Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown – "Re-Air: Tara Strong: These Characters Are All Part of Me"

Original Release: January 30, 2026
Host: Mayim Bialik with co-host Jonathan Cohen
Guest: Tara Strong

Episode Overview

Revisiting a standout episode, Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen dive deep with Tara Strong, legendary voice actress behind dozens of beloved animated characters (Powerpuff Girls, Fairly OddParents, Harley Quinn, My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, and more). More than a fun exploration of her craft, the episode uncovers the emotional, psychological, and even mystical dimensions of performance, creativity, empathy, body image, family, manifesting positivity, and the challenges of being vocal about humanitarian views in public—especially in a volatile social media climate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tara Strong's Origins and Craft

• Early Ambitions & Support

  • Knew from age five her purpose was to perform, despite no family showbiz background.
  • Parents, though not wealthy, were supportive, providing lessons and encouragement.
  • First pro performance was in Yiddish, for which she learned phonetically.
  • Landed the first-ever English-speaking Hello Kitty role at 13.
  • Quote – “I was the first English-speaking voice, the first time [Hello Kitty] had a mouth was me at thirteen.” (06:23)

• Developing Voices & Characters

  • Loved doing accents, voices, and pretending from an early age.
  • Describes the process as natural, like “breathing”—characters "live in my head" and come forth as needed.
  • Has to ensure characters (even similar ones) remain distinct: “I couldn't live with myself [if they weren’t].”
  • Quote – “For me in my process, I see them in my head...when it's their turn to come down, they do. I become these characters so that it makes people feel something...” (08:33)

• Emotional Resonance

  • Feels like a “conduit” for comfort and connection; often meets fans who share how a character changed their lives (e.g., kids with autism, childhood loneliness).
  • Considers convention appearances not just lucrative but deeply meaningful for human connection.

Mental Health, Empathy, and Manifestation

• “Parts” of Self & Acting

  • Discusses how acting and creating voices is more than manipulation—it’s an expression of empathy, comfort, and emotional intelligence, both professionally and personally.
  • Quote – “We all have these different personas we drop into. You just have a wider repertoire and they each have personalities.” (13:36, Jonathan Cohen)
  • Moments of emotional resonance are cited—anecdote about making her mother laugh in the face of cruel bullying due to her mother’s weight and her sister’s special needs.
  • Highlights advocating for dignity in her work, such as objecting to negative representations in scripts. (27:00+)

• Body Image and Positivity

  • Candidly discusses the impact of her mother’s and sister’s struggles on her own worldview; growing up around body shaming and bullying inspired a fierce sense of anti-hate.
  • Speaks on societal judgments, personal body challenges, and the ongoing journey to self-acceptance.
  • Quote – “I’ve definitely struggled...with borderline eating disorders, starving myself, bulimia...and if I say today I don’t struggle with it, I’d be lying. But I do appreciate the women who put themselves out there at all sizes to make people see beauty comes in all sizes.” (29:42)

Spirituality, Intuition, and Magic

• Belief in Magic and Intuition

  • Describes feeling genuinely “plugged in”—downloads creativity from something bigger, referencing personal and family rituals and “mommy magic.”
  • Speaks openly, even playfully, about intuitive and mystical experiences—including “signs” from her mother after her passing.
  • Quote – “Heck yes, I am tuned in. Those are my people up in the stars...after this, I get to go back to my star planet and share everything I learned.” (54:47)

• Manifestation (Science & Spirit)

  • States she was “doing the Secret before 'The Secret.'”
  • Describes manifesting as not just wishful thinking but living in the energy of already having what’s wished for; positivity correlates with more opportunity and resilience, citing both intuition and emerging brain science.
  • Emphasizes it is NOT about blaming oneself for setbacks or illness, and rails against the toxicity of victim-blaming in pop manifestation culture.
  • Quote – “Positive thoughts have more power...if you don’t believe you can make yourself better, it’s harder to manifest good things.” (46:34)
  • Quote (on resilience) – “If you try every day to go to the best case scenario…I think slowly you can pull yourself from those things.” (48:06)

Navigating the Entertainment Industry and Setbacks

• Breaking Through in LA

  • Details early struggles: “eviction-notice broke,” doubts, thinking maybe she should return to Canada, then landing three huge concurrent roles (Powerpuff Girls, Batgirl, 101 Dalmatians) which secured her place.
  • Credits luck, perseverance, and a “voiceover angel” (Marsha Goodman) for timely opportunities.

• Creativity in the Booth

  • Examples of spontaneous creativity that landed roles (inventing a stuttery chicken, a unique twist for Raven in Teen Titans)—demonstrates boldness and intuition are key.

