Dr. Doolittle

Background:

After having a number of TV guest spots and making a few films, including the John Travolta thriller flick “Mad City” (1997), African-American actress Kyla Pratt, sometimes credited as Kyla A. Pratt, scored blockbuster hit with the comedy “Dr. Dolittle” (1998), where she played Eddie Murphy's young daughter, Maya Dolittle. The role, which she later reprised for “Dr. Dolittle 2” (2001) and “Dr. Dolittle 3” (2006), in the film and the direct-to-video sequels, respectively, won the actress three award nominations. Other films in which she has acted in include “Love & Basketball” (2000) and “Fat Albert” (2004). On television, Pratt is best known for playing Breana on the UPN hit comedy series “One On One” (2001-2006), from which she earned a Image nomination, and voicing Penny Proud on the Disney animated television show “The Proud Family” (2001-2005), where she nabbed four Image nominations. The young actress also has made guest appearances in countless series, including “ER,” “Friends,” “So Weird,” “Moesha,” “The Smart Guy” and “The Parent 'Hood,” and has appeared in many commercials.

Californian Girl

Childhood and Family:

Kyla Alissa Pratt was born on September 16, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. She is the eldest of five children and enrolled at the prestigious Hamilton Academy of Music in Los Angeles.

One On One

Career:

Kyla Pratt had her first taste of acting in front of the film camera when she appeared as Becca Ramsey in the family/comedy “The Baby-Sitters Club” (1995). She followed it up with a series of guest spots on TV series during 1995-1996 like her debut, “Living Single,” “In the House” (as Erica), “Sisters,” “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” “ER,” “Touched by an Angel” and “Friends.” In 1997, she made her second big screen outing by playing the small role of Jenny Baker in “Riot,” an action starring Gary Daniels and Sugar Ray Leonard, and then had a featured role in the John Travolta-Dustin Hoffman vehicle “Mad City.” The same year, she also made her TV film bow in the sequel “A Walton Easter” before returning to guest roles with gigs on such series as “Walker, Texas Ranger” (1997) and “The Pretender” (1998). She also played Brandi on three episodes of the popular WB Network show “Smart Guy” (1997-1998).

After playing Diane Rice's best friend in “Barney's Great Adventure” (1998), Pratt enjoyed her screen breakthrough when she was cast as the daughter of Eddie Murphy on the popular family/comedy “Dr. Doolittle” (1998). Under the direction of Betty Thomas, the talented girl netted a Image nomination for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress, a Blockbuster Entertainment nomination for Favorite Supporting Actress in Comedy and a Young Artist nomination for Best Performance in a Feature Film- Supporting Young Actress. She won a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice for Favorite Rising Star in 1999.

Pratt closed out the decade with three guest roles in “Becker,” “So Weird” and “The Parent 'Hood” and a part as the young Jenifer Lewis in the Lifetime TV film “Jackie's Back!,” directed by Robert Townsend.

Entering the new millennium, Pratt played the supporting role of young Monica in the sport-themed movie “Love & Basketball” (2000), written and helmed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and appeared in episodes of “The Parkers,” “The Hughleys,” “Moesha” and “Strong Medicine” (all 2000) before reprising her role of Maya Dolittle in the sequel “Dr. Dolittle 2” (2001), with Steve Carr sitting on the director's chair. The role brought her a 2002 Image nomination for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress.

Later that same year, Pratt scored her first starring role in a TV series. She was cast as Breanna Barnes on the UPN sitcom “One On One,” which ran for five season from September 2001 until April 2006. Playing along side Robert Ri'chard as Arnaz Ballard, Flex Alexander as Mark “Flex” Washington and Kelly Perine as Duane Odell Knox, she picked up a 2004 Image nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Concurrently, Pratt found herself providing the voice of Penny Proud on the Disney Channel TV show “The Proud Family,” a gig she held from 2001 to 2005. She also voiced Penny for the “The Proud Family” TV Movie (2005) as well as the television films “The Picnic” and “The Beach” (both 2005).

Meanwhile, Pratt continued to act in several other projects. She portrayed Amanda Beale in the Nickelodeon TV film “Maniac Magee” (2003), appeared opposite Duane Martin and Kelly Rowland in the comedy/romance film “The Seat Filler” (2004), costarred with Kenan Thompson in Joel Zwick's live-action film “Fat Albert” (2004) and guested in such series as “Lizzie McGuire” (2001) and “Veronica Mars.” 2006 found Pratt return to her role as Maya Dolittle for the third installment “Dr. Dolittle 3,” which went straight to video release.

Pratt appeared as Keri Diamond/Dumpin in the CBS comedy film “Hell on Earth” (2007), for director Dennie Gordon. She recently has finished acting as Maya Dolittle on “Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief” and “Dr Dolittle Goin' Hollywood,” both of which is set for video releases in 2008. She also has a supporting role in the upcoming movie “Hotel for Dogs” (2009), starring Emma Roberts. The comedy is adapted by director Thor Freudenthal based on a novel by Lois Duncan.

Apart from acting on film and television, Pratt also has done several commercials. Some of her work include the Nike ad campaign, where she played basketball, and the WNBA commercials, in which she was the lead of three girls and gives a lecture to various WNBA stars including Cynthia Cooper. The latter was very popular that she was invited to appear in “The Rosie O'Donnell Show.”

Awards:

• Nickelodeon Kids' Choice: Favorite Rising Star, 1999