7-year-old Tulare boy featured in 'The Proud Family' Disney+ reboot

TULARE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Aiden Dodson's voice brings joy to families around the world.

The Tulare 7-year-old plays the character "Bebe" in the animated version of "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" on Disney+.

"They wanted an African American boy who was autistic, so Aiden being autistic, on the spectrum was a great fit," says Aiden's dad.

Aiden was mostly non-verbal until about he was about five years old.

His parents noticed a delay in some childhood developments early on and enrolled him in special education classes.

Now, Aiden is learning to read, write and live out his dreams as an actor.

"Aiden being autistic, he doesn't allow that to be a hinderrence or burden," his dad said. "It is just a daily thing for us that we get through."

Aiden auditioned for the role of Bebe in late 2020. He got the callback and by May of 2021, he was on his way to work in Hollywood.

"We are super proud of him because he is a young man who is not star-struck," his dad said. "He is oblivious to what this all truly means but he is happy to do it."

His mom, Joyce, and his sister, Amira, play a huge role in helping Aiden memorize his scripts.

"I was in love with his lines because he had really fun parts to say," Amira said.

Aiden's parents say the journey has been special and it would not have been possible without a lot of support from the incredible people in his life.

"Of course, working with the teachers and the therapists, we are a team, so our success with Aiden is working with everyone and we are so grateful," Joyce said.

The first season of "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" is just kicking off and if it continues to be a hit, the show and Aiden could be looking at a contract renewal for season 2.

Disney is the parent company of ABC30.