Actress and super mom Kyla Pratt is keeping busy these days. When she’s not taking care of her two daughters, Lyric and Liyah, she is growing her empire. Known best for her role as Penny Proud from the hit Disney animated show The Proud Family , Kyla is now starring in the new sitcom, Call Me Kat on FOX.
Diply had a chance to sit down with the bubbly 34-year-old to talk about filming the series amidst the pandemic, and her excitement over the Proud Family reboot.
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Kyla Pratt holds a special place in many ’90s kids hearts.
As the iconic voice behind The Proud Family’s Penny Proud, Kyla worked on the beloved show for a large part of her teenage years. With news of a reboot featuring the original cast, it’s enough to make any Disney Channel fan excited.
The Proud Family touched on topics and social issues few shows at the time were talking about.
“It was before its time,” Kyla agreed.
When we asked Kayla how she felt about the show’s upcoming return, she revealed there was no way she wouldn’t participate.
“Can’t nobody else play Penny Proud,” she laughed. Kyla reiterated that still to this day, she gets recognized for her work on The Proud Family more than anything else she’s ever done.
Until the highly anticipated reboot kicks off, fans can watch Kyla on the new FOX comedy, Call Me Kat .
Viewers of *The Big Bang Theory* will be happy to know Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons have teamed up for the show, with Mayim starring in the title role, and Jim stepping in as an executive producer.
Kyla plays Randi, the hilariously outspoken waitress at the cat café.
She explained that the same feel-good values of the Proud Family can be found in Call Me Kat.
Of course, the show had to be filmed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which provided its own set of challenges. Kyla explained that the entire 200 person crew worked tirelessly to make sure the set was as safe as possible.
There’s no denying that filming a television show while wearing masks and getting tested constantly isn’t the ideal situation.
Thankfully, the cast was still able to connect and develop into their characters. “It’s difficult to shoot during these times but it’s amazing that we’ve developed that bond,” she revealed.
As a mom of two, Kyla knows the importance of discussing mental health amongst young people. The 34-year-old explained to us why she makes advocating for mental health a priority on her social media platforms.
“It’s important to me because I feel like mental health is something that over the years has rarely been talked about. I think that everybody struggles in their own way mentally with different things that happen in their lives. If we don’t talk about it, a lot of people feel alone in those feelings.”
She continued: “You’re going to struggle and it’s okay, you’re going to get through it.”
In an effort to break down the stigma of mental illness, Kyla says it’s important for her to be real and honest with her social media followers.
“I always acknowledge that I’m a human being, and I don’t want to be on this platform as somebody that isn’t a human being.”
Her refreshingly real take on life is what has garnered the actress nearly 2 million Instagram followers, many of whom have been dedicated fans since the start of her career.
Kyla expressed the importance of continuing to show diversity in Hollywood, “If they won’t make a place then we have to make our own,” she explained.
“I want things to be smoother and for conversations to really be heard and really be happening.”
With both of her daughters showing interest in creating and acting, Kyla revealed the most important thing for her to do as a parent is to support her children in anything they want to do. Possessing Kyla’s talent and drive, it’s no wonder her young daughters are just as eager to entertain the world as she is.
Watch Call Me Kat Thursdays at 9/8c on FOX.
