

“So much of my life has felt so out of my control for so long. And I’m done with that being my reality. I want my life to be in my hands. Not an eating disorder’s or, a casting director’s or an agent’s or my mom’s. Mine,” she wrote.

Argota also recently opened up about what it was like to work with Palmer during their time on Nickelodeon, calling the “Nope” actor “crazy talented.”

But the compliments about the actress, singer, and Broadway star didn’t stop there.

“She’s cool and as kind and as nice as you think she is,” Argota added. “She’s an incredible human being.”