SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor confirms character is autistic: “That’s his superpower!”

As a devoted cinema goer and longtime fan of animated television, I was thrilled to learn about Tom Kenny’s recent confirmation that SpongeBob SquarePants, one of my all-time favorite cartoon characters, is autistic. SpongeBob has been a beloved figure in our lives since his debut in 1999 and has left an indelible mark on multiple generations with three feature films and countless television episodes.


Tom Kenny, the voice actor behind SpongeBob SquarePants, has announced that this popular cartoon character is represented on the autism spectrum.

Since his debut on television in 1999, the sponge character with human traits, known for residing in a pineapple submerged in the sea, has become a consistent presence.

Nowadays, he’s widely known as a popular and readily identifiable cartoon character among various age groups. He has starred in three movies and over 300 TV episodes, documenting his mishaps.

At Motor City Comic-Con in Detroit earlier this year, Kenny discussed the character in question. However, clips from that event have only lately become available online, thanks to a generous X community member.

In the video, he points out that people with autism spectrum disorder can strongly relate to SpongeBob’s character due to his sharing certain traits.

During my recent visit to a convention in Texas, an unusual query was posed to me for the first time. An individual, clearly identifying with the autism spectrum, approached me and asked, “Tom Kenny, I have a question for you – is SpongeBob a character with autistic traits?”

Kenny answered the fan by saying: “Absolutely, yes! Just like it’s a special ability of yours, that’s his unique talent.”

The voice actor has talked about SpongeBob’s neurodivergent traits before. In a 2012 podcast interview with Marc Maron, they discussed this topic.

At Motor City Comic Con, Tom personally shared that Spongebob falls under the spectrum. I was present at the event and managed to capture a video of this moment, which unfortunately was only available on Facebook. The footage had to be screen recorded as no other means were available for saving it. Tom demonstrated an amiable demeanor towards everyone in attendance, ensuring that all queries were addressed.

— Domino (@DominoDeerGirl) July 22, 2024

“SpongeBob’s character can be seen as having some traits of being on the autism spectrum,” he explained. “He’s extremely devoted to his work and puts in an incredible amount of effort. He also tends to focus intensely on a single topic.”

The adventures of SpongeBob on our screens will continue, as Nickelodeon has renewed the TV show for a 15th season and plans to premiere a new feature-length movie, called “Search for SquarePants,” in December 2025.

In the second SpongeBob SquarePants film, “Sponge on the Run,” the movie continued to bring in an impressive revenue of $325 million, breaking the series record for highest box office earnings. However, this achievement came about as the picture was prevented from hitting theaters due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and instead, was released through streaming platforms.

You can watch SpongeBob SquarePants online through Paramount Plus. Start by signing up for a free 7-day trial, which costs £6.99 per month thereafter.

Read More

2024-07-24 17:33