Cree Summer

Cree Summer is an actress and voice artist who has been the voice behind some of the most iconic animated characters of the past three decades. From Penny on Inspector Gadget to Susie Carmichael on Rugrats, Elmyra on Tiny Toon Adventures, and Numbuh 5 on Codename: Kids Next Door, Summer has given life to characters that shaped the childhoods of millions — often as one of the only Black voices in animated television.

Born in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, and raised on the Red Pheasant Cree Nation reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada, Summer is of Black and Indigenous (Plains Cree) heritage. She gained her first major role as Freddie Brooks on A Different World, the beloved Cosby Show spinoff set at a historically Black college, where she was a series regular for five seasons. Her natural charisma and distinctive voice led her into voice acting, where she became one of the most prolific performers in the industry.

Summer's voice acting career is staggering in its range and volume. She has voiced characters in Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Batman: The Animated Series, Final Fantasy X, and dozens of other shows and video games. In an industry where Black voice actors have historically been marginalized, Summer built a career that proved representation in animation matters — that the voices children hear shape how they see the world, and that those voices should reflect all of it.