The Voice of Kyla Pratt

I'm very very excited. But before we get into our our guest, I do want to mention that this is going to be the last episode that will be airing before entry window closes for the super Awesome Contest to become the next big voice actor. It's so much easier to say that when Christie's not here, strangely enough, um easier for me anyway. But she is going to be bummed. I know she is going to miss out on announcing uh, the end of the entry period for the contest, and

we have gotten some entries. We have gotten some amazing entries, no joke. We're going to find somebody who is going to be able to step into the booth day one with any of our colleagues, because there are some talented people out there. Please keep keep sending in your entries. And they keep climbing every every day, So don't forget. Please send in up to a two minute audio or video, only two minutes. We are now starting to get so

many that our poor producer has not slept. Vicky hasn't slept in as long as I can remember, and she needs a little break. So please nothing over two minutes. Send it in too. I hear voices at I Heart radio dot com and uh yeah, just very briefly running through the prizes once again, you get flown out to l A. You get you have lunch with Christine and I. It's l A. I don't know why I said l A. That's very odd, um, but you know, lunch with Christy

and I A thousand dollars spending money. You're gonna come record some stuff for I hear voices, and of course you also win a coaching session with Emmy Award winning director Sam Regal and or Mary McGlenn, both from the Legend of Vox mock in A. Season two is now streaming on Prime Video. Uh it's an awesome show. I

think they released like two or three a week. And I'm I'm not just saying it's an awesome show because I'm on it, which I am, which of course makes it more awesome murmur, But it is a very awesome show. Go and check it out. It's it's very much worth it. And man a training session with the two of them, or one of them or both of them. I don't know how it's gonna work, but it's going to be incredible and I might want to be a fly on

the wall for that one. And everybody is going out and telling their friends, their family, the people at the bank, the people at the grocery store about this contest, and we are getting submissions from everywhere, so please keep them coming in because it is so much fun. It really is so much fun, and we're gonna find somebody that's going to be able to come and play. But don't forget, this is the last chance for you to enter because

the contest closes February nine, two thousand. That works at eleven fifty nine and fifty nine seconds that is Eastern time, So send in your submissions because again, uh, February tenth is just too late, and we are going to find somebody. It's gonna be a ton of fun. And once the submissions are done, then we get into the contest, and we're not even gonna start telling you about the contest,

but it is going to be absolutely incredible. Imagine the Hunger Games without the murder um, which is essentially what we're going through. Uh, it's going to be great all the way around. We are going to have a blast. So that's my spiel, my last pitch. Anything to add Christie, that's right, she's not here. I keep forgetting that. No, So it is gonna be totally fun, amazing time send it in. That's what we got. But today's episode. I have been looking forward to this episode for a while.

I love Disney stuff, you know, coming from Boy's World, Kim Possible. I'm a Disney kid myself, so anytime I get to to talk to somebody else who is also has that Disney background, that's amazing. But when I get to talk to somebody who was on a show that is one of the most important shows in the history's Disney Channel, and I do not believe that as hyperbole. I think that is true. I am really really excited.

So today we get to welcome to I hear voices uh from the Emmy Award winning Disney Plus original series and from the original series The Proud Family. I'm so happy, can you please help me? Welcome Kayla Pratt? Hello, Hello, Yay, how are you? I'm good? How are you? I'm good? Thanks? Is this like the fiftie one of these you've done today? Not yet? This is the third third fifty Okay? Good? You got me still await. Yes, we got you early and caffeinated. That's how I love. How are you doing?

I'm doing good? How are you? I'm good? Thanks? Thank you so much for joining us here. We'll joining me here. Unfortunately Christy couldn't be here today. Oh it's okay, So it's just you got It's even better, it's just me, It's just you, which is how are you? I'm good? I'm you know, I'm finally awake. So that's good. That's Mark doing lots of press, trying to make sure that people know that we're happening. And uh and it's during the high high It this week of my other show,

so I kind of get no days off. I got kids at home saying they stuffy noses. That much knows a lot going on. That's gonna say. You've got quite a bit happening right now. But that's what you exactly. No, no no, no, that's what hey, as actors were all happy when we have too much to do. Um, and that is a wonderful thing, right It's either one or the other. It's not let me just do something really quick.