Social Media, Advocacy, and Public Backlash

• Social Presence: Rewards and Harms
  • Used to be a hidden profession; now voice actors have “faces,” fans, and sometimes hazards.
  • Most fan interactions are positive, but discusses the occasional inappropriate behavior and persistent social media toxicity, especially on Twitter/X.
  • Quote – “I like helping people, I like promoting shows that I'm on, I like making jokes, I like making people feel good...I do not like the bullying and I think X is the worst.” (73:07)

[70:22 – 78:13]

Addressing Islamophobia Accusations & Firing

• Tara recounts how she was accused of "Islamophobia" on social media after expressing solidarity with Israel post-October 7 attacks and lost a project as a result.
• Describes a career-long commitment to humanitarianism, anti-hate, and peace—including financial support for Gaza relief.
• Points out the narrative manipulation on social media and "trial by tweet," with accidental "likes" or misinterpreted posts weaponized against her.
• Emphasizes it's possible (and essential) to hold space for both Israeli existence and Palestinian suffering.
• Quote – “This is why twitter x is dangerous…people run with things and then the press runs with it and it can be devastating.” (78:13)
• Quote – “If your fundamental issue is that I believe Israel should exist, we’re going to have a fundamental problem, because I can hold both of those things.” (84:41, Mayim Bialik)
• Tara highlights pervasiveness of online antisemitism and advocates empathy, peace, and coexistence, referencing positive examples of collaboration and unity.

Family, Advocacy, and Empathy

• Supporting “Special” Siblings
  • Tara and Jonathan both discuss the impact of caring for family with disabilities (Tara’s sister; Jonathan’s brother), with moving anecdotes on protection, understanding, and empathy.
  • Tara details supporting her agoraphobic sister from afar, making sure she feels seen and loved.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [06:23] Tara Strong: “I was the first English-speaking voice, the first time [Hello Kitty] had a mouth was me at thirteen.”
• [08:33] Tara Strong: "For me...I see them in my head…when it's their turn to come down, they do...I become these characters so that it makes people feel something."
• [13:36] Jonathan Cohen: "We all have these different personas we drop into...You just have a wider repertoire and they each have personalities."
• [29:42] Tara Strong: “I’ve definitely struggled... with borderline eating disorders... But I do appreciate the women who put themselves out there at all sizes to make people see beauty comes in all sizes.”
• [46:34] Tara Strong: “I do not think you invite bad. I think that should be removed from that information...I don't think you asked for your kid to have a disease...”
• [54:47] Tara Strong: “Heck yes, I am tuned in. Those are my people up in the stars...”
• [73:07] Tara Strong: "I do not like the bullying and I think X is the worst [platform]."
• [78:13] Tara Strong: “This is why twitter x is dangerous…these interpretations and things that people run with and then get people to run with and then press runs with that can be devastating.”
• [84:41] Mayim Bialik: “If someone has a problem with the fact that I believe Israel should exist, we’re going to have a fundamental problem because I can hold both of those things."
• [88:35] Tara Strong: “No Jew wants genocide, no Jew wants an innocent person to suffer. We want to invite you over for matzo ball soup. Period.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:00 | Tara’s early career and first roles | | 06:22 | The Hello Kitty milestone | | 08:33 | Tara's creative process: “They live in my head…” | | 13:30 | The experience of channeling multiple characters in daily life | | 14:14 | Emotional ties to characters, impact on fans | | 27:00 | Empathy, advocacy, and representation in media | | 29:42 | Body image pressures, eating disorders, acceptance | | 33:44 | Moving to LA: hardships, breakthroughs, “voiceover angel” | | 39:35 | Divine intervention and manifesting confidence | | 45:24 | Explaining the science and limits of manifestation | | 54:47 | Spiritual connection, magic, and rituals | | 70:22 | Social media and the double-edged sword of visibility | | 73:07 | Specific social media harassment experiences | | 78:13 | On the Islamophobia accusation, firing, and expressing solidarity| | 84:41 | Holding space for both Israeli and Palestinian suffering | | 88:35 | Tara’s call for empathy and coexistence |

Tone and Notable Moments

• Conversation is candid, warm, and at times deeply emotional—balancing humor with vulnerability.
• Tara’s ability to shift instantly into beloved character voices delights hosts and underscores her thesis about personas being truly “part of” her.
• Emotional highlights include sharing how her mother’s support shaped her, the grief and magic surrounding her mother’s passing (55:00), and moments of advocacy for her family and broader community.
• The latter third offers incisive—yet compassionate—commentary on social justice, activism, and the tendency for oversimplification and cruelty in digital discourse.

Conclusion & Follow-up

The episode is a testament to empathy—as personal practice, as a professional necessity, and as the foundation for a better world. Tara Strong’s holistic approach to voice acting, mental wellness, spirituality, and advocacy offers powerful lessons on resilience, self-acceptance, and the importance of standing up (vocally and otherwise) for what matters.

Where to follow Tara:

• All social platforms: @tarastrong
• Upcoming: Tara’s first-ever voice acting masterclass and community (announcements via social)

From Mayim, Jonathan, and Tara: Let’s keep feeding the “good wolf”—with creativity, compassion, and a commitment to both joy and justice.