Fun Facts About The Proud Family To Share With Your Kids Before The Reboot Premieres

In 2001, The Proud Family became Disney's first Black animated series. Created by Bruce Smith, it was the network’s first animated series that centered and positively portrayed a Black family and shined a light on its multicultural community. For three seasons, we were treated with the lives of Penny Proud and her family; parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and her grandmother Suga Mama, along with Penny’s friends, Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez, and Zoey Howzer, until it ended in 2005.

Last year, Smith and other Proud Family executive producer, Ralph Farquhar inked a deal with Disney to produce animated and live-action series and movies for Disney Branded Television. “We are very happy to be continuing our relationship with Disney and look forward to creating even more truly authentic and diverse stories and characters for audiences worldwide,” Smith and Farquhar said in a joint statement. “We are also excited to have the opportunity to bring along a new wave of talented voices that will deepen the connection to Disney storytelling for years to come.”

So in other words, we can expect more magic from the duo! Maybe even a Proud Family live-action? Don’t mind us, just speaking desires into manifestations!

“The...Proud...Family...What? You and me will always be tight. Family every single day and night...”

When you heard that first drop, you knew what time it was! The show's theme song featured Destiny's Child and a young Solange Knowles. She was 15 when she wrote and recorded the song with the group for the series. And if you listen to the lyrics, it pretty much sums up the theme of the show: family! No word yet on whether there will be a theme song for the reboot but artists such as Chance the Rapper, Lizzo, Normani, and Lil Nas X will be guest starring and hopefully bring some tunes!

That's because Dr. Gertrude Parker-Proud is a veterinarian. The years have done Mama Trudy well because, in the upcoming reboot, she is the owner of her own veterinarian practice called Trudy's Pet Ambulance. Trudy Proud has always been a woman who can stand on her own two feet — financially, professionally, and socially! She comes from wealth; her father is a doctor and her sister is a famous actress. She's also very much devoted to her family but can also get you in line — especially Oscar! Her best friend is Sunset Boulevardez, voiced by Maria Canals Barrera. Both women are very protective of their kids and hate when their husbands act dumb. Trudy is voiced by Paula Jai Parker.

“Like I said there's no snacks worth eating in this house.”

Affectionately titled, Proud Snacks, the aftermath is nothing to be proud of! The treats make everyone who eats them sick, except Peabo, who is the only person who likes them. And it’s not a favorite among gorillas either as Oscar learned the back-breaking way. However, in one episode, Penny eats them and develops superpowers. And although Suga Mama gives her son a hard time and obviously favors his brother, Bobby, she’s not above supporting him. But not before competing against him in a snack contest, in which she wins of course!

Note the green hair and pinstriped suit, just like the Joker from Batman. He also laughs like a villain! Papi Boulevardez is LaCienega Boulevardez and Javier’s grandpa. Voiced by Alvaro Guttierez he is Suga Mama’s biggest bully but also her biggest love interest. But the attraction is very much one-sided; Papi doesn’t speak any English, so subtitles are key to understanding the insults. And he always laughs after saying something rude to and about Suga Mama in Spanish, even though he knows she does not understand him. It’s not confirmed whether Papi will be in the reboot, but we can reminisce on a few moments such as the time he showed off his big feet and Suga Mama reacted saying, “Ooo-we! I’m in love!” The kids probably wouldn’t get the reference but the adults sure will!

Don't believe us? Just watch! There's a scene from the Proud Family Movie where Penny and her friends battle the peanuts gang (no, not the Charlie Brown peanuts!). Throughout the seasons, you will see that Penny and her friends love to dance! In Season 1, Episode 20, the group forms a dance group called "LPDZ" and performs on the hip-hop show, “Hip-Hop Helicopter.” But in the 2005 movie, it was Zoey’s shining moment when the crew battled in a breakdancing competition. Zoey, voiced by Soleil Moon Frye, has her moment and brings the win home for the team. The dance battle scene also pays homage to the hip-hop, breakdancing scenes of the late ‘70s and ‘80s.