It's either too much or absolutely nothing. Well, you are very much firmly ensconced in the too much part of your career right now, because well, I was gonna say, you've got so I will will being I hear voices. Of course we will get into all the animated stuff. But I mean, first of all, just starting with you. Your on Call Me Cat, Yes, you know, which has been a huge hit for for Fox. UM, so you're you're doing. You're one of the few people that has come on the show that is right now in the

middle of doing both on camera and voiceover. So you are in the perfect position to tell us which one do you prefer? Oh oh, um, I would say I was, I was, I have to say voice over, I yes. But it's because I mean, I don't get me wrong, I love being on camera. I love what I do, I love performing UM, but I'm also a very chill person. So I love being able to go into the booth with like sweats and a hat and a hoodie and just yelling into a microphone until I forget that I

have to. I exert so much energy that I get a little light hitt and I'm like, oh wait, because I didn't you forget how much energy you have to put into it. But to like when I was younger, was the first time that I have I was doing a TV show and I was doing animation at the same time, The Proud Family the first time around, and I used to love it. But I used to lose my voice all the time, and I didn't realize that, you know, as a young actor, I was thinking about

like my facial expressions and how I was looking. But then when I got behind the microphone, I didn't have to worry about that, and I think I was able to become like Sillier and Goofier and just making the faces in order to get out whatever I needed to get out, you know. So that kind of affected me, and so now I don't know how to not look silly.

We've talked before about how essentially every actor is insecure, and you're especially when you're on camera, You're worried about how I'm looking, what I'm doing and then when you get behind the microphone, there's just this freedom of the acting where it doesn't matter exactly what you said, it doesn't matter how you look, doesn't matter how people are perceiving. You just get to just act like you're a kid again in front of a microphone, and it's just absolutely wonderful.

It's it's amazing. What's crazy is like the first time I did it, I was I was fourteen, and of course we all have our issues. Always tell people like, look, we're actors, were very unstable, just just deal with it, okay. But I was like, at first, I was like, wait, my voice sounds crazy. Like now, because you couldn't see me, I was finding something else wrong with me, something else that where I didn't like, and so I didn't really like my voice and I was like, oh my gosh,

how am I doing voice over? This is not gonna work. They're gonna fire me, Like, oh my voice sounds crazy. And then after doing this show, I'm like so many people my voice is so distinctive, and so many people love my voice, and it kind of made me be like, okay, stop picking it yourself, stop picking it every little thing, like everything about you is how it's supposed to be. And ultimately it made me stop finding reasons or things that I didn't like and it was like, let it go,

Like you're making up stuff. Now, that's amazing. Yeah, I think people forget that because we were we were quote unquote child actors. We're still just people growing up and we have the same issues that every other person has

growing up. We're just doing it in front of everybody else. Absolutely, And I'm I'm always a very big mental health advocate and I'm always talking to people about you know, realizing and recognizing that people that a lot of people put on these pedestals and it's like, no, no, we're human beings and we're experiencing the same things that you've experienced, and sometimes most of the time at a heightened level, and it's it's it's more intense, you know, and it's

just I'm like, hey, we're normal people. We go through crazy things and we're extremely insecure about everything we do. So now it's like everything is amplified. And so but I think as a as a kid in this business, once you recognize that, you go, okay, I'm tripping, don't don't don't make fun of yourself or don't down yourself, you know what I mean. Like I'm I've always been super self aware, so I realized as when I'm doing it to me and so yeah, I think that's amazing

working on it. I think, well, I think you gotta We're gonna have to work on that for entire lives. Um. And so this is a perfect I was going to get into the mental health stuff a little bit later, but this is, uh, you know, a perfect place to do it since you mentioned it, because I've been open about the fact that when I was about twenty three, I got hit with an anxiety disorder that totally changed the course of my life. And you talk about that as much as you can, because talking about it is

one of the most important things you can do. I would argue it is the most important thing you can do for for your positive mental health is being okay about you know, speaking about it when you have to, when you can with anybody who's dealing with it. So how did you get into the whole kind of world of mental health advocacy? UM? I feel like I kind of just fell into it. I have UM, I've always questioned certain things about me, but I was always very uh confident, like out loud. As a kid. UM, I

didn't really beat myself up up too much. It was little things here and there. But as I got older and I became a mom, I started to question, UM so many things. I started to be nervous that I wasn't going to be the best mom, and um I was. I was. I was putting pressure on myself and knowing that there were so many things that I can do and say that I can put on my children and they can ultimately affect them mentally, and I just became overwhelmed.

