# Kyla Pratt
**Kyla Pratt** (full name Kyla Alissa Pratt) is an American actress and singer, born in 1986 in Los Angeles, California, best known as the voice of Penny Proud in [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)'s animated series *The Proud Family* and its Disney+ revival, and for her roles as Breanna Barnes on UPN's *One on One* and Maya Dolittle in the *Dr. Dolittle* film franchise.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) • [2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986, Los Angeles, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) |
| Signature voice role | Penny Proud in *The Proud Family* (2001–2005, 52 episodes) and *The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder* (2022–2026, 39 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) |
| Sitcom lead | Breanna Barnes in UPN's *One on One* (2001–2006, 113 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) |
| Film franchise | Maya Dolittle in the *Dr. Dolittle* films, beginning with the 1998 original starring Eddie Murphy[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla) |
| Recent series work | Randi in Fox's *Call Me Kat* (2021–2023, 53 episodes); Daisy Cannon in Fox's *Animal Control* (2025–2026)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) • [2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt) |
| Family | Two daughters, Lyric Kai Kirkpatrick (born 2010) and Liyah Kirkpatrick (born 2013), with Danny Kilpatrick[4](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/) |
| Recognition | Ranked #97 on VH1's list of the greatest child stars of all time; 4 wins and 11 nominations total per IMDb[4](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) |
## Early life and career beginnings
Pratt was born in 1986 in Los Angeles, the first of five children in her family; her mother was active in local theater, and Pratt's first appearance in the performing arts came at age five as an extra in a stage production her mother was involved in.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla) She began acting professionally at age 8, appearing in commercials for an interactive computer game and for Nike.[5](https://johnsonproductiongroup.com/images/2018cwd/Press-Kits-One-Sheets/The-Christmas-Pact-PRESS-KIT.pdf) Her television debut came in the 1993 series *Where I Live*, followed by guest appearances on shows including *Living Single*, *Family Matters*, and *Walker, Texas Ranger*.[4](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/) A Disney Channel biography also lists early guest spots on *Friends*, *Sister, Sister*, *Moesha*, and *Lizzie McGuire*.[6](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/kyla_pratt_bio_9e939e76.pdf)
Her film career started in childhood. In 1998 she was cast as one of the two daughters in *Dr. Dolittle*, the feature film with [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy) in the title role, and the same year she appeared as Marcella in *Barney's Great Adventure*.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kyla_pratt)
## Breakthrough roles
**Penny Proud.** Pratt voiced the lead character Penny Proud, a 14-year-old Black girl navigating school, family, and friendships, on Disney Channel's *The Proud Family*, which premiered in 2001 and ran through 2005 for 52 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) • [8](https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a39134344/the-proud-family-kyla-pratt-black-girlhood-interview/) She has described the series as an authentic version of a Black family that discussed topics such as Kwanzaa, segregation, and rumor-spreading that she says were rarely addressed in children's programming at the time.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes) She was 14 when she started on the show.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes)
**Breanna Barnes.** In 2001 she won the role of Breanna Barnes on the UPN sitcom *One on One*, playing the character for 113 episodes through 2006.[5](https://johnsonproductiongroup.com/images/2018cwd/Press-Kits-One-Sheets/The-Christmas-Pact-PRESS-KIT.pdf) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) In 2005, producers retooled the sitcom, one of the highest-rated sitcoms among African-American viewers, to focus more on her character.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla)
**Maya Dolittle.** Pratt played the younger daughter of Eddie Murphy's character in the 1998 *Dr. Dolittle* and continued in the role of Maya Dolittle in the franchise's sequels, including *Dr. Dolittle 2* (2001), *Dr. Dolittle 3* (2006), *Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief* (2008), and *Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts* (2009).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kyla_pratt)
Her film work in this period also included *Love & Basketball* (2000), in which she played the younger version of [Sanaa Lathan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanaa-lathan)'s character Monica, *Fat Albert* (2004) as Doris, and *[Hotel for Dogs](https://www.edgepedia.org/hotel-for-dogs-film)* (2009) as Heather.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kyla_pratt) On Rotten Tomatoes, *Love & Basketball* is her highest-rated film at 86 percent.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kyla_pratt)
