The Tragic Reason Why the Original Voice Actor for Chuckie Won't Return to the 'Rugrats' Reboot

It's Time to Feel Nostalgic o'clock, everyone! The Rugrats reboot trailer is here, and it's bringing back all your favorite mischievous babies (Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Phil and Lil DeVille, Susie Carmichael, and Angelica Pickles). While the cartoon looks a bit different (instead of animated it's a blocky CGI), it seems like the show will be staying true to its roots. You'll also be excited to know that the babies are voices by the original actors.

If you're wondering about the voice actor who played Chuckie, here's what you need to know. There's a bit of history here with the person behind the shy red head with purple glasses, and it's pretty tragic. 

The Chuckie voice actor in the Rugrats revival is the second Chuckie voice actor, Nancy Cartwright. Nancy took over in Season 7 after the original Chuckie voice actor, Christine Cavanaugh, retired from acting so that she could reportedly spend more time with family. Christine played Chuckie from its premiere in 1991 until 2002. Sadly, Christine died in 2014 of undisclosed causes at a young age of 51. 

It was revealed that she suffered from chronic myelogenous leukemia, but it's unclear if that's what caused her death. 

Christine Cavanaugh will always be remembered as a legend. She played iconic cartoon characters like Oblina (and others) on Aaahh!!! Real Monsters and Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory. She also voiced Babe the Pig in the movie Babe (she was set to voice Babe in Babe: Pig in the City, but ultimately passed on the role). Other cartoons she's been a part of include The Powerpuff Girls, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Wild Thornberries, and more. 

She was also cast in non-cartoon TV shows like Salute Your Shorts, The X-Files, ER, Everybody Loves Raymond, and others. When Christine retired from acting, Nancy Cartwright not only took over as Chuckie, but as Dexter, too. The '90s truly lost a shining, whimsical star.

But it's comforting to know that the rest of the cast is returning to Rugrats (possibly except for Kimi Finster, Chuckie's stepsister, who is notably absent in the trailer). E.G. Daily (Tommy Pickles), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille) and Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael) have been confirmed as returning. It's unclear if the voice actors who portrayed all the parents (and Dr. Lipschitz!) are coming back, though.

Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation stated, “Rugrats is one of the most iconic cartoons recognized by fans around the globe, and this original version is one we are taking great care and pride in creating for a brand-new audience. Having the voice cast behind these special characters come together is one of the essential pieces to making the show recognizable and we can’t wait to watch this talented group bring them to life again.”

As of now, we're going to be watching the new Rugrats trailer on repeat until the revival hits Paramount+. And no, we don't have a premiere date yet — but hopefully we won't have to wait for long, since the streaming service Paramount Plus launches March 4. It'll likely launch on Paramount+ this year, since Paramount titled the trailer, "Who's Ready For Rugrats 2021?" on YouTube.