And when I had my youngest daughter, UM, she was premature, and I realized that I started feeling negative all the time. Like I am the most positive. I find the good in everything. And I really started to like be like, you're not good for this, You're not able to do this, and I'd be like no, no, no, no, no, what where where is this coming from? So my positivity was fighting off the negative thoughts and I just, you know,

I didn't feel myself for so long. And when I started to slowly feel myself again, I said, this is something that I should talk about, like in interviews or with other people, because I know that other people are going through these things, and if you hear someone talking

about it, it helps you feel not alone. Um, if you're struggling through the process, and I think to me, a mental health like that's something that can help nourish other people is knowing that someone else is experiencing the same feelings that you're feeling and you're not alone in this feeling. It doesn't last forever, and take deep breaths and it's okay, You're not abnormal. And I think it's always been taboo because everyone wanted to seem perfect. Everyone's perfect,

we are or we're celebrities. Were supposed to have the best skin and the best hair and all of this money that's gonna handle all of our problems. So people look at you like, who do you think you are having issues? Or who do you think you are? You? Oh, you have anxiety? Like you have a good life, because

they see what we show them. And I constantly am trying to let people know, like, no, baby, I have days, Okay, I don't want I want to lay down, I am overworking myself, or I need to make time for certain things, or all of a sudden, now feel anxiety and I'll be like, what is going on? And I'm like, wait, wait, wait, I'm just having anxiety. I have to take deep breaths and and when you start to recognize it and you become more aware of how you're feeling, you know, it

helps you get out of this. It's a lifelong journey for all of us. And I think constantly telling people you're not alone, and these people who you think have it all together are going through a similar things, so

just it's okay, you know, no, I agree. I think it's amazing, and I also think i'm One of the things I talked about a lot is the fact that I personally believe that social media has not helped at all because it is one of those things where everybody's putting out that they're having their best life, and everybody's looking at it thinking, wow, all these people's lives are so much better than mine, when in reality, everybody's going through their own stuff. I mean, just like you said,

it doesn't it doesn't matter how many fault. We won't even get into the fact that they're called followers, but how many uh you know, people are are watching you and thinking to themselves, well, yeah, that your their life is perfect. They're working all the time and you have to kind of remind them like, no, we're we're all real people and we're all going through the same stuff.

And um, just like you said, nothing helped me with my anxiety more than talking about it and and other people talking about there's because just like you said, then you know you're not alone. You know that there's other people out there going through exactly what you are. So I cannot applaud you enough for bringing that to the forefront because it's it's hugely important. Thank you. I did an interview recently and I didn't realize that I I

felt that way with social media. Like I always say, I'm so glad I didn't talk UK during that time and having kids right now during that time, it's like I'm holding off as long as possible. But I had told someone recently I was like, you know, growing up, my mom always told us like movies and TV, that's entertainment, not real life. This is entertainment. These people are not real.

This is just to entertain you. And so it kind of helped me not think like, oh, watching a certain movie, that's how I'm supposed to add to These are things I'm supposed to do. So now I'm kind of letting people know, like, hey, social media is entertainment. That's all it is. It's entertainment. It's entertainment. I'm like I'm today, I'm like, oh, what's the best picture I can post? And every once in a while, I go, Okay, I need to post a picture with my makeup not done.

So when people see me when I'm not doing interviews and stuff, they know Tyler is not like this all day every day. It's not happening. My favorite way to be is hair on the pony's tail, face washed, moisturized, sweats on, and chilling. So in a while I'm like, dang, I haven't posted anything like that recently. I gotta do that. I gotta make sures like the normal. Yeah, because that's what it is. Again, one of the best things I ever different my anxieties. I erased all my social media.

