Rugrats is a modernized version of the classic Nickelodeon animated series of the same name from the 90s, which ran for ten seasons. In the Paramount+ revival, the cast of adventurous babies are brought into the modern-day -- with several of the original voice actors reprising their roles, including E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Kath Soucie and Cree Summer.
During an interview with CBR, Daily, Cartwright, Soucie and Summer discussed reprising their roles and what elements of the show make it as enjoyable today as it was 30 years ago.
At its core, 2021's Rugrats is very similar to the original, focusing on a cast of imaginative toddlers taking their first steps into an unpredictable and colorful world. Despite the years that have passed since she last voiced Phil and Lil, Soucie noted how easy it was to rediscover the characters. "It was just like getting back on the tricycle," Soucie said. "They were little friends who lived within ourselves and each other. It was easy-peasy." Daily, the voice behind the group's inquisitive leader Tommy, added, "With the voice, we've lived with them for so long. I think they were as itchy to come out as everyone was to see Rugrats again."
Similar to the recent Nickelodeon reimaginings of Kamp Koral (which brings the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants into a new setting with a fresh redesign), the animation shifted from 2D to CGI and wowed the cast -- particularly with how vivid the reimagined designs were. "My eyes bugged out of my head," Catwright, the voice of Chucky, revealed. "I couldn't believe how vibrantly beautiful the colors were... You could almost feel Chucky's little Reptar toy."
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Despite the shift in the show's look and time period, the animated series stays true to the original Rugrats' characters and tone. Even if the technology around them has advanced, the core characters endearingly resemble their earlier forms. "I think the key element of this franchise is the characters," Cree, the voice behind Susie, stated. "These characters are so well-developed, so particular. And not just the characters, but the friendships that they inhabit. That's the key." Cree also cited the bonds between the families, which was something Cartwright heartily agreed with and added, "The familiarity of the family relationships -- we've all been separated from our families this year, and Rugrats coming back to bring everyone back together. The timing is beautiful."
"It still sort invites kids to understand that these are their friends," Soucie noted about the show's overall tone. "That's still there, that feeling that we're all pals together, 'Come have an adventure with us.'" For Cree, that sentiment was especially prevalent with Susie, who was introduced in the original show's second season and became a major character in the franchise. "I love Susie Carmichael," Cree said. "She's real representation. Every little brown girl has those braids. I had them, my babies have them. And to see her entire healthy, loving, beautiful family. You know, cartoons are really the first time that kids get to dream about all the things they can be, and unfortunately, brown kids are underrepresented. Susie was so imperative. She was so right on."
Check out the interview below.
Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Paramount+'s Rugrats is based on the series created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain. Rugrats stars E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, Cheryl Chase, Cree Summer, Kath Soucie, Ashley Rae Spillers, Tommy Dewey, Tony Hale, Natalie Morales, Anna Chlumsky, Timothy Simons, Nicole Byer, Omar Miller and Michael McKean. The series is available on Paramount+.
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