Biography
Who is Tara Strong?
Early life and background
Tara Lyn Charendoff was born in Toronto, Canada, on February 12, 1973. She is the younger daughter of Syd and Lucy Charendoff. She grew up in Toronto with her older sister, Marla. Her parents operated a retail store in Toronto called The Wiz, which sold toys and candy. This store was an early Canadian seller of Hello Kitty merchandise.
As a child, Tara showed an early interest in performing. At age four, she volunteered for a solo in a school production. She later took part in the local Jewish and Yiddish theatrical community, including the Toronto Jewish Theater. She also sang with the Habonim Youth Choir, performing songs in English and Hebrew. Her parents supported her interests by enrolling her in acting, singing, and dancing classes.
Starting her professional career
By her early teens, Tara was pursuing acting as a profession. She secured an agent at age 13. Her first professional stage role was playing Gracie in the Limelight Theatre production of The Music Man. Around this same time, she appeared as a guest on the television series T. And T. Starring Mr. T.
Her first major animated role was the title character in Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater, which premiered in 1987. During these years, she juggled school and acting work, sometimes relying on on-set tutors. She also studied improvisation and sketch comedy at The Second City in Toronto. Before leaving Canada for Los Angeles in January 1994, she worked on various projects, including the CBC sitcom Mosquito Lake and animated shows like Beetlejuice and The Garbage Pail Kids.
Voice acting work and major roles
Tara Strong is the voice behind many famous animated characters. She voiced Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls and Raven in Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go. In The Fairly OddParents, she voiced Timmy Turner and Poof. She also provided the voice for Dil Pickles in Rugrats and All Grown Up. Her other major roles include Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, and the titular princess in Unikitty.
Her work extends into video games and live-action projects. She voiced Rikku in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. She also took over the role of Harley Quinn in the Batman: Arkham game series. Beyond animation, she appeared in live-action shows such as the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush, where she played Miss Collins. Also, she portrayed Tiggy Sullivan in the Canadian series Pretty Hard Cases.
Personal life and achievements
Tara is married to Craig Strong, and the couple has two children, Sammy and Aden. Throughout her career, she has received numerous nominations and awards. In 2004, she won an Interactive Achievement Award for her voice work in Final Fantasy X-2. She also won a Shorty Award for Best Actress in 2013 for her social media usage. The Behind the Voice Actors website named her Voice Actress of the Year in 2013.
Outside of her professional work, she is a vegan. She has participated in various charity efforts, including raising funds for a family with a child facing a brain tumour. She has also served as an announcer for the Kids Choice Awards and appeared as a guest at several fan conventions.
Birthday and age
Tara Strong was born on February 12, 1973, which makes Tara 53 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Tara shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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