Kyla Pratt

Last updated
Kyla Pratt
Kyla Pratt 2018 2.png
Pratt at Black Girls Rock red carpet in 2018
Born
Kyla Alissa Pratt

(1986-09-16) September 16, 1986 (age 38)
OccupationActress
Years active1993–present
Partner(s)Danny Kirkpatrick
(2008–present; engaged)
Children2

Kyla Alissa Pratt (born September 16, 1986 [1] ) is an American actress. She's best known for providing the voice of Penny Proud in the first Disney Channel animated series, The Proud Family , and portraying Breanna Latrice Barnes in UPN's One on One . After playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy's character, Maya Dolittle, in the films Dr. Dolittle and Dr. Dolittle 2 , Pratt became the main character in the spin-off series of the franchise which included Dr. Dolittle 3 , Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief , and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts . Pratt has also been in the films Fat Albert , Hotel for Dogs , and The Proud Family Movie . From 2012 to 2014, she appeared in the series Let's Stay Together . She was formerly a part of VH1's Black Ink Crew: Compton and the cast of Call Me Kat on Fox and is reprising the role of Penny in The Proud Family revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+.

Contents

Early life

Kyla Alissa Pratt [2] was born on September 16, 1986, to Kecia Pratt, a school teacher, and Johnny McCullar, a basketball player. She is the oldest of five children. [3] [4]

Career

Acting career

Pratt began acting at age eight, appearing in commercials for an interactive computer game and Nike. In 1997, she appeared in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger titled "The Neighborhood", in which she portrayed Kyla Jarvis, a ten-year-old girl who miraculously recovers after accidentally being shot in a drive-by shooting in her gang-ridden neighborhood, and reveals that she saw heaven where she met a guardian angel who gives her an important mission from God. With Walker's help, Kyla Jarvis spreads the angel message of faith and love, uniting her local community into helping clean up their neighborhood and end the gang violence plaguing it. She appeared in an episode of Friends , followed by roles in Smart Guy , Sister, Sister , Family Matters , Lizzie McGuire , Moesha , and The Parkers . [5] [6]

In 2001, she won the role of Breanna Barnes in the UPN series One on One (2001–2006). During the run of One on One, Pratt also voiced Penny Proud, the lead character in the Disney Channel animated series The Proud Family . She later voiced the character for The Proud Family Movie in 2005. In addition to television roles, Pratt has appeared in several feature films, including Love & Basketball (2000) and Fat Albert (2004). She played Maya Dolittle in Dr. Dolittle (1998) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), both of which starred Eddie Murphy, and reprised her role as Maya Dolittle (now the lead character) in the direct-to-DVD releases of Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006), Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief (2008), and Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts (2009). [7]

In 2009, Kyla Pratt co-starred alongside Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin in Hotel for Dogs . Pratt joined the cast of BET's Let's Stay Together in its second season. [8] In February 2014, Pratt was voted #97 on VH1's 100 Greatest Child Stars. [9] In June 2014, she starred alongside Jessica Sula in a Freeform pilot called Recovery Road based on Blake Nelson's novel of the same name. [10] The show debuted on Freeform in January 2016, but was cancelled shortly afterwards, in May 2016. [11]

In 2024, Pratt starred in the film adaptation of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts. The psychological thriller film, titled The Memo, was produced by Valeisha Butterfield’s Seed Media. [12]

Singing career

As a member of the Disney Channel Circle of Stars, Pratt performed a cover version of "Circle of Life" that appeared on the DisneyMania 2 album. She sang "It's All About Me", for the series soundtrack for The Proud Family, and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" with the Disney Channel Stars. Kyla also sang in the 2019 Lifetime Christmas movie, No Time Like Christmas.

