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Family is as family does, and this one is proud.
When Penny Proud, The Proud Family, and her whole crew hit the scene in the 2001 Disney television series, it was a hit.
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Disney Channel / Via youtube.comFor five seasons, The Proud Family captured my heart, and now it’s back with The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+. The show’s creators Ralph Farquhar and Bruce Smith opened up about what it's like to be the brains behind one of the most marvelous animated series around.
Between chopping it up with The Proud Family creators and being so impacted by the show, I have so many reasons to love this beautiful art, and I’m about to share seven with you right now.
1. The Proud Family's iconic creators Bruce Smith and Ralph Farquhar bring Black animation to the forefront.
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Before there was The Proud Family, there were very few animation series including Black characters and even fewer animated series by Black creators. When Ralph Farquhar and Bruce Smith ventured on the path to develop the show, the two artists knew that they would be giving audiences something groundbreaking that they had never seen before. They had no idea the show would be such a timeless hit, now they embrace the warm welcome back from fans.
Long before Farquhar and Smith inked their exclusive overall deal with Disney to revive The Proud Family and continue to build out their lane for diverse, meaningful stories, they were both struck by inspiration to become professional creatives in Hollywood.
In March 2021, Zuri Ward at Blavity published an article detailing the history of Black cartoons on television.
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She wrote, “It’s no secret that Black cartoon characters have lit up every cartoon from Josie and the Pussycats to Rugrats. Many of these characters were memorable in their own right and broke down barriers in living rooms across America. But don’t be fooled — Black cartoon characters were more than just sidekicks and tokens." Ward does an excellent job of showcasing the meaningful history of Black animated characters on shows such as Harlem Globetrotters on CBS to Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and of course, “for many millennials, no cartoon was realer than The Proud Family," she poignantly says.
When I spoke with Oscar-winner and The Proud Family creator Bruce Smith, he told a story about how he enjoyed Black animated characters like the ones on Zuri Ward’s list, yet he rarely saw Black cartoonists or creators.
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This was evident to Smith in the designs of Black characters who often all shared the same shade of brown for their skin tones.
A conversation with a friend about some of their favorite cartoons — The Flintstones and The Jetsons — sparked Smith’s venture into the world of professional animation. Smith received praise for his artwork from his friend and was encouraged to do something that had not been done before. Bruce set out to see Black characters represented in the past and future of animation by working on projects that are interesting to him. Something his work on the Warner Bros.’ 1996 film Space Jam starring Michael Jordan got him a bit closer to do before creating the Proud Family.
Legendary producer and fellow The Proud Family creator Ralph Farquhar was a struggling actor who realized there were no roles that he wanted to play that were available to him.
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Slave #1 and Gang Banger #3 were the types of roles he was auditioning for, so he wanted to write roles that he would be proud to play. Farquhar's career journey shines a light on being a Black man in America. His work focuses on telling Black stories in ways that are informative and uplifting, such as his work on the 1990s UPN sitcom Moesha starring Brandy Norwood.
When The Proud Family franchise launched as an animated television series on the Disney Channel in 2001, the show joined the ranks of other animated after-school series such as Recess, Braceface, and Totally Spies!; however, it is the only one among the group that centers on a Black family or includes more than one Black character.
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Ralph Farquhar and Bruce Smith successfully created a lane for a children's animated series about a Black family and their multi-cultural community that captured the Disney Channel's “tween” audience of the early 2000s.
The show’s undeniable success is demonstrated in its 23 award nominations and 6 wins. The talented and diverse cast stars Kyla Pratt as Penny Proud, Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, Jo Marie Payton as Suga Mama, and Tara Strong as BeBe and CeCe Proud. Penny’s neighbors and schoolmates are played by Karen Malina White, Soleil Moon Frye, Alisa Reyes, Orlando Brown, Raquel Lee, and Carlos Mencia.
2. For teaching me that every family needs a thumpin' theme song like The Proud Family.
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Disney Channel / Via youtube.comSinging along to the show’s theme song then watch Penny work to out-smart Oscar Proud’s strict rules and sneak past the sleepy eye of Suga Mama is a ritual. During this era of television, a great opening theme song was one of the ways to seal a sweet and distinct sound into the ears of the audience. The song features the vocal stylings of Destiny’s Child and Solange Knowles, which makes the opening music a family project in and of itself.
The contemporary version of the theme song is performed by recording artist Joyce Wrice who sings the original lyrics but switches up the R&B melody to complement the heavy-hitting hip-hop mix.
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Disney Channel / Via youtube.comFor such an impactful show to be revived 21 years after its original airdate and stay true to its legacy by being the culture is everything. The throwback theme song is a jewel for being a record that joins together Beyoncé, Solange, Kelly, and Michelle, and the new version is sure to be just as special to all of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder fans.
