Kyla Pratt’s voice helped transform Penny Proud into certainly one of Disney Channel’s most recognizable animated characters, however the actress originally believed it will cost her the job.
Pratt was just 14 when “The Proud Family” debuted in 2001, and hearing herself because the show’s teenage lead triggered an insecurity she couldn’t ignore. As an alternative of recognizing that her natural voice made Penny relatable, Pratt became convinced that Disney would eventually resolve she was incorrect for the role.
Twenty-five years later, she is preparing to say goodbye to Penny as “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” approaches its fourth and final season.
During an appearance on “People in 10,” Pratt admitted she struggled to grasp why she had been forged in a voiceover role.
“Filming the show after I was a teen, I didn’t like my voice,” she told PEOPLE Magazine. “I used to be like, ‘How am I auditioning for a voiceover? How is that this happening? And I used to be like, ‘I’m going to get fired. They are usually not going to love this.’”
The actress now recognizes that she was her own “biggest critic.” Slightly than being fired, Pratt remained the voice of Penny throughout the unique series, its television movie, and the Disney+ revival.
The identical voice she once disliked ultimately became inseparable from the character.
Pratt Grew Up Alongside Penny Proud
“The Proud Family” debuted while Pratt was balancing two major television roles. Along with voicing Penny, she starred as Breanna Barnes within the UPN sitcom “One on One.” Pratt previously explained that moving between a live-action series and an animated production seemed normal because she had been working since childhood. Looking back, nevertheless, she recognizes how rare it was to steer two shows concurrently as a teen.
The unique “Proud Family” followed Penny as she navigated school, friendships, adolescence, and the steadily embarrassing behavior of her father, Oscar Proud. The series ran for 2 seasons before concluding with “The Proud Family Movie” in 2005.
Its concentrate on a Black family and willingness to handle identity, discrimination, friendship, and social expectations helped the show remain culturally relevant long after its initial ending.
Returning To The Recording Booth Brings ‘Complete Nostalgia’
Disney+ announced “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” in 2020, giving Pratt the chance to revisit Penny as an adult. “The vibe after I am getting into the booth to be Penny Proud is all the time amazing,” she said. “It’s complete nostalgia.”
Pratt recently spoke along with her daughters, Lyric and Liyah, about growing older without losing the childlike a part of themselves. Returning to Penny has allowed her to do exactly that. “To have something like ‘The Proud Family’ to attach me to my younger self, for me, each time I step into the booth, it just feels amazing,” she explained.
Pratt previously revealed that her daughters recognized her voice when she played “The Proud Family Movie” for them. Her oldest daughter later decided she wanted to decorate as Penny for Halloween, forcing Pratt to assemble the costume herself because official options were limited.
‘Louder And Prouder’ Is Reaching Its Final Season
The fourth and final season of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” will premiere on Disney+ on July 29. Based on Disney+, the brand new episodes will follow Penny after a life-changing turning point for the Proud family.
Season three ended with Penny and her boyfriend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Brown, running away to Emilyville after their parents attempted to intervene of their increasingly dependent relationship.
The ultimate season will explore the implications of that call as Penny tries to regain her family’s trust. Along the way in which, she shall be pulled into unexpected adventures that challenge her courage and identity.
Pratt shall be joined by returning forged members Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker, Jo Marie Payton, Karen Malina White, Soleil Moon Frye, and Cedric the Entertainer.
Mariah Carey, Chloe Bailey, Ali Wong, Lashana Lynch, Lorraine Toussaint, and Adele Givens are among the many announced guest stars.
Kyla Pratt Is Appreciating The Final Chapter
Knowing the revival is ending has made Pratt more conscious of how unusual her journey with Penny has been. “You realize this stuff don’t last endlessly, [so] you’re taking it in slightly bit more,” she said.
Slightly than focusing entirely on the sadness of leaving the character behind, Pratt said she is “finding the great in every thing.” “Not a number of artists get to experience playing a personality that they began after they were 14,” she added.
Pratt’s teenage fear never got here true. As an alternative, the voice she believed would get her fired carried Penny Proud across two generations, and kept bringing her back to a task that now connects her childhood, profession, and family.