NICKELODEON BEGINS PRODUCTION ON NEW
THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS SERIES FOR PARAMOUNT+,
COMBINING LIVE-ACTION AND ANIMATION
Original Voice Talent Susanne Blakeslee and Daran Norris to Reprise
Their Iconic Fairy Godparent Roles Along New Live-Action Cast
Share it: @Nickelodeon @ParamountPlus #FairlyOddParents
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--July 12, 2021--Nickelodeon Studios and
Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, today announced the start of production on
The Fairly OddParents (working title), an all-new original series based off the Emmy Award-winning animated show,
The Fairly OddParents. Combining live-action and animation, the 13-episode first season will pick up years after the original series ended and follow Timmy Turner’s cousin, Vivian “Viv” Turner, and her new stepbrother, Roy Ragland, as they navigate life in Dimmsdale with the help of their fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo. Production on the series is underway in Los Angeles with a debut slated for later this year on Paramount+.
“During its run, The Fairly OddParents granted an endless amount of imagination to viewers, where no wish was too big or too small,” said Zack Olin, Co-Head of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. “We are so excited to build upon the ‘Fairly Odd’ universe with this totally unique experience that the new show’s incredibly talented creative team has cooked up for a new generation of kids on Paramount+.”
In The Fairly OddParents, Ty Turner uproots his life to reunite with his high school sweetheart, Rachel Ragland, in the town of Dimmsdale, thrusting his cautious 13-year-old daughter, Viv, into a new world where she does not fit in. Once there, her cousin, Timmy, entrusts his fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, to help her adjust by taking her under their wings. Witnessing the fairy transfer take place, Viv’s new stepbrother, Roy, also inherits them and the two siblings must come together to overcome the obstacles in their path, all with the help from their new wand-wielding and wish-granting fairy godparents.
Stepping into the world of Dimmsdale is Audrey Grace Marshall (The Flight Attendant) as Vivian “Viv” Turner; Tyler Wladis (Single Parents) as Roy Ragland; Laura Bell Bundy (Perfect Harmony) as Roy’s mom, Rachel Ragland; Ryan-James Hatanaka (Nancy Drew) as Viv’s dad, Ty Turner; and Imogen Cohen as their friend, Zina Zacarias. Original voice cast members Susanne Blakeslee and Daran Norris return to voice the iconic fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, respectively.
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| Audrey Grace Marshall |
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| Tyler Wladis |
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| Imogen Cohen |
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| Susanne Blakeslee |
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| Daran Norris |
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| Laura Bell Bundy |
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| Ryan-James Hatanaka |
Nickelodeon’s beloved animated The Fairly OddParents series, which ran from 2001-2017 with 172 episodes, followed the magical adventures of 10-year-old Timmy Turner and his well-meaning fairy godparents who grant him wishes. During its run, The Fairly OddParents became one of Nickelodeon’s most beloved properties from both fans and critics alike, having won and been nominated for dozens of awards. The Fairly OddParents was created by Butch Hartman.
The new
The Fairly OddParents series for Paramount+ is produced by Nickelodeon Studios. The series is executive produced by Christopher J. Nowak (
Danger Force,
Henry Danger,
Sam & Cat), who also serves as showrunner, and Samantha Martin (
Henry Danger The Musical). Butch Hartman (
The Fairly OddParents,
Danny Phantom,
T.U.F.F. Puppy) and Fred Seibert (
The Fairly OddParents,
Adventure Time,
Castlevania) serve as producers. The pilot is directed and executive produced by Mike Caron (
Danger Force,
Side Hustle,
Henry Danger).
Production of the new The Fairly OddParents series for Nickelodeon Studios is overseen by Zack Olin and Shauna Phelan, Co-Heads of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. Omar Camacho serves as Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production for the series.
About Paramount+
Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service from ViacomCBS, combines live sports, breaking news, and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream ViacomCBS Streaming’s other live channels: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.
For more information about Paramount+, please visit
www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 42nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit
http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).
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Mike Caron’s journey from soap actor to Nickelodeon director
He went from acting on Young & the Restless to bringing Fairly OddParents into the live-action realm through a series of offbeat career choices and connections.
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| Left to right: Chris Nowak, Samantha Martin and Mike Caron. |
When Mike Caron first arrived in Hollywood, his plan was to become a famous actor. But through a series of chance meetings and friendships built along the way, he’s now one of Nickelodeon’s best-known live-action directors instead, and was recently tapped to helm and executive produce the first episode of the upcoming Fairly OddParents live-action reboot.
The Fairly OddParents (working title) is based on the original 2D-animated series that ran for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2017. Created by Butch Hartman and produced by Fred Seibert, it revolved around Timmy Turner’s fairy godparents, who granted his every wish…which usually backfired. A 13-episode first season of the live-action reboot will premiere on Paramount+ later this year, starring a young girl who has to navigate life with her new fairy godparents.
EP and showrunner Christopher Nowak approached Caron to direct the first episode. They first worked together on Victorious in 2010, and then again on Sam and Cat (2013) and Henry Danger (2014)—in fact, they’ve collaborated so many times that fans have dubbed them #Mowak online.
Together with executive producer Samantha Martin, Nowak and Caron developed a visual look for the new show that leans into the absurdity of the original animated series. To achieve that same wackiness in a live-action environment, Caron focused on the town of Dimmsdale, where the story takes place.
“We take this town [where] a lot of things happen [that] are a little out of place,” says Caron. “Dimmsdale is not magic, but just a little bit off from reality.”
To achieve a more surreal look, Caron tried a variety of camera angles that directors often shy away from—such as wider frames and whip pans. And the reboot will still feature plenty of 2D-animated elements, including the god fairies and their creations, courtesy of Boxel Animation.
But Caron wasn’t used to working with animated characters, so when they first began shooting, he assumed the animators could just add in the fairies afterwards. He soon realized that adjustments had to be made while filming, such as adding stand-ins and cardboard cutouts that the actors could interact with during rehearsals and while setting up the framing. Members of the Boxel team were also on set to help with the transition. While he’d never directed a hybrid series before, jumping into new situations cold is familiar territory for Caron.
He got his break in Hollywood when he landed a gig on Young and the Restless as a recurring guest star from 1995 to 1996. But later on, Caron’s acting career was fizzling when an EP on the mystical soap Passions invited him to be a stage manager. Despite having no background in stage management, he jumped on the opportunity and learned on the fly, ultimately getting more work on daytime soaps, before finally landing on the production of Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh as an associate director.
Caron went on to work on some of the kidsnet’s most popular live-action shows, including Zoey 101, iCarly, Victorious, Sam & Cat, Henry Danger and, most recently, Danger Force.
“How could I ever have known that by acting on that soap opera, it would have been the connection that ultimately put me where I am today?” says Caron. “Whatever job you get in Hollywood, you have to do the best job you can and be very aware of who you’re doing it with—you just never know who will be the lynch pin that will take you to the next level.”
Caron is currently directing season two of Danger Force and focusing on building his social media presence. He’s been posting behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram for years, and the pandemic recently encouraged him to explore TikTok, where he now has six million followers and for his BTS snapshots.
Next up, Caron is working on a big new project that he thinks Henry Danger fans will love—though he can’t divulge any specific details. He’s also hoping that The Fairly OddParents gets picked up for more episodes and he can direct more of it.
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Originally published: July 12, 2021 at 17:17 BST.
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