Tara Strong
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong, formerly known as Tara Charendoff, is a Canadian and American actress born on February 12, 1973. She is renowned for her prolific voice work in various mediums including animation, websites, and video games. Strong has lent her voice to a multitude of iconic animated series and video games.
Some of her notable voice roles in animated series include characters in "The New Batman Adventures," "Teen Titans," "Teen Titans Go!," "Rugrats," "The Powerpuff Girls," "The Fairly OddParents," "The Proud Family," "Xiaolin Showdown," "Ben 10," "Chowder," "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!," "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic," "Unikitty!," and "DC Super Hero Girls."
In addition to her work in animation, Strong has provided voices for characters in various video games such as "Mortal Kombat X," "Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3," "Jak and Daxter," "Final Fantasy X," "X-2," "Blue Dragon," and "Batman: Arkham."
Strong's talent and versatility in voice acting have earned her nominations for prestigious awards such as the Annie Award and the Daytime Emmy. She has also won an award from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for her outstanding contributions to the field.
Tara Lyn Strong, originally Tara Lyn Charendoff, was born in Toronto, Ontario, on February 12, 1973. She is the younger daughter of Syd and Lucy Charendoff. Strong has described her Jewish background as a significant aspect of her identity. She has an older sister named Marla.
Strong's interest in acting began at the age of four when she volunteered to be a soloist in a school production. She further pursued her passion for acting by working with the Yiddish Theater, even though she didn't know the Yiddish language and had to memorize her lines phonetically. Additionally, she performed with the Toronto Jewish Theater, where she appeared in productions like "A Night of Stars" and contributed to an audiotape for "Lay Down Your Arms" with the Habonim Youth Choir, singing lyrics in both English and Hebrew.
Tara Strong's career in acting began early, with her first professional role as Gracie in Limelight Theater's production of The Music Man at the age of 13. She made a guest appearance in the action series T. and T. Her first major cartoon role, also at the age of 13, was the title role in Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater. Strong also starred in the short-lived CBC Television sitcom Mosquito Lake. She honed her skills by taking improv classes at The Second City in Toronto before eventually relocating to Los Angeles in January 1994.
Strong is renowned for her versatile voice acting abilities, portraying numerous animated characters. Some of her notable roles include:
- Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in The New Batman Adventures
- Raven in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!
- Ingrid Third in Fillmore!
- Timmy Turner and Poof in The Fairly OddParents
- Dil Pickles in Rugrats and All Grown Up!
- Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls
- Ben Tennyson, Upgrade, Blitzwolfer, and Buzzshock in Ben 10
- Truffles in Chowder
- Terrence in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
- Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
- Princess Unikitty in Unikitty!
- Daizy in Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
- Joanni in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz
In addition to her animated roles, Strong has also provided voices for English-dubbed versions of Japanese anime films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. She has lent her voice to various video game characters, including Rikku in Final Fantasy X and its sequel, Paz Ortega Andrade in the Metal Gear Solid series, Talwyn Apogee in Ratchet & Clank, Keira in Jak and Daxter, and Juliet Starling in Lollipop Chainsaw. Additionally, she provided a minor voiceover for the teddy bear Ted in the film Ted.
In 1999, Strong encountered U.S. real estate agent and former actor Craig Strong. The pair tied the knot on May 14, 2000, and are parents to two sons named Sammy (born February 2002) and Aden (born August 2004). Residing in Los Angeles, they previously owned VoiceStarz, an online enterprise dedicated to coaching individuals in the voice-over industry. Their marriage concluded with Strong filing for divorce on July 24, 2019, with the legal process finalized on January 5, 2022.
Strong follows a vegan lifestyle. During the 2012 BronyCon gathering in New Jersey, she participated in a luncheon with military fans. Additionally, in 2013, she engaged with a charitable organization known as Bronies for Good, assisting them in raising funds for a family coping with their daughter's brain tumor.
References
- "Tara Strong Reddit AMA – February 2014". Interviewly. February 2014. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- a b Mulman, Doreen. "Stats and Agency Info". TOTS: The Official Tara Strong. MKBMemorial.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
- ^ "Tara Strong". TV Guide. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- a b Stern, Cara (November 4, 2013). "Versatile voice is key to success". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
- a b c d Mulman, Doreen. "Early Career". TOTS – The Official Tara Strong. MKBMemorial.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
- a b Mulman, Doreen. "FAQ 2008". TOTS: The Official Tara Strong. MKBMemorial.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
- ^ Stern, Cara (November 4, 2013). "Versatile voice is key to success". Canadian Jewish News. Archived from the original on January 7, 2015.
- ^ "About Tara Strong". VoiceStarz. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
- ^ "Tara Strong to voice Kluke in Blue Dragon". Square Haven News. February 25, 2007. Archived from the original on January 10, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
- ^ "Tara Strong official website". Tarastrong.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
- ^ Rudoff, Paul. "Ghostbusters Cast & Crew Multimedia". Spook Central. Archived from the original on October 16, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
- ^ "2004 Interactive Achievement Awards". Interactive.org. Archived from the original on September 5, 2011.
- ^ "2004 Interactive Achievement Awards". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2004.
- ^ Howard, Caroline (July–August 2004). "Work in Progress – Getting It Done – Career, Self, & Soul – This Week's Cover Mom – Tara Strong". Working Mother. Front cover, p.