The Proud Family's skillful use of melodic music is also seen throughout the series with musical numbers that further express the artistic elegance and fantastical wonder of the show's universe.
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Disney Channel / Via youtube.comThe Proud Family Fact: Beyoncé and Solange's mother, Tina Lawson, makes her voiceover debut on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
3. The Proud Family brings diverse, nuanced stories to the screen.
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Along with its diverse cast of voice actors, The Proud Family depicts a diverse set of stories in the original television series and the revived show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, where the characters are aged by two years.
The creators shared about how much fan art they have seen where fans have sketched and designed The Proud Family characters as adults, members of Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs), or with more realism. Farquhar and Smith are amazed at how many fans love the show so much that they create their own art. The designs have made it to the stars of the show, including Jo Marie Payton who voices Suga Mama and would love to see fans include her character in their artwork because Suga Mama is very much alive y’all! 😉
The show’s protagonist, Penny Proud, is voiced by Kyla Pratt. Penny is a goodie-two-shoes who isn’t completely a square.
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In the original series, Penny Proud is a 12-year-old. She's a young Black girl who just wants to be successful in life by excelling academically, joining teams, and having good relationships with her friends. Penny is lovable, and easy to identify with, and Kyla Pratt’s voice brings the character to life. She is but one representation of several unique young female characters on the show who are all discovering themselves as they journey closer to womanhood.
Penny’s best friend Dijonay Jones is voiced by Karen Malina White who brings the spice that is very befitting of the firecracker of a character.
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Dijonay is head cheerleader, shady, and quite comical in the way she loves her some Sticky — her love interest voiced by Orlando Brown. Dijonay is known for re-applying her lip gloss, being the queen of gossip, encouraging Penny to be more adventurous with boys, and for doing her best to balance the beef Penny has with LaCienega Boulevardez.
Penny’s arch-nemesis and forever rival LaCienega Boulevardez is Dijonay’s other best friend. LaCienega is voiced by Alisa Reyes, giving life to the girl who sees herself as confident and stylish.
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When LaCienega shows up to compete with Penny for a spot on the cheerleading team, Penny Proud’s peppy spirit turns sour real quick. Dijonay and LaCienega met when they were 4 years old, and they got along really well at camp, so that was enough for Dijonay to give her the "bff" title, which Penny can hardly stomach. She’s experiencing jealousy and feels left out; it is something to which many tween girls can relate. LaCienega is of Latin descent as is evidenced by her grandfather Felix Boulevardez who is often roasting people in Spanish.
The fourth homegirl to round out this friend group is Zoey Howzer — voiced by Soleil Moon Frye — who plays the peacekeeper with a bit of bite.
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Zoey is of Jewish descent with freckles, braces, and glasses. Zoey walks the straight and narrow path so much so that her lessons often involve perception correction, helping her understand the world around her. In Season 1 Episode 3, the squad follows Penny as she organizes a strike in an effort to increase her allowance. When Penny, Dijonay, and LaCienega take their change to Wizard Kelly’s expensive theme park with the expectation that Zoey gives them the hookup, she doesn’t even comprehend their request. Later, when Penny’s strike has left the team dehydrated and houseless, Zoey quickly joins Sticky in ditching Penny’s plan.
Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud is a father who lights up when he can help solve his daughter’s problems and when Trudy receives his love.
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He is also a man who sometimes feels his family doesn’t listen to him, is often caught in schemes by the watchful eye of his wife, and Tommy Davidson’s voice gives Oscar his bravado. Oscar is also a mama’s boy who shares a special relationship with his mother known by the name Suga Mama.
The Proud Family Fact: The character design for Oscar Proud is inspired by show creator Bruce Smith, who sometimes sketches himself into his work as Easter eggs.
Paula Jai Parker’s Trudy is tender and feminine, which works well for the character because she is the Penny-whisperer when it comes to boys, since that’s a touchy topic for Oscar.
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Trudy is proud to show her daughter that a woman’s place can be at home and at work, where she is a veterinarian. She is the level-headed one in the marriage, who growls to remind her husband to bear his part of the household responsibilities. When Oscar pulls off a romantic gesture, the two makeup after a tiff, or whenever they are in each other's good graces, Trudy beams with joy.
Suga Mama is Penny's grandmother and Oscar's mother. She is voiced by Jo Marie Payton, who gives the character the real kick of a white-haired woman who has lost her filter and has no time for nonsense.
