The Proud Family is going to have some brand new additions when it returns to our screens next year.
Disney+ this week unveiled artwork and voice cast additions for the forthcoming reboot of the beloved animated series, which concluded its original run 16 years ago.
Slated for release in 2022, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder will star Zachary Quinto and Billy Porter as Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins.
The characters are described as a mixed-race gay couple who are the adoptive parents of 14-year-old activist Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, another new addition who will be voiced by Keke Palmer.
EJ Johnson, who is the son of NBA legend Magic Johnson, is also joining the cast as Michael Collins, described in press notes as a gender-nonconforming trendsetter who serves up “fierce looks at school and on the basketball court”.
Michael did appear in the original Proud Family series, when the character was voiced by Phil LaMarr.
The Proud Family was hailed as a culturally inclusive milestone for children’s entertainment when it premiered on the Disney Channel in 2001, thanks to its predominantly Black cast of characters.
The original series followed the adventures of 14-year-old Penny Proud (Kyla Pratt), and her eccentric family. A holiday-themed episode in the show’s debut season won praise for exploring the traditions of Kwanzaa.
Fans may also recall the show’s infectious theme song, which was performed by Destiny’s Child and Solange Knowles.
A made-for-TV feature film, The Proud Family Movie, aired in 2005 as the series finale.
Last year, Disney+ announced that most of the original Proud Family cast would return for the reboot.
In addition to Kyla Pratt, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder will feature Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, Cedric the Entertainer as Uncle Bobby and Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer.
In recent weeks, Zachary Quinto has been doing promo with Jim Parsons for the documentary Tennessee & Truman: An Intimate Conversation, in which the two actors provide voiceovers as writers Tennessee Williams (Quinto) and Truman Capote (Parsons).
Billy Porter is currently starring in the third and final series of Pose, which began airing in the US earlier this month.
Later this year, he’ll be seen as the Fab G ― a genderless fairy godparent ― in the new film adaptation of Cinderella, co-starring Camila Cabello.
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