American actress, director and screenwriter
Soleil Moon Frye
|
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Born
| (
1976-08-06
)
August 6, 1976
(age 47)
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Education
| San Fernando Valley Professional School
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Alma mater
| The New School
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Occupations
| - Actress
- director
- producer
- screenwriter
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Years active
| 1982–present
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Spouse
|
(
m.
1998;
div.
2022)
|
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Children
| 4
|
---|
Parent
| |
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Relatives
| |
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Soleil Moon Frye
(
; born August 6, 1976
[1]
) is an American actress, director, producer, and screenwriter. She began her career as a child actress at the age of two. When she was seven, Frye won the role of Penelope "Punky" Brewster in the
NBC
sitcom
Punky Brewster
. The series debuted in September 1984 and earned consistently low ratings, but the Punky character was a hit with young children. After NBC cancelled the series, it was picked up for the syndication market where it aired for an additional two seasons before ending in 1988. Frye reprised the role in a
2021 revival
of the series, which was cancelled after one season.
After the original Punky Brewster series ended, Frye continued her career in guest spots on television and supporting roles in films. She attended
The New School
during the late 1990s and directed her first film,
Wild Horses
, in 1998. In 2000, she joined the cast in
The WB
sitcom
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
as Roxie King,
Sabrina Spellman
's roommate and close friend. Frye remained with the series until its end in April 2003. She has since continued her acting career working mainly as a
voice actor
where she is best known for voicing Zoey Howzer in the
Proud Family
franchise.
In 1998, Frye married producer
Jason Goldberg
with whom she has four children. She has since opened an eco-friendly specialty clothing boutique for children, The Little Seed, in Los Angeles. She also hosts a blog and web series that focus on child rearing and women's issues. In 2011, Frye released her first book,
Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures in Between
.
Frye was host of the
Home Made Simple
show on the
Oprah Winfrey Network
from 2013 to 2014.
[2]
Early life
[
edit
]
Frye was born in
Glendora, California
. Her father was actor
Virgil Frye
(1930?2012), and her mother is talent agent and caterer Sondra Peluce (nee Londy). She has two half-brothers,
Sean Frye
and
Meeno Peluce
, both former child actors.
[3]
Frye's parents divorced when she was two.
[4]
Frye was educated at a private school in Los Feliz and attended San Fernando Valley Professional School in Burbank.
[4]
Career
[
edit
]
Acting
[
edit
]
Frye made her acting debut in the 1982 television movie
Missing Children: A Mother's Story
. In 1983, she had a supporting role in
Who Will Love My Children?
, another television movie starring
Ann-Margret
. The following year, she portrayed Elizabeth (Bette) Kovacs in the biographical television movie
Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter
, and appeared in another television movie,
Invitation to Hell
, directed by
Wes Craven
.
At the audition, Frye beat out over 3,000 girls (including her future
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
co-star
Melissa Joan Hart
) to win the titular role on the
NBC
sitcom
Punky Brewster
. The series, which was conceived by NBC's then-head of programming
Brandon Tartikoff
, premiered in September 1984. Scheduled opposite
CBS
's highly rated
60 Minutes
, the series struggled in the ratings, but the character of Punky was popular among children. Frye routinely appeared at parades, participated in an anti-drug walks with then-
First Lady
Nancy Reagan
, and was the honorary chairman for the
National Institute on Drug Abuse
. Frye also voiced and reprised the role in the animated series
It's Punky Brewster
, which began airing during Punky Brewster's first season. Despite the series' low ratings, Brandon Tartikoff decided to renew the show for a second season because it was the highest rated show watched by children 2 to 11 years old.
[5]
[6]
Punky Brewster'
s second season, which dealt with more serious subject matters such as
CPR
and first-aid training, drug use and the
Just Say No
campaign, and the
Space Shuttle
Challenger
disaster
,
[7]
did not improve ratings, and NBC cancelled the series in April 1986.
