In February, Paramount+ announced that the veteran voice acting cast from 1991’s popular Nickelodeon animated series Rugrats would be returning to voice their CG-reimagined toddler playmates in the series’ upcoming reboot. However, last week the incoming steamer announced that an all-new cast of comedic actors – including Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep) and Nicole Byer (Nailed It!, *Loosely Exactly Nicole) – would will fill-out the line-up of the series’ adult characters.
Deadline reported that voice actors E.G. Daily (The Powerpuff Girls, Curious George), Nancy Cartwright (The Simpsons, Kim Possible), Cheryl Chase (Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show), Cree Summer (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Vampirina) and Kath Soucie (Space Jam, Futurama) would all return to reprise their roles as Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Angelica Pickles, Susie Carmichael and twins Phil and Lil DeVille in the franchises latest iteration. “Having the voice cast behind these special characters come together is one of the essential pieces to making the show recognizable and we can’t wait to watch this talented group bring them to life again” Deadline quoted Nickelodeon Animation President Ramsey Naito.
A majority of Rugrats’ original cast have returned for follow-up entries to the franchise including three theatrical releases, video games and the 2003 spin-off series All Grown Up!.
Shortly after the announcement that the cast would once again return for the Paramount+ series, a first look trailer saw the classic characters in action in their new world of CG animation. Deadline referred to the original series of Rugrats as “a groundbreaking phenomenon,” and Paramount+ aims to capitalize on the elements that made the series so special all-the-while introducing new points of intrigue for a 2021 audience.
The fresh new voice cast, announced last week, exemplified the Rugrats commitment to combining nostalgia with novelty. “We are really excited about our adult cast on Rugrats,” Nickelodeon President Brian Robbins told Deadline “we thought there was an opportunity for new exciting comedic voices who grew up watching and being fans of the show.”
Tommy’s parents – “artisan and blogger Didi and optimistic inventor Stu”- will be voiced by Ashley Rae Spillers (Vice Principals, Red vs. Blue) and Tommy Dewey (Casual, The Mindy Project), according to Attractions Magazine. Spillers shared the news on her Instagram, saying “I can’t wait for you and your kiddos to see this funny, special, beautiful show.”
Natalie Morales’ (Parks and Recreation, Dead to Me) Betty is the mother of troublemaking twins Phil and Lil, a coffee shop owner and best friend of Spillers’ Didi, via Attractions Magazine. In the original iteration of Rugrats, Betty was married to Howard DeVille, though many felt the character was queer-coded and this latest casting news has sparked speculation that the new version of Rugrats may see Betty as queer single mother. Morales’ shared her excitement about the casting news on Twitter, calling it “a dream come true”.
Omar Miller (Ballers, The Unicorn) will join Byer in the role of Susie’s parents Randy, a science teacher, and Lucy, a physician. Miller celebrated “sneaking into” the Rugrats reboot on Twitter, to which Paramount+ responded that they were glad he did, via Twitter.
With Hale as Chuckie Finster’s dad Chas and Anna Chlumsky (Veep, My Girl) and Timothy Simons (Veep, Looking for Alaska) as Angelica’s parents, Charlotte and Drew, the new Rugrats series will feature a minature Veep reunion in it’s adult voice cast. Finally, Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul) will round out the cast as Grandpa Lou Pickles.
A trailer ahead of the series could provide a preview at Rugrats new voice cast in action and perhaps give fans a chance to glimpse in-demand characters not yet announced from the series such as Kimi and Kira Watanabe-Finster. According to Deadline, the all new Rugrats series will air on Paramount+ this spring.