Rainbow Brite Celebrates 40th Anniversary: Voice Actress Shares Secret to Show's Success

When 12-year-old Bettina Bush was requested to try out for a new role in 1984, she was working as a voice actress on ‘The Littles’. She was asked to describe the sound of a character named Wisp after being shown a drawing of the character. She was cast as Wisp, who eventually changed into ‘Rainbow Brite’, after giving a voice performance. As the protagonist of a TV show and a motion picture, Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer, she gained popularity throughout time. Bush thinks the character's lasting appeal stems from her representation of optimism and hope, which still appeals to viewers today.

After the success of the album ‘Paint a Rainbow in Your Heart’, Bush became aware of the extent of Rainbow Brite's influence. After she sang Annie's ‘Happy Birthday’ and then ‘Tomorrow’ after being asked to voice the character's songs, she was invited to record the album's tracks. The record and the character's successful merchandise cemented Rainbow Brite's status in popular culture.

Image Courtesy: Variety

Bush recalled a Christmas pageant as a child, where she was very careful to get her lines perfect, and she always knew she wanted to be an actor. Her father, Charles V. Bush, in particular, urged her to be loyal to herself and was a great supporter of her aspirations.

Bush voiced roles for a number of other shows, including ‘My Little Pony’ and ‘The Karate Kid’, in addition to ‘Rainbow Brite’. She also worked on McDonald's commercials and provided the voice of Alisa Carmichael in ‘Rugrats’. Bush, who has two children now, is still passionate about making content for children, including a children's book co-written with NFL player Keyshawn Johnson. She hopes to play a part, write a song, or contribute in some other way to the future ‘Rainbow Brite’ revival.

–Farheen Ali