Nancy Cartwright on Being the Voice of Bart Simpson and Chuckie From ‘Rugrats’

The ’90s are back: in fashion, in music and definitely on TV, where the list of classic series getting tapped for a modern revival, reboot, or reimagining seems to be getting longer by the day.

Rugrats is the latest ’90s favourite to find a second life following a decade-plus hiatus; after  premiering in 1991, the animated series ran for nine seasons over 13 years, spawning three movies, plus a sequel series All Grown Up!. Now, the show’s getting a full reboot and a 3D-animated facelift, as it brings back members of the original show’s voice cast for a whole new set of misadventures starring Tommy Pickles and his crew of overly-imaginative toddlers.

“The writers did a great job of putting it into 2022,” Nancy Cartwright says of the new series, which premiered on YTV earlier this month. “I think Grandpa is even doing a little online dating.”

Best known for being the voice behind Bart Simpson (along with other long-time Simpsons favourites, including Ralph Wiggum, Nelson Muntz, Todd Flanders and Maggie), Cartwright is cartoon royalty—even if the nature of the gig means you probably wouldn’t recognize the Emmy-winning voice actor if you passed her on the street.

“I don’t want to ever become glib or take it for granted. I think it’s just incredible. To have the power to influence our culture, and numerous generations…”

Cartwright’s also known for playing Rugrats’ Chuckie, although she wasn’t the OG voice of the group’s red haired scaredy-cat. That distinction goes to veteran voice actor Christine Cavanaugh, who Cartwright took over for in 2001—an experience she calls “probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do as a voiceover artist.”

While recasting may not be as immediately noticeable in an animated series as it is in live-action (Aunt Viv, anyone?), there’s just no way for two people to sound exactly alike, says Cartwright, pointing out that a good voiceover performance is about so much more than just the voice. “It’s about the rhythms, it’s the attitude of that character, the tone of that character, the emotional tone.”

“My biggest concern was [that] I didn’t dip into any of the other voices that I do on The Simpsons. I don’t want to sound like Ralph. I don’t want to sound like Bart,” she recalls. “[Chuckie] has to be his own. He’s his own individual character. So that’s just practice. That’s just drilling, drilling, drilling.”

“Then we went on hiatus for 16 years, and I’m back,” she laughs. Much like she’s done with The Simpsons—which has been running for 33 years now (and counting!)—the modern Rugrats reboot is a chance for Cartwright to introduce another one of her beloved characters to a whole new generation, as the same kids who grew up watching Rugrats are now getting to share the show with their own kids. “I don’t want to ever become glib or take it for granted. I think it’s just incredible,” says Cartwright of her characters’ enduring impact. “To have the power to influence our culture, and numerous generations…”

“I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s an honour, and it’s a responsibility.”

Complex Canada’s Alex Narvaez spoke with Cartwright about her legendary voice acting career, where the new Rugrats reboot fits in, and how she first got into the voiceover business. Watch the full conversation above.