The Disney Channel favorite “The Proud Family” is getting a second life on Disney+ as “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” the long-anticipated revival of the groundbreaking animated TV series, has been ordered from Disney Television Animation with Academy Award-winning creator/executive producer Bruce W. Smith and executive producer Ralph Farquhar, who led the original series, at the helm.
If you were a kid in the early 2000’s there’s a very good chance “The Proud Family” on The Disney Channel was appointment TV for you. Created as an animated sitcom, the show followed the family of Penny Proud, Suga Mama Proud, Trudy Proud, Oscar Proud, BeBe and CeCe Proud, and Puff the Dog through life as they tell multilayered stories about inclusion and cultural diversity with a large dose of humor.
All previous seasons of “The Proud Family” are currently available on Disney+ if you want to catch up or relive the early 2000s.
In a joint statement, Smith and Farquhar said, “In our minds, the show never really went away, as we still had tons of stories left to tell. It’s the perfect time to bring back this show, and we can’t wait to take fans, old and new alike, on this journey with us.”
Fresh concept art featuring the main characters from the upcoming series has been released and reveals just a slight modernization of the character designs, plus a smart phone for selfies, naturally.
Reprising their voice roles are: Kyla Pratt as Penny Proud, Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, Jo Marie Payton as Suga Mama, Karen Malina White as Dijonay Jones, Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer and Alisa Reyes as LaCienega Boulevardez. Cedric the Entertainer will also return as Uncle Bobby Proud.
“The show’s humor and relatable stories are as relevant with audiences today as ever,” said Agnes Chu, senior vice president, Content, Disney+. “Our audiences have loved rediscovering their favorite episodes of ‘The Proud Family,’ and we’re excited Bruce, Ralph, Calvin, and the returning cast are creating new stories for their new home on Disney+.”
Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “The genius of the original ‘Proud Family’ series was that, under the guise of a family comedy, it provided a brilliant social commentary on our life and times. With this new series, Bruce and Ralph will once again challenge everyone to think differently about the world we share.”
Let’s end this great news with a fun bit of trivia, this show exists in the same cartoon universe as Disney’s Lilo & Stitch: The Series.” The two shows crossed when The Proud Family visited Hawaii and showed up in the episode entitled “Spats.” I wonder if the new series will return the favor and have a cameo appearance from Lilo & Stitch.
Previously: Our 2009 interview with Disney animator Bruce W. Smith celebrating “The Princess and the Frog.”