Cartoon Network is reviving one of its biggest hits ever, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’! This should excite 90s babies and even older folks who thrilled to the adventures of Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, but things aren’t all peachy in Townsville. One person isn’t thrilled by the announcement and that happens to be the original Bubbles, voice actress Tara Strong, who took to Twitter to… er, voice her displeasure at not being asked to reprise her squeaky role.
In the 90s, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ arrived as an original animated series on the fledgling Cartoon Network, starring three artificial little girls whipped up in the lab by their absent-minded scientist “father” Professor Utonium, who defended Townsville from a variety of wacky villains like power-hungry green monkey Mojo Jojo, fluffy pink hillbilly Fuzzy Lumpkins and the frighteningly androgynous Him. Along the way, they became among the most popular female super heroes ever! (Think about it!)
The original show, created by Craig McCracken, aired 78 episodes and won two Emmys. There was even an original theatrical movie. Cartoon Network has attempted to revive the property since then, but this looks to be the first wholehearted effort to bring the characters to a new audience. (The 2014 reboot ‘Dance Pantsed’ was a dreadful eyesore.)
Cartoon Network happily unveiled the three new voice actresses that were taking over for Strong and her co-stars.
First look at The ALL-NEW Powerpuff Girls, debuting on Cartoon Network in 2016! Actress Natalie Palamides i… https://t.co/Hi96S3ETNh
— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) June 8, 2015
First look at The ALL-NEW Powerpuff Girls, debuting on Cartoon Network in 2016! Actress Kristen Li is the v… https://t.co/rMWoU95WRB — Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) June 8, 2015
First look at The ALL-NEW Powerpuff Girls, debuting on Cartoon Network in 2016! Actress Amanda Leighton is … https://t.co/zUu4CQ7Gzy
— Cartoon Network (@cartoonnetwork) June 8, 2015
I don’t remember ordering a stab in the heart today https://t.co/wmomYvtCDG — tara strong (@tarastrong) June 8, 2015
The prolific voice actress (with more than 400 credits to her name) quickly backpedaled a bit:
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
Strong’s tweet verifies that fellow original voice actresses Cathy Cavadini (Blossom) and E.G. Daily (Buttercup) were also not considered to return. Strong then tweeted:
The truth is, I can’t imagine #Powerpuffgirls being done without the genius mind who created it @CrackMcCraigen pic.twitter.com/nxRsS2rAIn — tara strong (@tarastrong) June 9, 2015
On his part, McCracken apparently gave his blessing to the project and some actors from the original series are returning: Tom Kenny (narrator/Mayor), Roger L. Jackson (Mojo Jojo) and Jennifer Hale (Ms. Keen).
Are you excited that ‘The Powerpuff Girls’ are returning? How do you feel about the fact that McCracken and the original voices aren’t participating? Comment below!
