Cartoon Network’s new Powerpuff Girls don’t just look a little different. According to Cartoon Brew, the original voice cast was not asked to participate in the current reboot series.
Tara Strong, Cathy Cavadini, and Elizabeth Daily voiced the girls—Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup—in the original series, which ran from 1998 to 2005. The new series premiered on April 4th, 2016, with Amanda Leighton, Kristen Li, and Natalie Palamides voicing the three Powerpuff Girls.
On Twitter, Strong said none of the original three voice actors were asked to return:
I have NO ILL FEELINGS 4 the actresses in the new #ppg, We were just beyond hurt we were NEVER asked..every role I breathe life into I love
— tara strong (@tarastrong) June 9, 2015
Cavadini echoed Strong’s statement:
I wish the new girls well but Wow! does this hurt my heart:( https://t.co/OzchpdAXFR
— Catherine Cavadini (@CatCavadini) June 9, 2015
In a later TVInsider article, the reboot’s executive producers, Nick Jennings and Bob Boyle, said they didn’t use the original voice cast because they wanted to “infuse some new energy” into the animated series:
We considered bringing back the original cast, and thought it over like every other element of the show. But it seemed like a really great way to infuse some new energy into [the series]. Automatically it sort of resets the show and says, ‘This is something different.’
Though the original trio have not returned, Tom Kenny and Tom Kane have reprised their roles as the Mayor/Narrator and Professor Utonium in the reboot.
What do you think? Have you seen Cartoon Network’s Powerpuff Girls reboot? Do you think the original voice cast should return?
LET ME START OFF BY ASKING THIS, WHY IS CRAIG MCCRACKEN NOT A PART OF THE POWERPUFF GIRLS SHOW ANYMORE ????? WITH HIM NOT BEING AROUND ANYMORE AND HAVING NICK JENNINGS & BOB BOYLE TO RUN THE SHOW LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE PEOPLE THEY HAVE DISRESPECTED THE ORIGINAL VOICE ACTORS THEY HAVE DEGRATED THE SHOW AND THEY HAVE RUINED THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT THE NEW GENERATION COULD HAVE HAD IF THEY WOULD OF KEPT SOME SORT OF ELEMENT TO THE ORIGINAL! OK YOU CAN CHANGE THE SCENES AND GO AS FAR AS TO CHANGE HOW THE CHARACTERS WILL… Read more »
My daughter grew up on the original, my son is loving the new version. I personally don’t want to be stuck in time watching the same thing over and over and love the reboot. Every kid I know, loves the reboot. People hating are on these new young VAs and think they should lose their jobs because somehow that will vindicate the old VAs that have monopolized the biz for way too long. I prefer the new voices now and think they are every bit as talented as the originals. One of the new VAs has already reportedly scored 2… Read more »
I hope the reboot tanks. They have really dumbed down the PPG and these girls can’t hold a candle to the original voice talent. Not only are they age discriminating, but seems they are sex discriminating as well since the male actors were asked back.
Yes the original actresses should return immediately!
I support on 100% the original powerpuff stuff and there’s no better powerpuff than the original!
I find it interesting that, in terms of the original male voices, they were asked to return. Also asked to return was the original voice of Mojo Jojo, so I think it may be a budget issue or sour grapes for the original female voices. I also didn’t see Miss Bellam, which is one of my favorite characters. So, no, it is NOT just about “younger voices”.
The original voice actresses weren’t used in the new “Powerpuff Girls” because the EPs for the new series thought that “Younger is Better”.