Victoria Justice Brings Nostalgia and Inspiration to UCI’s ZotTalks

Victoria Justice headlined the first ZotTalks event of the year, dubbed “Zotorious,” hosted by the ASUCI Speakers Commission on February 12th. Held in the Pacific Ballrooms of the Student Center, the event drew a massive crowd of eager students, with priority seating secured through Zotspot. Demand was incredibly high; seats for the first day reportedly sold out within seconds, as noted by users on Reddit.

The first 450 attendees received exclusive “Zotorious”-themed tote bags, adding to the excitement. Sophia Nguyen, a third-year psychological science and education double major and ASUCI Speakers Commissioner, led a team of six interns in planning the event, a process that began back in July.

A Childhood Icon Returns

“Growing up watching Nickelodeon, you already know [Victoria’s] name, she’s such an iconic character and just an iconic person really,” Nguyen shared with New University. “So, immediately when I saw her name, I was like, okay, well, here we are. Here we have our winter speaker.” Justice is widely recognized for her memorable roles in Nickelodeon hits like “Victorious” and “Zoey 101.”

Beyond her acting career, Justice has been steadily building her music portfolio, launching her independent music journey in 2020 with “Treat Myself,” followed by “Stay” in 2021 and “Love Zombie” in 2025.

Fan Excitement and a Costume Contest

The enthusiasm was palpable, with students like Kayli Iwamoto, a fourth-year East Asian cultures major, even dressing up as Officer Padesco from “Victorious” to show their support. “Victoria has been such a big part of my childhood growing up, and I’ve really loved Victoria Justice’s work all through Nickelodeon,” Iwamoto explained. “So when I heard she was coming to UCI for ZotTalks, I feel like I seriously couldn’t miss this opportunity.”

Justice was greeted with a roaring welcome as she entered the Pacific Ballrooms, with students chanting her name. The on-stage conversation covered her experiences on “Victorious,” the challenges and rewards of launching a music career, and her recent projects.

Lessons in Hard Work and Authenticity

Justice emphasized the importance of professionalism and dedication. “There’s a lot of people’s jobs who are sitting there waiting for you and counting on you to do your job and to do it well,” she told the audience. “So yeah, I think [acting] just taught me that no matter what is going on: work hard, show up, do your best, be kind to everyone, try to make everyone feel included.”

She also spoke candidly about the journey of finding her own voice in the music industry. “At the end of the day, what people are going to respond and resonate to is your authenticity, you know, like your truth and your own voice,” Justice said. “You don’t have to have a crazy, amazing voice to be a good singer.”

The event culminated in a “Freak the Freak Out” costume contest, judged by Justice herself. Ten students showcased their Justice-inspired outfits, with winners receiving $25 Amazon gift cards in categories like funniest, most accurate, and most creative. Before departing, Justice learned the iconic UCI “Zot” hand gesture, joining the audience in a spirited display of school pride.

Nguyen expressed her hope that students appreciated the opportunity to meet someone they’d grown up watching on television. “I feel like that’s amazing to me, to be able to go to an event and be behind the scenes to events where people are seeing someone that they watched growing up,” Nguyen said.

The next ZotTalks event is scheduled for the spring. University of California, Irvine provides a vibrant platform for speakers like Victoria Justice to connect with students.

Ennes Kahf is a Features Staff Writer for New University.