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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
"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.”
"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.
"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.
