In 1984, a half-hour comedy series called Punky Brewster premiered on NBC, and fans
fell in love with the sassy and clever orphan at the center of the show.
Punky was played by Soleil Moon Frye, who was 12 years old when the show ended and she
left her character’s mismatched footwear behind forever.
Curious about how Frye has been filling her days since Punky roamed the streets of Chicago?
Keep watching!
Family matters
Frye dated a few '90s teen icons in her younger years, most notably Terminator 2's Eddie Furlong
and rapper-slash-actor Mark Wahlberg.
However, when Frye was studying film at New York's The New School, she met her future
husband, producer Jason Goldberg.
Now married for nearly two decades, Frye and Goldberg have four children, all with very
special names.
Frye told People,
"We are a family of unique names.
I loved having a name that was different as a kid."
Their two daughters are Poet Sienna Rose and Jagger Joseph Blue, and their sons are Lyric
Sonny Roads and Story.
The creative mom explained that the names also have a synchronicity about them, saying,
"We started with our Poet and now our Story feels complete."
Fun fact: Frye's birth coach was none other than actress Demi Moore.
Frye raved about Moore to Parenting, saying,
"[Moore] massaged my legs and was amazing; she must have been a midwife in a past life."
Two-time author
In 2011, Frye decided to write about what she's learned from her career and parenting
in her first book, Happy Chaos: From Punky to Parenting and My Perfectly Imperfect Adventures
in Between.
She followed that up with a second book, Let's Get This Party Started: DIY Celebrations for
You and Your Kids to Create Together.
On her inspiration for the latter, Frye told Parade,
"My girls and I love having get togethers.
Our house is like a summer camp, everyone comes over and plays there, and we love the
whole celebration.
We love the kids being a part of it, so this book is really where you can find everything
you need to throw a great party."
Happy host
A spin-off of the lifestyle website Home Made Simple, the show by the same name moved from
TLC to the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2009, and that's when Frye got involved — she
hosted the third season of the big-hearted series, which was nominated for an Emmy for
best daytime lifestyle program.
"You know, it's a show that gives back to others, and I love the idea of giving back
and paying it forward, and these are people that are giving so much to their communities."
Small screen
In the '90s and early 2000s, it was exciting to see celebrities show up on episodes of
the hit sitcom Friends.
As for Frye, her pop culture icon status landed her a guest arc on the NBC series as a girlfriend
of Joey's named Katie.
"Well, I dated Joey on the show, so I gotta say Joey."
If you ever stumbled into watching Bratz, you may have recognized the voice of Jade.
Well, that's because she and Punky Brewster share the same voice.
"Just think, before we were Bratz, we were Bratz babies."
Over the years, the actor-author-mompreneur has lent her voice to several popular animated
series, including The Proud Family, Planet Sheen, and the Adult Swim series Robot Chicken.
Eco-friendly business
After having children, Frye had the idea to create a green living boutique offering eco-friendly
and organic toys and clothing for kids.
Frye told Child Mode,
"Of course, after becoming a mother and having my own baby, I felt that all of a sudden,
my eyes were open to the world for the first time.
My business partner Paige and I had new children and we really wanted to create a safe haven
for our babies."
The pair sourced eco-friendly and non-toxic products from around the globe in order to
launch The Little Seed in 2007.
"I believe that we're the generation of activists, so, you know, as mommies, and as parents,
we can come together, and certainly work to make a difference."
Teenage Witch bestie
The bond between Frye and one of her celebrity besties, Melissa Joan Hart, was solidified
on the set of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
In the popular teen series, Frye starred as Sabrina's friend Roxie King.
When the entire cast reunited in October 2017, Frye echoed her co-stars' sentiment that they
would all eagerly do a Sabrina reboot if they still owned the rights.
"It makes you continue believing in magic, which I think we all in the world need some
magic right now."
An active philanthropist
Outside of her other endeavors, one of Frye's main passions has been helping to rebuild
Haiti in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake in 2010.
She also volunteers with the organization A Sense of Home, explaining in an Instagram
post,
"When the world is feeling so fragile, it was great to spend the morning and afternoon
with @asenseofhomeorg.
They help make aged-out foster youth's first permanent living space feel like HOME."
A new Punky?
Not only is Frye down with the idea of a Punky reboot, but she also has a specific idea about
who would be perfect for the part.
Frye said her lookalike daughter, Jagger, loves to put on two different colored shoes,
just like Punky.
"I look at my little Punky in my daughter, and I'm like, you want to do it?
Sure!"
Thanks for watching!
Click the List icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus, check out this other cool stuff we know you'll love too!