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Suga Mama is often looking for the come-up, delivering Black history lectures, and trying to get someone to rub her crusty feet when she’s not busy flirting with LaCienega’s grandfather Felix. Suga Mama has no shortage of opinions or love interests. On occasion, she shares her wisdom.
4. To navigate drama in friendships, be forgiving, and keep loving.
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Penny and LaCienaga’s beef over Dijonay kicks off in the pilot episode and is crystallized in Season 1 Episode 13, called “The Party,” when the two girls throw a party the same night — uh oh.
The drama begins the moment Penny presents a PowerPoint to Oscar and Trudy arguing why she should be able to throw a party. It continues after they grant her request and she sets regulations for the party — namely that her parents aren’t allowed to be seen there.
Then, when Penny is handing out party invitations at school with the help of Dijonay, her bff is busy being stingy with the invites and doesn’t want to extend one to Zoey.
Dijonay insists invitations are for “cool people only,” which sends Zoey into a speech about meaninglessly excluding people. Zoey’s tune changes as she joins her friends in hiding the invites when the Gross Sisters — school bullies — roll up and want in whatever is going on. By the time LaCienaga arrives on the scene, Penny’s command for Dijonay, Zoey, and their homeboy Sticky to hide invites is met with immediate reception. However, LaCienaga is already aware of Penny’s party, no doubt thanks to Dijonay’s affinity for gossip. That’s when LaCienaga announces that she can’t make Penny’s party because she has plans — hosting her own party on the same night.
On the night of the party, Dijonay rings Penny’s doorbell to see if her mom can park in the driveway, then she scurries away with the rest of Penny’s friends across the street to LaCienega’s party, which has fireworks.
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The class nerd, Michael, shows up at Penny’s door, and then the Gross Sisters stroll in after announcing that they found Penny’s invitations in every trash can at school. Needless to say, Penny is disappointed, which prompts a straightening out from Trudy, who instructs Penny to be respectful to her “new friends.” Penny insists that these kids are not her friends, then she taunts them. When things reach a boiling point, Penny runs upstairs, and that’s when she gets a visit from Lou Rawls, who stopped by that night with Suga Mama.
This episode features a guest star appearance from Lou Rawls who performs a musical number scene with Kyla Pratt’s Penny Proud in an effort to cheer her up.
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By the end of the episode, Penny has made friends out of enemies and someone she once considered a "geek."
5. The art of balancing the delicate relationship dynamics between parents and a grandparent.
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Suga Mama is a whole lot to handle as she stirs things up by sharing her Black history hot takes, pulling for Penny to receive more freedom, and living a lively romantic life. Her character supports Penny’s character by sometimes being a helpful distraction from the dread Penny feels about her parents’ perspective on her social life. In other cases, Suga Mama is a reliable defense attorney in the Proud Family court where Oscar and Trudy are the judges and the jury — though Penny feels as if they are the executioners.
This is how Suga Mama typically brings Penny into some sort of ridiculous scenario.
There is something about Suga Mama’s energy that inspires these mini-adventures when Penny’s obedience to her grandmother's requests put her in situations where she has no idea what to do. The sound effects of boings and dramatic music tells the audience that Penny is in a real pickle whenever she’s dealing with Suga Mama. Luckily for Penny, these hijinks are perfect for her social media channel.
Later, when Penny’s Holla'gram — a fantasy Instagram — is poppin’, she receives tons of promotional gifts from businesses that invest in her influencer enterprise.
When modeling some tight jeans on the stairs, she tells her followers that she calls the pants the “Got It from My Suga Mama Jeans,” which sends Oscar into a tizzy. In true granddaughter form, Penny relies on Suga Mama as a shield against her parents’ meddling to further her own goals.
Things change up when Penny’s parents find out she’s been late to school every week, and Suga Mama rips Penny a new one before grounding her.
6. Everyone has a story worth telling, and we all heal when it is safe to be who we truly are.
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Each character and castmate of The Proud Family brings a unique life experience and set of identities to the show. The diversity on screen and behind the microphones of The Proud Family has many shades of brown, Latino descendants, representation of a Jewish character, and age diversity. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder furthers the mission of inclusivity.
It is by design that The Proud Family includes such a diverse set of artists across cast and crew. Creators Bruce Smith and Ralph Farquhar want it that way.
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The character of Michael was originally voiced by Phil LaMarr in the early 2000s; however, the revived version of the series casts E.J. Johnson to pick up the reigns.
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“We can be more forthright in our discussion about various topics,” executive producer Ralph Farquhar said to Tionah Lee at ET in February 2022. When E.J. spoke about joining the cast of The Proud Family, he spoke about the power of representation. “It's amazing, and it's really exciting to bring the character to life and allow young people, who are like me, or similar to me, to see themselves represented,” he told ET.