[8]
The series was quickly picked up by
Columbia Pictures Television
and began airing in
first-run syndication
.
Punky Brewster
aired for an additional two seasons, ending on May 27, 1988.
[9]
Immediately upon
Punky Brewster'
s end, Frye landed the lead role in the ABC sitcom pilot
Cadets
, which aired as a summer special on September 25, 1988. The pilot, however, was not picked up.
[10]
In 1989, Frye hosted the syndicated weekly talk/variety show
Girl Talk
. Based on the
board game of the same name
, Frye shared hosting duties with
Sarah Michelle Gellar
and Rod Brogan.
[11]
[12]
The series was cancelled after one season. In 1990, she appeared in the
Rodney Dangerfield
sitcom pilot
...Where's Rodney?
, but this was not picked up as a series, either.
During the 1990s, Frye guest-starred on several television series, including
The Wonder Years
,
Saved by the Bell
, and
Friends
, and voiced characters for the animated series
Tiny Toon Adventures
,
The Ren & Stimpy Show
, and
The Cartoon Cartoon Show
(namely, the
Johnny Bravo
pilot episode). In addition to her television work, Frye has appeared in the films
The Liars' Club
(1993) and
Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings
(1995) and in stage productions of
Orestes, I Murdered My Mother
and
The Housekeeper
.
From 2000 to 2003, Frye played the character of Roxie King in the last few seasons of
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
, with her longtime friend and series producer Melissa Joan Hart.
[13]
During the run of
Sabrina
, she voiced Zoey Howzer in the
Disney Channel
series
The Proud Family
and the series' 2005
television movie
. She reprised the role in the revival series
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
.
[14]
In 2005, she voiced Jade, a
Bratz
character in the direct-to-video release
Bratz Rock Angelz
. She also voiced the character for the
television series
, and the video games
Bratz Rock Angelz
(2005),
Bratz: Forever Diamondz
(2006), and Bratz: The Movie (2007) and the follow-up movies until
Bratz: Fashion 4 Passion - Diamondz
. From 2010 to February 2013, Frye voiced Aseefa in the animated series
Planet Sheen
.
She appears in the
Punky Brewster
reboot that began airing on
Peacock
on February 25, 2021.
Directing
[
edit
]
In 1996, Frye moved to New York to attend The New School and later directed her first film,
Wild Horses
(1998).
[15]
Frye directed her second film,
Sonny Boy
, in 2004. The documentary chronicles a two-week trip Frye took with her father, Virgil, who had
Alzheimer's disease
.
Sonny Boy
was an official selection at the
27th Starz Denver International Film Festival
[16]
and won Best Documentary at the
San Diego Film Festival
.
[17]
In 2021, Frye directed
Kid 90
, a documentary film using an archive of footage she shot in the 1990s, for which
Leonardo DiCaprio
was executive producer.
[18]
The film was released on March 12, 2021, by
Hulu
.
[19]
Other ventures
[
edit
]
In 2007, Frye, along with two friends, opened The Little Seed, an eco-friendly children's specialty boutique in Los Angeles.
[20]
The boutique closed in August 2012, and is now an Internet-based business.
[21]
In March 2010, Frye and her friend and former co-star Melissa Joan Hart launched the "Better Together" campaign for
Gain
.
[22]
In September 2011, Frye released her first book,
Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures in Between
.
[23]
In October 2013, she released a party-planning book,
Let's Get This Party Started
. She also hosted a web series,
Her Say
, from 2011 to 2012, and currently hosts a blog on her official website, moonfrye.com, both of which deal with women's issues and parenting.
[24]
In 2014, Frye co-founded P.S. XO, a company that sells party decoration kits.
[25]
The name was then changed to MoonFrye, and expanded to include DIY kits for families and an app of the same name. They later merged with the company Seedling, which specializes in "activity kits".
Personal life
[
edit
]
As a teen, Frye suffered from
gigantomastia
. She underwent a
breast reduction
three months before her 16th birthday.
