Cree Summer
A voice actress with a kaleidoscopic range, she brought soul and sass to a generation of animated characters from Susie Carmichael to Penny Proud.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American-Canadian actress and singer·Birthday: July 7·Generation X
Biography
Cree Summer’s voice is an instrument of remarkable versatility, instantly recognizable yet endlessly adaptable. The daughter of musician Don Francks, she grew up on the sets of shows like 'Inspector Gadget' before stepping into the booth herself. She broke through as the sweet, sensible Susie Carmichael on 'Rugrats,' providing a grounded counterpoint to the show's chaos. That role was just the beginning; she would go on to voice hundreds of characters, from the high-pitched frenzy of Elmyra Duff on 'Tiny Toon Adventures' to the regal intelligence of Princess Kida in 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire.' Her work is defined by an emotional authenticity and a refusal to stereotype, infusing every role, whether in 'The Proud Family' or 'Codename: Kids Next Door,' with a distinct personality that leapt from the screen.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Cree was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cree Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Cree's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Voiced Susie Carmichael on 'Rugrats' and its spin-offs, winning an NAACP Image Award for the role.
- Provided the voice for Penny Proud, the lead character on Disney's groundbreaking series 'The Proud Family.'
- Has an extensive voiceover career spanning decades, with credits in over 100 different animated series and films.
- Received two Children's and Family Emmy Award nominations for her role as Lizard in 'Spirit Rangers.'
Did You Know?
She is the singing voice of Nala on the soundtrack for the Broadway version of 'The Lion King.'
Her first name is inspired by the Cree Indigenous people of North America.
She appeared in a recurring live-action role on the NBC sitcom 'A Different World' as college student Winifred 'Freddie' Brooks.
She released a solo album, 'Street Faërie,' in 1999, which blended folk, rock, and soul.
“I don't do voices; I become the person living inside the character.”