Personal life

Pratt began a relationship with Danny Kirkpatrick, a rapper, songwriter, and tattoo artist, in 2008. On November 17, 2010, the couple welcomed their daughter, Lyric Kirkpatrick. They welcomed another daughter, Liyah Kirkpatrick, on August 5, 2013. Pratt appeared alongside Kirkpatrick on the reality show Black Ink Crew: Compton in 2019. [13] [14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 The Baby-Sitters Club Becca Ramsey
1997 Riot Jenny Baker
A Walton Easter Joanie PotterTV movie
Mad City Kid
1998 Barney's Great Adventure Marcella Walker
Dr. Dolittle Maya Dolittle
1999 Jackie's Back Little Jackie WashingtonTV movie
2000 Love & Basketball Young Monica
2001 Dr. Dolittle 2 Maya Dolittle
2002 More than Puppy Love Jae
2003 Maniac Magee Amanda BealeTV movie
2004 The Seat Filler Diona
Fat Albert Doris
2005 The Proud Family Movie Penny Proud (voice)TV movie
2006 Dr. Dolittle 3 Maya DolittleVideo
2007Hell on EarthKeri Diamond/DumpinTV movie
2008 Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief Maya DolittleVideo
2009 Hotel for Dogs Heather
Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts Maya DolittleVideo
2015Beauty and the Beat Boots-Short
2016Secret She KeptTía Jiles/KingstonTV movie [15]
2018Best BaddiesMelody (voice)Short
The Christmas PactSadieTV movie [16]
2019Back to the Goode LifeFrancesca GoodeTV movie [17]
No Time Like ChristmasEmma PotterTV movie [18]
2020Let's Meet Again on Christmas EveCorinne MillbrookTV movie [19]
2021 The Addams Family 2 Volcano Kid, Book Girl, Festival Kid #1, Peggy (voice)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993 Where I Live BrittanyEpisode: "Married... with Children"
1995 Living Single TracyEpisode: "He Works Hard for the Money"
Guideposts JunctionMailbox Kid #3Episode: "Angels, Angels"
The Parent 'Hood MonicaEpisode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss"
1996 In the House EricaEpisode: "Love on a One-Way Street" & "My Crazy Valentine"
Sisters Little GirlEpisode: "The Price"
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Episode: "Through a Glass, Darkly"
ER LilyEpisode: "Take These Broken Wings"
The ShowNiaEpisode: "The Last Episode of the Season and Them"
Public Morals Gretel RuggsEpisode: "The Cornflower Cover"
Touched by an Angel AnnieEpisode: "The Journalist"
Friends Charla NicholsEpisode: "The One Where Rachel Quits"
1997 Family Matters Kelsey WebsterEpisode: "Le Jour d'Amour"
Walker, Texas Ranger Kyla JarvisEpisode: "The Neighborhood"
Smart Guy LillieEpisode: "Baby, It's You and You and You"
1998 The Pretender Tracy JohnsonEpisode: "Gigolo Jarod"
Smart Guy BrandiEpisode: "Bad Boy" & "She Got Game"
Any Day Now BirdieEpisode: "You Shoulda Seen My Daddy"
1999 Becker KeishaEpisode: "Limits & Boundaries"
So Weird Kamilah SimmondsEpisode: "Lost"
Sister Sister Basketball PlayerEpisode: "The Road Less Traveled"
The Parent 'Hood MonicaEpisode: "To Kiss or Not to Kiss"
Moesha PatriciaEpisode: "The Crush"
2000 The Parkers ShaquillaEpisode: "Bad to the Bone"
The Hughleys KenyathaEpisode: "The Thin Black Line"
Moesha Sabrina WilsonEpisode: "Netcam"
Strong Medicine Donna JenkinsEpisode: "Brainchild"
2001 Lizzie McGuire Brooke BakerEpisode: "Gordo and the Girl"
2001–05 The Proud Family Penny Proud (voice)Main Cast
2001–06 One on One Breanna Latrice BarnesMain Cast
2002Super Short ShowHerselfEpisode: "The Proud Family Movie/That's So Raven: Raven's House Party: 1"
2004 Veronica Mars GeorgiaEpisode: "The Wrath of Con"
2005 Dr. Phil HerselfEpisode: "Dr. Phil & Dr. Bill"
Lilo & Stitch: The Series Penny Proud (voice)Episode: "Spats: Experiment #397"
2012 The Mentalist Juliana McVieEpisode: "Black Cherry"
2012–14 Let's Stay Together Crystal WhitmoreMain Cast: Seasons 2–4
2013 L.A. Hair HerselfEpisode: "Don't Mess With My Mama"
2015 The Soul Man AliciaEpisode: No Weddings and Ten Funerals
2016 Recovery Road Trish CollinsMain Cast
2018 In the Cut LaShantayEpisode: "The Ring Bearer"
2019 Black Ink Crew: Compton HerselfSupporting Cast: Season 1
2020 Insecure DinaEpisode: "Lowkey Done"
2021 Duncanville Allison (voice)Episode: "Crimes and Misters Demean Her" & "Witch Day 2"
BronzevilleMaisieEpisode: "3,5,11,29"
We Stay LookingKeishaEpisode: "Wet and Alone"
2021–23 Call Me Kat RandiMain Cast
2022 Celebrity Family Feud Herself/ContestantEpisode: "Salt-N-Pepa vs. The Proud Family and Bel-Air vs. Saved by the Bell"
The Wheel Herself/Animated Movies ExpertEpisode: "Fish N' Chips & Gold Medal Flips"
A Black Lady Sketch Show Edge DonorEpisode: "Save My Edges, I'm a Donor!"
Tales StephanieEpisode: "Survival of the Fittest"
2022– The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Penny Proud (voice)Main Cast
2023 Chibiverse Episode: "Chibi Villains Unite"
Fantasy Island PeachesEpisode: "Peaches and the Jilted Bride"

Music videos

YearTitleArtist
2003"What a Girl Wants" B2K

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References

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  2. "Kyla Pratt Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
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  4. Spruell, Sakina P. (March 2003). "A day in the life of TV star Kyla Pratt - How They're Living". Black Enterprise. Archived from the original on 2009-05-17. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  5. "Black Don't Crack: Kyla Pratt Popped Up On 'Insecure' Over The Weekend & It Was '06 All Over Again [Photos]". Global Grind. 18 May 2020.
  6. "Kyla Pratt Starred in These 2 Hit Shows at the Exact Same Time". Showbiz Cheatsheet. 18 October 2020.
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  9. "VH1′s 100 Greatest Kid Stars Of All Time". Archived from the original on June 25, 2022.
  10. Andreeva, Nellie (Jun 3, 2014). "Kyla Pratt & Justin Prentice Join ABC Family Drama Pilot 'Recovery Road'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved Jun 20, 2014.
  11. Gelman, Vlada (2016-05-14). "Recovery Road Cancelled at Freeform". TVLine. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  12. Aswad, Jem (2024-07-25). "Kyla Pratt Stars in 'The Memo,' Film Adaptation of Minda Harts' Thriller, With Music by MC Lyte (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  13. "Kyla Pratt Calls Longtime Partner Danny Kirkpatrick a 'Real' Dad in Pic with Their 2 Kids".
  14. Cadet, Danielle (2011-11-10). "Kyla Pratt Confirms Rumors". The Huffington Post.
  15. "About "The Secret She Kept"". 30 June 2016.
  16. "The Christmas Pact (2018 Lifetime)". 12 December 2018.
  17. "Back to the Goode Life (2019) - Movie".
  18. "Back to the Goode Life (2019) - Movie".
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