It's been almost three years and it's been just wonderful. So I always say, you know what they're saying about the saying about me on the internet, because I don't. I have no idea. I don't know it's and that's hard because I remember I saw something recently where it was like my name come came up in something and I was like what, Like, I'm not even and I had to go get alone let it go. And I'm

one of those people. I'm really big on address saying like people, but in the social media world, it's like there's no points. Like social media has made it okay for people to just say anything and everything they want with no consequences, and it's like you can't argue with people, like just let them be and just you know what, enjoy whatever. This makes you feel good about enjoying. So you mentioned growing up that your your mom made sure

you knew that it was just entertainment. So speaking of entertainment, you know, cartoon wise, what did you grow up watching. What were your favorite kind of animated series when you grew up and were you even an animation fan growing up? Oh my goodness, I'm trying to like flash back because I feel like I've just been a Disney kid my entire life, like well before being a part of the family officially. Um, and I mentioned I'm trying to think of anything animated. Um, I mean we were talking all

morning about the Lion King. I was also like the bed knobs and Broomstig's Girls or mixture of animation and real life. We I had all the VHS is the

little the white cassette. Um now I'm like, I know I look younger than I am, but we had all the all the white cassette tapes, and we just had them lined up with Sleeping Beauty and beauty and the best, all the big, all the big ones with the big plastic opening thing and the pictures of the front and as soon as you step on it, now that VHS doesn't fit in anymore and you're trying to readjust the inside. But yeah, I loved all of those. A hunchback and

not like everything I was. I'm a big like I'm a big kid, and I and I and I love that I've kept that. I feel like every adult needs to keep that in order to like just be happy my kids. I want them to be kids as long as possible, and then I don't want them to lose

that essence. I feel like being able to create and use your imagination, I've but like that helps as well, because once you go into this like large world of like no more play time, time to work, time to pay bills, it's like, wait, you just you just took colors out of their hand and just said, hey, learn this, and that's not fair like allow them to, you know, keep that. And I think if everyone kept that the

world would be such a better place. I agree. One of the mottos I live by, and my wife always makes fun of me for this in a fun way, is there's a very big difference between childish and childlike. Yes, so childlike you should never lose. I mean ever, childish not so good? Childlike wonderful. I love. I've never heard that, and I love it because I agree that no childish nothing we don't do. We don't do childish things. But childlike absolutely amazing. Absolutely. Okay, So gonna put you on

the spot. Disney movies growing up? What's your favorite one? I mean, between Lion King and all that kind of stuff, what's your favite? What's your favorite one? You have to pick one Disney movie, the favorite one. I gotta pick one, uh, the first one that pops in ahead. I'm gonna say Aladdin. I have to say Aladdin. I loved everything about it.

Robin Williams, is this the freaking genie man like? I just I love from the voices from the like anything and everything, the music, the carpet ride, the Jasmine being stubborn but still wanting to be a princess and still yes, a whole new world. But hold on, I can handle this. I love everything about Aladdin. Aladdin was phenomenal. It really was phenomenal. They had four or five in a row there where they just kept getting better. It seemed like

I love it. Just it felt like, I think, just reminding us of magic, you know, like we never we if you could have three wishes, what would you want? And then the street street rats trying to Um, trying to con him into more wishes and getting him. I love everything about it. And I think also for me, I think that movie was like I saw other movies as a kid, but I feel like that was for me where I felt the first time seeing like someone with brown skin, and so it made me feel I

felt more relatable to the character. And uh so I think that's why that's the first one that popped into my head. That's incredible. I love that. Okay, so then how did you find voiceover where you know? What was? How did you because again we can I I can sit here and I have your resume that I've been studying all morning and we can talk about everything from Dr Doolittle, love and basketball, fat alb our Hotel for dogs one on one, Let's stay together, call me Catro.