[4]
In the 1990s, Frye was romantically involved with hip-hop artist
Danny Boy O'Connor
, with whom she remains friends.
[26]
On
Kid 90
, after she gone throw her breast reduction surgery, Frye is showned sharing a peck with
Jonathan Brandis
. There's no record of them dating at that time, and in a recent interview the actress remembers him as one of her "real friend[s]".
[27]
On October 25, 1998, Frye married television producer Jason Goldberg in a
Jewish ceremony
(Frye's mother is Jewish, as is Goldberg).
[28]
Frye and Goldberg have four children: daughters born in August 2005
[29]
and March 2008
[30]
and sons born in February 2014
[31]
and May 2016.
[32]
Goldberg and Frye renewed their marriage vows in a ceremony in 2008. However in 2020, after 22 years of marriage, the couple separated.
[33]
In December 2020, Frye filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized in April 2022.
[34]
In 2022, Soleil was dating childhood friend
Shifty Shellshock
of
Crazy Town
.
[35]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
Video games
[
edit
]
Awards and nominations
[
edit
]
Year
|
Award
|
Category
|
Title of work
|
Result
|
1985
|
Young Artist Award
|
Best Young Actress in a Television Comedy Series
|
Punky Brewster
|
Nominated
|
1986
|
Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series
|
Won
|
1988
|
Best Young Female Superstar in Television
|
Nominated
|
Best Animation Voice Over Group
|
It's Punky Brewster
(Shared with
Casey Ellison
,
Ami Foster
, Teddy Field III, and
Cherie Johnson
)
|
1989
|
Best Young Actress Guest Starring in a Syndicated Family Comedy, Drama or Special
|
Mickey's 60th Birthday
|
Best Young Actress - Voice Over Role
|
It's Punky Brewster
|
Won
|
2004
|
San Diego Film Festival
|
Best Documentary
|
Sonny Boy
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Soleil Moon Frye"
.
TV Guide Online
. Retrieved
February 11,
2014
.
- ^
"Watch Home Made Simple - Stream Online | OWN"
.
- ^
"Actress Soleil Moon Frye and half-brother Actor Meeno Peluce attend..."
Getty Images
. April 19, 1995
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
c
Rosen, Marjorie (April 26, 1993).
"Now I Can Be Free"
.
People
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
"
'Punky Brewster' Star Goes to Camp"
.
The Victoria Advocate
. July 27, 1985. p. 4
. Retrieved
December 22,
2012
.
- ^
O'Hallaren, Bill (March 2, 1986).
"Her show may be a flop but Soleil Moon Frye is riding high on the wave of popularity"
.
New Straits Times
. pp. 2, 15
. Retrieved
December 22,
2012
.
- ^
Margulies, Lee (February 19, 1986).
"
'Punky' Deals With Shuttle Tragedy"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
August 22,
2010
.
- ^
"Here's Why The Original 'Punky Brewster' Was Canceled"
.
TheThings
. February 9, 2021
. Retrieved
April 7,
2022
.
- ^
Etkin, Jaimie (May 27, 2013).
"
'Punky Brewster' Finale: 25 Years Later, Where Is Soleil Moon Frye Now?"
. HuffPost
. Retrieved
September 25,
2016
.
- ^
Burlingame, Jon.
"Sunday Highlights"
.
The Modesto Bee
. September 24, 1988. pp. A?10
. Retrieved
December 22,
2012
.
- ^
Stafford, Nikki (2007).
Bite Me!: The 10th Buffyversary Guide to the World of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(3 ed.). ECW Press. pp. 33?34.
ISBN
978-1-550-22807-6
.
- ^
Television/Radio Age , Volume 37
. Vol. 37. Television Editorial Corporation. 1989. p. 11.
- ^
Angulo, Sandra P. (October 27, 2000).
"Moon Shot"
.
