Maile Flanagan
The versatile actress who gave a generation of anime fans the definitive English voice of the spirited ninja Naruto Uzumaki.
Born 1965 (age 61)·American actress·Birthday: May 19·Generation X
Biography
Maile Flanagan voiced Naruto Uzumaki for over 700 episodes and films, embodying the character's boundless optimism, frustration, and grit in the English dub. Born in 1965, she built a career on a distinctive voice—both literally and figuratively. With a background in improv and comedy, she brought a sharp, energetic presence to live-action roles, often in sitcoms and children's television. But her defining role came from another dimension entirely. Alongside this work, she maintained a steady stream of voice and on-camera roles, from animated pigs to school principals, proving her range extends far beyond the Hidden Leaf Village.
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.
Maile was born in 1965, 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 Maile Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Maile's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Voiced the titular character Naruto Uzumaki for the entire English-dubbed run of the 'Naruto' and 'Naruto: Shippuden' anime series and films.
- Won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for her role as Piggley Winks in 'Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks'.
- Played a series regular role as Principal Perry on the Disney XD series 'Lab Rats' and its spinoff 'Lab Rats: Elite Force'.
Did You Know?
She is a trained improviser and performed with the famed Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles.
Before acting full-time, she worked as a bartender and a substitute teacher.
She is of Irish and Thai descent.
“The voice is an instrument for telling stories, whether you're seen or not.”