I mean, you're just doing one thing after another. So how did you find v O? What's crazy is that I started auditioning for voiceovers, and I was like, why my voice is weird? And I was like, not knowing that that's a good thing for your voice to be weird in that in that in that area. But um, yeah, I just I auditioned for the Proud Family and it just so happened that the character looked like me and um,

and then I I hopped on board. But what's been amazing for me is that this time around for the Loud, the Proud Family louder and prouder. Now it's like twentysothing years later, and I'm so much more comfortable within myself and with my voice. And so now I've been able to see my growth in the voiceover lane. I've been able to push my limits and and be singing and dancing and just screaming. And I even did UM recently. I did UM some voiceover work for Adam's family too. Yeah.

When I first heard about it, I was like, oh, look cool, I'm gonna log on. Everything was via zoom and I was like, oh, yeah, I'm gonna log on. Let's see what characters I don't know what they're gonna have me play. And they're like, oh no, we're gonna have you play several characters. And I'm like, I'm sorry, what, oh I have to do different voices, like oh, okay, but one thing about Kyla kinda likes a challenge, so and and and I'm talking about Kyler the third person.

That's how you know that. But I also like to make sure, like I don't like to feel like there's anything that I can't do, Like I love to try new things, and with that project, I I wanted to. Like they were like, oh, you're gonna be a little kid, and I'm like, okay, a little kid boy or girl, boy or girl. And then I would just like say, let's see what comes out, and I just I just went with it. And I end up being like four characters in the film, and my kids watched it, and

but they knew all the characters. Of course. Now I'm curious, how did you do? How did you do how did you do the little how did you do the little kid voice? Um? Which one did I? I think I just swim here and I just start talking very silly and going like this, and how do you mean that's amazing? How much fun is that? How much fun is that? Right? Right? Just to be able to like try to do different

things and be different people. And I, you know, I don't like to doubt myself, but it's not something that I sat back and was like, Oh, how many voices can I do? Now? I'm just like, oh you little man? All right? Like I just come like randomly. I'm like, all right, let's see what comes from that. So did you I guess I'm how long before you started recording Proud Family the second time did you hear there was

a possibility that the show could be rebooted? Um? Not long at all, really, Actually, I got the call from Bruce Smith and Ralph Farkar are creators and UM, when I found out that they wanted to revive it, and they asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. I was like, what do you mean? I was like, are you guys gonna try to get someone else? Like a lot of beautiful talented young women in this industry,

but don't play with me. You're a penny, your penny. No, But I was like absolutely, And then knowing that they were going to be a part of it, I knew that the essence of it would be the same um. Reboots in revivals sometimes scare me because I'm the one that's like, no, that's classic, leave it alone or don't

you messed up? But knowing that they were going to be a part, I was like, Oh, this is gonna be just basically Proud Families two point oh, which it turned into be like and I love the name of it. We are literally louder and prouder and there's no way that I would not be a part of this. That's amazing. So your kids, your kids essentially grown up watching you

as Penny Proud. Yes, what's crazy is um? Back in the day, I didn't have like I had all the DVDs, but they were like in storage or something like and um, we had the Proud Family movie and I think my oldest was probably like five, my youngest was two, and I was like, they'll only play this movie and see if they recognize my voice, which they did, so that was an amazing feeling. And then um Disney Plus released The Proud Family, the original series on Disney Plus, and

so my kids were able to binge watch it. And with the revival, like literally last the first season back, we were releasing a new episode every Wednesday, and so my daughter would come home and be like, Mommy, is it Wednesday? Mommy, is it Wednesday? I'm ready for a new episode. And now this time around, she's been asking me, we're counting down to February first, like literally every day

She's like, well, Daisy, how many days? Okay? And then she just found out that all of the episodes are gonna rerelease at one time, and she's just like, I'm like, no, you have to go to sleep. You cannot watch Okay, maybe two episodes tonight, you can't binge. You can't binge. Yeah. The fact that they're so excited you do it just

helps me become more excited. I know in a couple of years they're gonna be old and not want to hang out with me, even though I'm going to force them too, But I'm excited that they love something that I'm doing. Well. We are super excited as well. I just very quickly want to read. So some of the not only is the original cast back, but some of the guest stars coming out. Gabrielle Union, Chance, The Rapper, um Leslie, Odom Junior, Anthony Anderson, Dominique Dowes, Gabby Douglas,