In April 2022, Selome Hailu and Ramin Setoodeh from Variety spoke with E.J. about when he came out to his father, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, as gay. E.J. shared that he was out to his friends, but his father was the “last person” he wanted to talk to about it. His father made up rules like not wearing scarves in the house. “But it’s really not about scarves; it’s really about him seeing you be you,” E.J. said.
E.J. found himself pushing boundaries to create some independence while expressing who he truly is.
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The two repaired their relationship, and today, Magic Johnson says that his son E.J. changed him. “A lot of people don’t love that I love my son,” said Magic Johnson.
These are exactly the kinds of topics that Farquhar is committed to depicting through The Proud Family franchise. “You know, topics such as dealing with the LGBTQ community, specifically the Michael character, which we totally revamped, re-voiced, reimagined if you will. We hired EJ Johnson to voice that and bring the authenticity that's something very different. Also, the addition of Zachary Quinto and Billy Porter as same-sex parents. These are things which would not have happened 20 years ago, trust me, not possible,” he said.
7. To create artistically-forward animation, create diverse, eclectic teams.
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Bruce Smith shared with me that there is a large, diverse community involved in making The Proud Family, including people who are Black, LGBTQIA+, Latin, Asian, White, and everyone in between. Ralph Farquhar noted that when someone on the team doesn’t understand an aspect of a different culture, the staff takes the time to teach each other so that they do understand. By creating this classroom dynamic, the staff is living their shared values of inclusion and growth.
Tara Whitaker directed the “Bad Influence(r)” episode where Penny goes up against Makeup boy in a battle for the best influencer as part of her campaign to prove to her friends that they are silly for being so into makeup.
Kylee Evans wrote the episode “Bad Influence(r)” and seven more, including one called “It All Started with an Orange Basketball,” where Oscar ropes Penny into playing basketball to settle a beef.
In the second act, Oscar’s desperation leads him to name Penny the new starting point guard on his team, and she isn’t happy about it.
Though Penny is a hooper, she is focused on a young gentleman named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Brown who isn’t interested in basketball. The drama builds up to a scene where Kareem is waiting on Penny at her house while she’s dominating on the court in her dad’s game. The writing draws a conflict between Penny’s loyalty to her father and her loyalty to her heart’s desires. It forces Penny to take stock of her priorities and make choices about what is most important to her.
In the third act, Oscar loses it on Penny when she isn’t performing well in the game. Penny stands up to Oscar by declaring that none of this was her idea. What follows next is a lesson in young love for Penny and an ego check for Oscar.
Tiffany Thomas wrote two episodes of Louder and Prouder, including one called “Home School” where Penny inadvertently gets her homeless teacher fired.
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Disney Channel / Via youtube.comComedian-turned-actress Tiffany Haddish guest stars as Penny’s substitute teacher Ms. Hill, who nails the snippy dialogue of a teacher who roasts all her students. Ms. Hill and Penny come face to face in the school one night when Penny sneaks in to retrieve her phone. She finds Ms. Hill in the middle of a self-care serenade in the teacher’s lounge.
Penny and Ms. Hill continue to trade blows at school as Ms. Hill’s little bit of sanity left disappears.
When Penny brings Ms. Hill home for dinner, she drops a bomb on her parents, and Oscar Proud freaks out accordingly. At dinner with the family, Suga Mama reveals a secret about Ms. Hill that stuns Penny. The writing in this episode features tons of monologues from Ms. Hill, who is deeply judgmental of everything and everyone. Her solution is always to assign homework. It is fantastically comical and had me on the floor in tears.
In addition to writing credits, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder writer Tiffany Thomas has also racked up acting credits on series such as Real Husbands of Hollywood and The Boondocks.
Stay tapped into The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Twitter.
LaCienega feels threatened by her ugly-duckling-turned-beautiful-swan cousin, LaBrea, as her quinceañera approaches. @EvaLongoria guest stars as Melrose, the “snooty and overly critical sister” of Sunset Boulevardez #TheProudFamily #TheProudFamilyLouderandProuder
All in all, The Proud Family is the place for life lessons, the most poppin' music, and an artistic community committed to living the values any good family has.
The Proud Family is the show for stories about what it means to be family. This cast of characters is filled with overly dramatic, pleasantly peculiar, super familiar feeling family members who are bonded by blood and experience. They face disagreements like the way Penny and Oscar hardly see eye to eye on anything. They forgive one another like the way Penny reunites with her friends by the end of every episode. They protect one another like the way Oscar and Trudy show up as a team to parent Penny, the twins, and look after Suga Mama. And sometimes, they pop off like the way Suga Mama will set someone straight on site.
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