As much of a rarity in the movies as on television, "The Wild Thornberrys" is a true family show, with a character that each age group can relate to. Like any kid talking to a pet, 12-year-old Eliza appeals to everyone who imagines that those animals can talk back. Clamping earphones on her head to drown out everything that doesn’t pertain to boys or shopping, 16-year-old Debbie is the virtual embodiment of teenage angst. And the inquisitive wild child Donnie, who can’t sit still for a second, strikes a chord with energetic four-year-olds everywhere. Even the Thornberry parents, Nigel and Marianne, as different as night and day, simply adore each other as they pursue their life’s work of documenting wildlife. In so doing, they set a fine example of how independent thinking and respect for all life can make for happy, healthy relationships. Moreover, Eliza’s aristocratic Grandmumsy Cordelia Thornberry is a more traditional, proper family voice who attempts to give her grandchildren a more structured, boarding school environment, while their free-spirited Grandpapa, Colonel Thornberry, embraces life day by day.
"Our original idea was to create a show with an animal psychologist who could communicate with animals and help them with their problems," says producer Gabor Csupo. "Then, since our primary audience was going to be children, we remolded the concept, giving the power to talk to animals to Eliza so that kids could live vicariously through her."
"We decided to change Nigel Thornberry’s profession from psychologist to documentary maker and give him a smart wife to collaborate with so we’d have a reason to send them exploring around the world, documenting all kinds of exciting animals and cultures," adds Csupo’s partner and producer Arlene Klasky. "What we ended up with was a loving, normal family, experiencing all the things a lot of families go through -- sibling rivalry, disciplinary issues, etc. -- but they do it in extraordinary places around the world."
To say the least, as people, the Thornberrys are just as flawed as they are wonderful. Even when squabbling, they’re working as a team, and one of the key people responsible for bringing that team together is casting director Barbara Wright, who Csupo and Klasky have relied on to voice their characters almost from the beginning of their creation.
"Casting voices is like putting together a bunch of instruments -- each with a different resonance -- and having them come out with a harmonious melody," explains Wright, who cast all the "Rugrats" movies as well as every Klasky Csupo production since 1993. "Keep in mind, just because you don’t see the actors on the screen doesn’t mean that the characters they portray shouldn’t have their own distinct sound."
One of the most distinct and difficult voices to cast was that of the show’s star, Eliza Thornberry. According to Wright, it took well over 400 auditions before finding "the fresh, exuberant quality" in the voice of Lacey Chabert, who was 13 at the time she began playing her 12-year-old counterpart.
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