Although Billy Porter has always been animated in the figurative sense, the Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner will literally be animated for his next major role.
The “Pose” star will join Zachary Quinto and EJ Johnson as new additions to the cast of the upcoming Disney+ animated series “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
Porter and Quinto will voice Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins, the mixed-race adoptive parents of 14-year-old activist Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, voiced by Keke Palmer.
For Johnson, his character will hit close to home. The former reality TV personality and ostentatiously androgynous son of Earvin “Magic” Johnson will voice Michael Collins, who’s described as a nonconforming trendsetter.
On Wednesday, the streaming service revealed a first look of the animated character images on Instagram.
They trio join previously announced “Proud Family” stars Kyla Pratt, Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker and Jo Marie Payton.
Currently in production, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” is expected release in 2022 on Disney+.
The much-requested reboot of “The Proud Family” will pick up the story of its central character Penny Proud and also include her madcap family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and her grandmother Suga Mama (and her pet poodle Puff!).
It wouldn’t be “The Proud Family” without the inclusion of Penny’s loyal crew Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez and Zoey Howzer, among others.
Other cast members reprising their voice roles from the original series are: Cedric the Entertainer as Uncle Bobby, Carlos Mencia as Felix Boulevardez, Maria Canals-Barrera as Sunset Boulevardez, Alvaro Gutierrez as Papi, Karen Malina White as Dijonay Jones, Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer and Alisa Reyes as LaCienega Boulevardez.
“The Princess and the Frog” animator Bruce W. Smith and “Moesha” showrunner Ralph Farquhar, both of whom led the original series, are back as executive producers of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
All previous seasons of “The Proud Family” are currently available on Disney+.
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