See the “Rugrats” Cast Side-by-Side with Their Cartoon Characters
See the “Rugrats” Cast Side-by-Side with Their Cartoon Characters
Samantha StutsmanTue, August 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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Nancy Cartwright and Kath Soucie at the premiere of ‘Rugrats Go Wild’ in Los Angeles on June 1, 2003; Phil DeVille and Chuckie Finster in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty; Paramount+ -
Rugrats ran for nine seasons on Nickelodeon beginning in 1991
The show followed a group of curious toddlers who turned everyday life into imaginative escapades
There were three theatrically released Rugrats movies during the original series’ run
It’s been 35 years since Rugrats first hit the small screen.
The beloved animated series, which premiered on Nickelodeon on Aug. 11, 1991, followed a group of babies and toddlers whose imaginations turned everyday experiences into larger-than-life adventures.
Led by the curious and fearless Tommy Pickles (E.G. Daily), the group included his cautious best friend Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh and later Nancy Cartwright), mischievous twins Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie) and Tommy’s bossy older cousin Angelica Pickles (Cheryl Chase). While the adults were largely oblivious to their antics, the Rugrats tackled everything from new siblings and family vacations to trips to the playground and grocery store.
Rugrats ran for nine seasons and led to three theatrical films: The Rugrats Movie (1998), Rugrats in Paris (2000) and Rugrats Go Wild (2003). The first two also introduced characters who later joined the series — Tommy’s younger brother, Dil Pickles (Tara Strong), and Chuckie’s stepsister, Kimi Finster (Dionne Quan).
In May 2021, the franchise returned with a CG-animated reboot on Paramount+, which brought back many of the original voice actors behind the kids.
In honor of the show’s 35th anniversary, here’s a side-by-side look at the Rugrats cast and the cartoon characters they brought to life.
01 of 07
E.G. Daily as Tommy Pickles
Elizabeth Daily in Los Angeles on Aug. 16, 2025; Tommy Pickles in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Paramount+
Daily voiced Tommy Pickles, the fearless leader of the Rugrats whose curiosity often inspired the group’s imaginative escapades. Recognizable by his blue T-shirt, diaper and trusty screwdriver, Tommy was fiercely loyal to his friends and rarely let fear — or the adults around him — stand in the way of exploring.
“It was my first-ever voiceover audition, and I very nearly didn’t go,” Daily told The Guardian in June 2015. “As soon as they showed me a drawing of Tommy, I could hear his voice in my head. It was a voice I’d been doing since I was in elementary school.”
Daily also credited the show’s authenticity to its success.
“It wasn’t sugar-coated. In the middle of a real family, with real issues, we had real children living out their fantasy lives,” she said. “It was this amazing chance to see what children think and do while their parents aren’t looking.”
02 of 07
Christine Cavanaugh and Nancy Cartwright as Chuckie Finster
Christine Cavanaugh in Hollywood, California on Nov. 8, 1998; Nancy Cartwright in Los Angeles on Nov. 16, 2024; Chuckie Finster in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty; Monica Schipper/Getty; Nickelodeon Movies/Kobal/Shutterstock
Cavanaugh originally voiced Chuckie Finster, Tommy’s redheaded best friend and the group’s lovable worrywart. Known for his purple glasses, wild hair and constant nerves, Chuckie was often hesitant to join the group’s adventures but ultimately found the courage to face his fears alongside his friends.
“Working on Rugrats, it’s like being in a playpen, except it’s adult women,” Cavanaugh said in a November 1998 interview. “We’re like a family; we just have a good time.”
After Cavanaugh left the series in the early 2000s, Cartwright took over the role, telling Complex in March 2022 that it was “probably the most difficult thing [she’s] ever had to do as a voiceover artist.”
03 of 07
Kath Soucie as Lil and Phil DeVille
Kath Soucie in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2002; Lil and Phil DeVille in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty; Paramount+
Soucie was the voice actor behind twins Phil and Lil DeVille, two of Tommy’s closest friends and the group’s mischievous troublemakers. Nearly identical aside from their outfits, the siblings shared a love of getting dirty, eating bugs and causing chaos — though their constant bickering proved they didn’t always see eye to eye.
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While speaking to ScreenRant in May 2021, Soucie explained how she distinguished between the twins’ voices.
“They both kind of live in different places in my voice box,” she said. “They have different vocal idiosyncrasies. They’re both really separate characters.”
04 of 07
Cheryl Chase as Angelica Pickles
Cheryl Chase in Hollywood, Calif., on June 1, 2003; Angelica Pickles in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty; Moviestore/Shutterstock
Chase voiced Angelica Pickles, Tommy’s bossy and outspoken older cousin who often served as the group’s biggest antagonist. Spoiled, clever and rarely without her beloved doll, Cynthia, Angelica frequently used her age and ability to talk to both adults and babies to get her way — though she occasionally showed a softer side.
During a March 2025 appearance on Let’s Talk Media, Chase said slipping into Angelica’s voice has become second nature after decades of playing the character.
“I’ve been [voicing] her for 30 years. She’s just in my back pocket. I just know her,” she shared. “I embody Angelica.”
05 of 07
Melanie Chartoff as Didi Pickles
Melanie Chartoff in Hollywood, Calif., on Aug. 17, 1992; Didi Pickles in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Vinnie Zuffante/Getty; Paramount+
Melanie Chartoff was the voice actor behind Didi Pickles, Tommy and Dil’s loving and sometimes overprotective mother. A devoted parent, Didi frequently turned to child-rearing expert Dr. Lipschitz (Tony Jay) for advice, often unaware of the elaborate adventures unfolding right under her nose.
Chartoff didn’t have to look far for inspiration when developing Didi’s voice: She modeled the character after her mother.
“The character’s description was so much like how I would describe my own mother ... kind of an anxious person, trying to hold her family together, never confident that she knows exactly what to do,” Chartoff said on the Hot Flashes & Cool Topics podcast in February 2021. “So, I used my mother’s voice [for Didi]. It was a very easy fit for me.”
06 of 07
Jack Riley as Stu Pickles
Jack Riley in Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 25, 2007; Stu Pickles in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage; Paramount+
Jack Riley voiced Stu Pickles, Tommy and Dil’s well-meaning father and Didi’s husband. An eccentric toy inventor who often tested his creations at home, Stu was prone to getting wrapped up in his latest project — leaving plenty of opportunities for the Rugrats to get into trouble without the adults noticing.
07 of 07
Michael Bell as Chas Finster
Michael Bell in Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 5, 2000; Chas Finster in ‘Rugrats’Credit: Chris Weeks/Liaison/Getty; Paramount+
Michael Bell was the voice actor behind Chas Finster, Chuckie’s loving father who shared many of his son’s anxious tendencies. A devoted but often nervous parent, Chas raised Chuckie as a single dad following the death of his wife, Melinda, before later marrying Kira Watanabe (Julia Kato) and becoming a stepfather to Kimi (Dionne Quan).
Chuckie’s mother, Melinda, wasn’t introduced until season 4, when Kim Cattrall voiced the character for a single episode. In “Mother’s Day,” Chas shares memories of his late wife while explaining to Chuckie that his mother is in heaven.
“When we finished recording ... I looked up, and everybody in the booth was crying,” Bell recalled on Toon’d In with Jim Cummings in May 2026.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
