Kyla Pratt’s voice helped transform Penny Proud into one of Disney Channel’s most recognizable animated characters, but the actress originally believed it would cost her the job.
Pratt was just 14 when “The Proud Family” debuted in 2001, and hearing herself as the show’s teenage lead triggered an insecurity she could not ignore. Instead of recognizing that her natural voice made Penny relatable, Pratt became convinced that Disney would eventually decide she was wrong 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 understand why she had been cast in a voiceover role.
“Filming the show when I was a teenager, I didn’t like my voice,” she told PEOPLE Magazine. “I was like, ‘How am I auditioning for a voiceover? How is this happening? And I was like, ‘I’m going to get fired. They are not going to like this.’”
The actress now recognizes that she was her own “biggest critic.” Rather than being fired, Pratt remained the voice of Penny throughout the original series, its television movie, and the Disney+ revival.
The same 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. In addition to voicing Penny, she starred as Breanna Barnes in 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, however, she recognizes how rare it was to lead two shows simultaneously as a teenager.
The original “Proud Family” followed Penny as she navigated school, friendships, adolescence, and the frequently embarrassing behavior of her father, Oscar Proud. The series ran for two seasons before concluding with “The Proud Family Movie” in 2005.
Its focus on a Black family and willingness to address 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 opportunity to revisit Penny as an adult. “The vibe when I am stepping into the booth to be Penny Proud is always amazing,” she said. “It’s complete nostalgia.”
Pratt recently spoke with her daughters, Lyric and Liyah, about growing older without losing the childlike part of themselves. Returning to Penny has allowed her to do exactly that. “To have something like ‘The Proud Family’ to connect me to my younger self, for me, every 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 dress 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. According to Disney+, the 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 in their increasingly dependent relationship.
The final season will explore the consequences of that decision as Penny tries to regain her family’s trust. Along the way, she will be pulled into unexpected adventures that challenge her courage and identity.
Pratt will be joined by returning cast 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 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 these things don’t last forever, [so] you take it in a little bit more,” she said.
Rather than focusing entirely on the sadness of leaving the character behind, Pratt said she is “finding the good in everything.” “Not a lot of artists get to experience playing a character that they started when they were 14,” she added.
Pratt’s teenage fear never came true. Instead, the voice she believed would get her fired carried Penny Proud across two generations, and kept bringing her back to a role that now connects her childhood, career, and family.