Zoey Howzer’s character is of Jewish descent and has red hair, freckles, and braces. She's considered the shy, geeky one of the group, but don't let appearances fool you. Zoey definitely has a cool side, hip side. In that same epic dance battle, fast forward to about 1:54 in the video and watch Zoey pop it on the beat! Despite being the one who lacks the least confidence in the group, Zoey definitely has skills and is quick to call out her friends when they are wrong. Like her friend Penny, she’s also an activist. With the help of her aunt who is an attorney, she advocated for Penny to play on the boys’ football team at school.

Parents, you may recognize these voices before your kids! The cast is heavily star-studded. Mariah Carey plays herself in Season 3, Episode 1, when she stops by to get her pet monkey checked out by Trudy, after he eats one of Oscar's snacks. R&B singer Omarion played '15 Cents' and recorded "Blowin' Up The Spot" for the Proud Family Movie. Other celebrity guests included Mos Def, Cicely Tyson, Mo'Nique and Anthony Anderson. In the Louder and Proud reboot, we can expect to see more celebrity cameos such as Tiffany Haddish, Gabrielle Union, Courtney B. Vance, Ev Longoria, Debbie Allen, Lamorne Morris, and James Pickens Jr.

Did you know there’s a Proud Family rap? No? Well, now you do! Drop us a beat!

• F is for family, and mine's the bomb.
• A is for attitude, 'cause we got it going on.
• M is for my Suga Mama, 'cause she is crazy cool.
• I is for "I can't clean up my room now, uh, I gotta go to school."
• L is for love, 'cause that's what my family's all about.
• Y? 'Cause if you don't watch my show, you gone be mad 'cause you missed out.

Penny is quite talented. At one point, she became a pop singer and formed a group with her friends. She also spits a Romeo and Juliet rap in an episode in the episode, "Romeo Must Wed".

Voiced by Cedric The Entertainer, Bobby Proud is Penny’s uncle, Oscar’s brother, and Suga Mama’s favorite son. In an interview with the NAACP about the reboot, Cedric the Entertainer shared that his character’s style was inspired by a ‘70s soul group called the Ohio Players. His voice for Bobby was inspired by Sugarfoot, a member of the group, and each time he speaks, he sings to everyone and carries a microphone/amplifier with him everywhere. He even serenades the National Anthem and was a manager over Penny’s music career at one point. Penny may not have gotten her creative side from her dad, but her uncle may definitely been an influence growing up.

Yep, that’s right. Lilo and Stitch met Penny Proud. The episode titled Spats is a crossover episode, in which the Prouds go to Hawaii for a vacation. They stay at Lilo and Stitch’s Jumba & Pleakley's Bed Not Breakfast. The episode aired in 2005. In it, Lilo helps Penny with her school report, and the two, with Stitch, band together to capture Spats.

This is not the first crossover character you’ll see in the Proud Family. Fellow Disney high schooler heroine/secret agent Kim Possible also made a cameo in this episode. Penny refers to Kim in a statement she made about strong females in The Legend of Johnny Lovely episode.

In Season 1, Episode 5, Penny comes across a device called the EZ Jackster. Unlike the machines in The Matrix, the device is used to infect the whole world with a website marketing illegal free music downloads. When she agrees to help promote some music, she’s sucked into a digital world. Music artist Ray J (Brandy’s brother) guest stars as Mega, who wears a long, black leather coat similar to Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus character. This is a great nostalgic episode that takes us back to the age of burned and scratched CDs. Just ask any ‘90s babies about Limewire.

Kyla Pratt’s daughter is a mini Penny Proud! For Halloween, Pratt's youngest daughter dressed up as her character and the resemblance is exact- down to the black dot on her cheek. If there is ever a live-action movie of the Proud Family, let's hope they consider her!

As for Pratt, she was a teenager when she started the show and returning to the character as an adult was different. “I feel like I walked into the booth and was back as a 14-year-old,” Pratt, 35, tells RoyalTee Magazine. “Like, literally, if not better now, because I have more life experience. And I’m surer of myself. And I’m not doubting my voice all the time. At 14, I couldn’t stand my voice. I was like, ‘what? They want to hire me.’ Like, it’s so weird. And even now, I’ll hear my voice back and be like, ‘oh my gosh, that was me.’”