Carly Shay

Carly Shay is the protagonist of the TV series iCarly, and her own web show of the same name. She is the younger sister of Spencer Shay and the daughter of Colonel Steven Shay and Mrs. Shay. She lived with her older brother in Apartment 8-C at Bushwell Plaza, while their father is stationed on a Navy submarine and her mother is never mentioned. She is the best friend of Sam Puckett and former best friend of Missy Robinson whom she hung out with during her childhood. She is also the best friend and ex-girlfriend of Freddie Benson who lives across the hallway (Apt. 8-D) and has had a crush on her since the day they met. In the final episode of iCarly, iGoodbye, Carly took the difficult decision to move to Italy to be with her father for a period of time. ("taking a break for a while.")

Carly is portrayed by Miranda Cosgrove.

Characteristics
Carly is a nice, easy going, and caring person who would do anything for her friends, although she can be whimsical at times when she doesn't get things her way, such as in iLook Alike, when Spencer refuses to let her go to a wrestling match.

Occasionally, she has to get between her best friends Sam and Freddie when the two argue too much. She gets good grades and usually stays out of trouble, except for when she takes the blame for Sam's wrongdoing.

She is easily grossed out by vermin, the gross videos Sam likes (except in iStage an Intervention, when she wanted to see a guy who could pull his lip down over his chin), or even when Spencer says "bowels" (iTake on Dingo). In iMake Sam Girlier, Sam tells Carly that she is "soft and girly and weak." and in iTake on Dingo, Sam called her "prissy." Carly agreed with this, referring to herself as "the prissiest." It was shown in iSpace Out and confirmed in iSam's Mom that Carly suffers from claustrophobia and freaks out if she is locked in a small space for a long time; however, in iPsycho, she seems only mildly distressed when Nora locks her, Sam and Freddie in her sound booth.

She takes really long showers when she is depressed or needs to think, as mentioned in iGive Away a Car. She sometimes takes chairs in with her.

In iWanna Stay With Spencer, it was implied Carly used to be a sick child. According to Spencer, she has to take vitamins every day and suffers from allergies and asthma. She had her last asthma attack when she was seven years old. Spencer gives her decaffeinated coffee although she is not aware of this.

Possibly her most prominent trait, Carly, unlike Sam, is not tough, and even when furious, she has never physically attacked anyone on-screen (but tackled Freddie in an angry manner in iThink They Kissed). However, on occasion, she will confront someone, even bullies and teachers, for her friends when it is needed, as shown in iHave a Lovesick Teacher and iMake Sam Girlier. She was also part of a girl mob (Sam and Shelby Marx) that beat up Nevel in iFight Shelby Marx although Nevel said he wasn't scared of her. Carly shows singing ability in iDo, when she sings Shakespeare.