Holly Robinson, Pete Mario. The list goes on and on of the amazing guest stars that are coming out. So make sure you check out because you got all the episodes of the second season of the Emmy Award winning original series The Proud Family, Louder and Prouder. They're gonna be streaming only on Disney Plus. Kyla, I cannot thank

you enough for for joining us. I know that you are so busy, uh, not only in work, but in your personal life, and you are just crushing it on all fronts, and to uh to come on and take the time to talk to us is very very sweet. So Christie ms, poor Christie. I appreciate it. I know I missed her and we've been talking about this for so long. Thank you. You are definitely a part of

my childhood. I tell you my brothers are gonna be so jealous that I've talked to you today and I appreciate you and sharing all the things that you've experienced and staying strong and keeping going and thank you for your time today. Well, thank you so much. Don't forget you still need to sleep, take care of yourself during all this junk and stuff too. I will sleep. But Proud Family, Louder and Prouder call me Cat. Essentially turn

on your TV and there she is, Kyla. Thank you so much for joining us, Thank you so much for having me. Bye. Man, How amazing was that? Christie? Oh that's right, still not here? Um, yeah, she missed a great one. Uh. And I get to she's gonna be jealous, and I get to rub it in her face that frankly, I got to sit here and talk to Kyla Pratt. Who is I said at the beginning of the show,

Disney Royalty and in everything? And rightfully so. She is truly one of those people where you look and you say, I'm so glad she's as successful as she is because it couldn't happen to a nicer person, you know how, you say that that's her. Uh, So go watch call Me Cat, Go watch uh the new Proud Family again, Louder and Prouder. I'm gonna plug it again because if it's half as good as the original one, it's going to be one of the best animated series out there.

It is all episodes of the second season, so you don't even have to wait. Of the Proud Family. Louder and Prouder are streaming only on Disney Plus. Go check it out. Uh Kyla is going to kill it again, I'm sure because when you're that talented, you kind of don't know any other way. So thank you for joining

us once again. If you're listening to this, this is your last opportunity to send us a two minute up to two minute video or audio two I hear voices at i heart radio dot com for the super Awesome contest to become the next Big Voice Actor. Yes, come and join us. We're gonna find somebody. We're gonna find a colleague. So yes, remember this is it February nine. After that it is closed and it becomes Thunderdome because we're gonna put people against each other and we are

going to find the next Big Voice actor. I'm not even gonna tell you who's gonna be joining us as our special guests, but we are going to have special guest judges every week that are gonna help us pick who's moving on. Uh. Some of the biggest names in voice over. You have heard these people your entire life. It's good to be awesome, amazing. So again, I Hear Voices at I Heart Radio dot Com up to two minutes.

Do whatever you want, funny voices, character reads, Uh, you want to do add reads, you think you've got the next in a world voice, whatever you want to do. Once again, Kyla Pratt, thank you so much for joining us. Go watch all of her stuff. She's amazing. Join the contest. When a thousand dollars come out to l a sign with my agency C S D. I might not have even said that at the beginning when I was talking about all the other stuff. That's the big one, folks,

that's the big prize. You get to sign with C E s D my voice over agency. Thank you for joining us, and don't ever forget. If you think you got what it takes to do what we do, then step up and put your voices where your mouth is. Thanks everybody. I Hear Voices is hosted by Wilfred il and Christy Carlson Romano. Executive produced by Wilfred Ill Brendan Rooney, Amy Sugarman and Vicky Ernst Chang. Our executive in charge of production is Danielle Romo, Our producers Lorraine Vera Wez,

and our editor slash engineer is Brian Burton. And that was my announcer voice. Some side effects of listening to I Hear Voices are sore abs from hilarity falling down the Coco melon rabbit hole, sneezing due to mass nostalgia, and hugs. Follow I Hear Voices wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss any of the amazing voices. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok at I Hear Voices podcast. You can also check us out on my space omeigal Vine, Lime Wire. Hey I'm a napster. Okay, well,

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