Entertainment Weekly
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
Swift, Andy (February 27, 2020).
"The Proud Family Revival Ordered at Disney+ With Original Cast ? First Look"
.
TVLine
.
- ^
"Soleil Moon Frye Biography"
. askmen.com. Archived from
the original
on December 19, 2008
. Retrieved
November 27,
2008
.
- ^
Chaw, Walter (November 4, 2004).
"Work de Soleil: From Shirley Temple to Barbara Kopple"
. filmfreakcentral.net. Archived from
the original
on May 25, 2011
. Retrieved
November 27,
2008
.
- ^
"Award Winners"
. August 28, 2010. Archived from
the original
on August 28, 2010
. Retrieved
September 23,
2019
.
- ^
Gardner, Chris (August 25, 2020).
"Soleil Moon Frye to Give Never-Before-Seen Look at '90s Hollywood With 'KID 90' Documentary for Hulu (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
February 11,
2021
.
- ^
Carey, Matthew (February 10, 2021).
"Hulu Documentaries On WeWork & Adam Neumann, Soleil Moon Frye, Sasquatch Get Spring Premiere Dates"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
February 11,
2021
.
- ^
Wihlborg, Ulrica (October 9, 2007).
"Soleil Moon Frye Opens Eco-Friendly Baby Store"
. People
. Retrieved
November 27,
2008
.
- ^
"Little Seed to Close at End of August - Will Continue Online"
.
Larchmont Buzz
. July 8, 2012
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
"Gain Partners with Celebrity Best Friends Melissa Joan Hart and Soleil Moon Frye to Demonstrate that 'Two is Better than One'
"
. yahoo.com. March 30, 2010
. Retrieved
May 4,
2010
.
- ^
"The Throwback: Catching up with 'Punky Brewster'
"
. cnn.com. September 1, 2011
. Retrieved
December 11,
2012
.
- ^
Spencer, Lara; Reynolds, Talesha (November 28, 2011).
"
'Mom-Trepreneurs' Turn the Mundane Details of Motherhood Into Lucrative Businesses"
. abcnews.go.com
. Retrieved
December 11,
2012
.
- ^
"Unique Arts & Craft Projects, Games, Toys, & Apps for Kids - Seedling"
.
- ^
Tramel, Jimmie (September 27, 2021).
"Danny Boy O'Connor overcomes rough past to salvage his life and Outsiders House"
.
Tulsa World
. Retrieved
April 26,
2022
.
- ^
"Soleil Moon Frye Reflects on Suicide of Friend Jonathan Brandis: 'I Carry His Memories With Me'
"
.
People
. Retrieved
June 17,
2024
.
- ^
Bloom, Nate (April 8, 2005).
"Celebrity Jews"
.
J
. jweekly.com
. Retrieved
December 10,
2012
.
- ^
"Punky's Soleil Moon Frye Has a Daughter"
.
People
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
Wihlborg, Ulrica.
"Soleil Moon Frye Welcomes a Baby Girl"
.
People
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
Webber, Stephanie (February 12, 2014).
"Soleil Moon Frye, Husband Jason Goldberg Name Newborn Son Lyric Sonny Roads"
.
Us Weekly
. Retrieved
February 18,
2014
.
- ^
"Soleil Moon Frye Welcomes Son Story"
.
People
. Retrieved
February 28,
2020
.
- ^
Jordan, Julie; Stone, Natalie (December 28, 2020).
"Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg Separate After 22 Years of Marriage"
.
People
. Retrieved
December 29,
2020
.
- ^
Eliza Thompson (April 26, 2022).
"Soleil Moon Frye's Divorce Finalized After 2 Years, Ex Jason Goldberg to Pay Her $36K a Month"
.
Us Weekly
.
- ^
OK! Staff (July 6, 2022).
"Soleil Moon Frye's Boyfriend Shifty Shellshock Arrested For DUI"
.
OK! News
.
External links
[
edit
]
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International
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National
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Other
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