## Later television work
After *One on One*, Pratt starred as Trish Collins in the ABC Family (later Freeform) addiction drama *Recovery Road* in 2016, a 10-episode series.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) She then played Randi, a co-starring role alongside [Mayim Bialik](https://www.edgepedia.org/mayim-bialik), on the Fox sitcom *Call Me Kat* from 2021 to 2023, appearing in 53 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) • [10](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/31031-kyla-pratt) Her other credits include *Let's Stay Together*, *A Black Lady Sketch Show*, *Fantasy Island*, and the lead role in Lifetime's holiday movie *Let's Meet Again on Christmas Eve* (2020).[2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497)
## The Proud Family revival and current work
Pratt reprised Penny Proud in *The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder*, the Disney+ revival of the original series, from 2022 through 2026, totaling 39 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) The revival, produced by [Disney Television Animation](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-television-animation) with creator Bruce W. Smith and executive producer Ralph Farquhar, has won multiple [NAACP Image Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/naacp-image-awards), including Outstanding Animated Series, and a Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes) Its fourth and final season launched in 2026, tied to the franchise's 25th anniversary, and addresses topics including cancel culture, social media, autism, and same-sex parent families.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes) A stop-motion holiday special, *A Proud Family Wizmas*, featuring six original songs by Kurt Farquhar, is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ during Christmas 2026, with Pratt again voicing Penny.[9](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497)
She has also joined the Fox workplace comedy *Animal Control* as Daisy Cannon for its 2025–2026 season, and appears as Angie in the series *The Chi* and as Rebecca in the 2025 film *Girl in the Cellar*.[2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497) At the beginning of 2025 she competed as a celebrity recruit on Fox's *Special Forces: World's Toughest Test* season three, filmed over a five-week period in Wales.[2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt)
## Personal life and other work
Pratt has two daughters with Danny Kilpatrick: Lyric Kai, born in 2010, and Liyah, born in 2013. She kept both pregnancies private, telling a radio station that she felt pregnancy was something personal she wanted to experience without public interference.[4](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/) Beyond acting, she owns her own production company and has described balancing acting, motherhood, and her business in a 2014 interview with *Ebony*.[4](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/) She has also worked as a writer and producer.[2](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt)
A note on identification: IMDb maintains a separate entry for a different actress also named Kyla Pratt, born in North Kansas City, Missouri, whose credits include *A Matter of Justice* (1993) and *My Antonia* (1995); this article concerns the Los Angeles-born actress.[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695496/)
## References
1. [Kyla Pratt (II), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695497)
2. [Kyla Pratt as Daisy, Animal Control, FOXFLASH](https://www.foxflash.com/shows/animal-control/bio/kyla-pratt)
3. [Pratt, Kyla A., Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pratt-kyla)
4. [2022 NAACP Image Awards: 5 Things You May Not Know About Kyla Pratt, BET](https://www.bet.com/article/37dgt9/naacp-image-awards-2022-5-things-you-may-not-know-about-kyla-pratt/)
5. [The Christmas Pact press kit, Key Cast Biographies, Johnson Production Group](https://johnsonproductiongroup.com/images/2018cwd/Press-Kits-One-Sheets/The-Christmas-Pact-PRESS-KIT.pdf)
6. [Kyla Pratt biography, Disney](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/kyla_pratt_bio_9e939e76.pdf)
7. [Kyla Pratt Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kyla_pratt)
8. [Kyla Pratt on 'The Proud Family' Reboot and Representing Black Girlhood, ELLE](https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a39134344/the-proud-family-kyla-pratt-black-girlhood-interview/)
9. [Kyla Pratt On Upcoming Season Of 'The Proud Family' Reboot And Her Lasting Legacy, Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/07/27/kyla-pratt-on-upcoming-season-of-the-proud-family-reboot-and-her-lasting-legacy/?ss=small-business-taxes)
10. [Kyla Pratt, The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/31031-kyla-pratt)
11. [Kyla Pratt (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695496/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actors and actresses by country or nationality › American actors and actresses › Surnames P to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license