Actress Tate McRae shot by Nicole Hudson
Cartoon characters on children’s television shows offer young audiences a fun way to get lost in their imaginations, and when they’re created with education in mind, like the Nickelodeon series Lalaloopsy, they also provide an engaging way for kids to learn about subjects like math, the value of friendship and so much more. What’s ironic though, is that more often than not adult actors play the voices of these characters; however, 12-year-old Tate McRae, the actress who voices Spot Splatter Splash on Lalaloopsy, is an exception to the rule.
For McRae, an exceedingly passionate performer, voicing the character of Spot on the series has been a dream come true. She explains, “I loved playing Spot! She was carefree and creative and had a lot of energy. It was so fun!”
The dolls on the series, which look like cute little Raggedy Ann dolls with buttons for eyes and varying hair colors of purple, pink, blue and orange, were actually described on CBS’s The Early Show as the “hottest toy of the season” back in 2010. During the holiday season of 2010 the New York Post also remarked that the dolls created “Cabbage Patch-like hysteria” among shoppers, so it’s not surprising that the dolls, which were created by MGA Entertainment, were soon brought to life for youth audiences to enjoy through the Nickelodeon series Lalaloopsy in 2013.
McRae’s character Spot, one of the lead characters on the show, is an adorable little blonde doll with curly pigtails bound by red bows who wears a striped under shirt and a white overall dress, and has a spunky pink and white zebra. McRae brings Spot to life with a fun and exciting attitude constantly changing her voice to perfectly represent what her animated character goes through in the show.
About voicing Spot, McRae says, “Spot was one of the main characters so I had a lot of lines. It is hard recording voice-overs. You are the only one in the recording booth and there are lots of people online from the states directing you. I usually got a 30-page script 1 to 2 days before we recorded, so you have to go through it and figure out how your expression is going to be.”
McRae’s adept talent for voice over acting clearly comes through in the show, and she’s continued to voice Spot on several other productions including the 2014 film Lalaloopsy Ponies: The Big Show and the video Lalaloopsy: Band Together, which was released earlier this year.
What’s even more impressive is that she’s actually voiced more than one of the Lalaloopsy characters, including Princess Nutmeg in the 2013 video Lala-Oopsies: A Sew Magical Tale, as well as others on the series.
“A few times I had to play 2 characters in one episode. So I had to sound different. In one I had to sing badly as Spot and then have a beautiful voice as Holly in a Christmas episode,” explains McRae.
While singing badly seems to be a relatively easy feat, singing well has its obvious challenges; however, McRae, who has also performed in several musical theatre productions over the years, naturally has the voice of an angel.
She adds, “My favorite role was Holly, because I got to combine my singing and acting in one! It was so fun.”
McRae has achieved astonishing success in the entertainment industry, especially for someone so young. She has also received incredible praise, as well as awards, for her talent as a professional dancer. Earlier this year she was cast to dance in the contemporary dance version of the music video for the hit band Walk Off The Earth’s song ‘Rule the World.’
McRae says, “I think what separates me is that I am a dancer and a singer also. I’m always performing and incorporating my other passions into my acting. I feel that dancing, singing, and acting define me as a person.”
For Canadian star Tate McRae, performing is just a part of her nature; and, as she continues to land leading roles as an actress, singer and dancer, her innate talent shines through beautifully, proving that she’s one performer that will remain on everyone’s radar for years to come.
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