New ‘Rugrats’ Reboot Reveals Betty DeVille As Openly Gay
Betty DeVille is a single openly gay mom in the reboot of Nickelodeon’s hit classic cartoon series, Rugrats, which premiered on Paramount+ on May 27. The highly anticipated reboot has implemented a more diverse representation into the animated series.
Natalie Morales, Betty’s new voice actor, recently confirmed the character’s sexuality and explained its significance for young viewers in a statement to The A.V. Club.
“Betty is a single mom with her own business who has twins and still has time to hang out with her friends and her community, and I think it’s just so great because examples of living your life happily and healthily as an out queer person is just such a beacon for young queer people who may not have examples of that,” Morales stated to The A.V. Club.
In the original 1991 series, Betty was married to Howard DeVille. However, fans of the franchise have been discussing her sexuality for years.
“Betty Deville will be gay in Rugrats reboot” as if she wasn’t already a gay icon pic.twitter.com/EICF4dA1C6
— Danielle Partis 🏳️🌈 (@DaniellePartis) May 27, 2021
For the record, Betty DeVille is and always has been queer pic.twitter.com/eGTPjf3AWO
— Stacy, Librarian-in-Residence (@DarkLiterata) May 29, 2021
The Rugrats character won fans’ hearts years ago with her outspoken personality and her iconic feminist sweatshirt. In the new reboot, Deville enjoys sports, cracks jokes about her ex-girlfriends, and owns a cafe called Betty’s Beans.
Kath Soucie voiced Betty and her unruly twins, Phil and Lil DeVille, in the ’90s. Although Morales will be taking on the role of Betty in the new series, Soucie will continue to do the voices of Phil and Lil.
The new reboot series of Rugrats is now streaming on Paramount+.
