Kensington Tallman
Kensington Tallman | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 6, 2008 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Known for | Voice of Riley Andersen in Inside Out 2 |
Kensington Tallman (born August 6, 2008) is an American actress. She is best known for voicing Riley Andersen in Pixar's Inside Out 2 (2024), the highest-grossing animated film of all time,[1] a performance that earned her a Children's and Family Emmy nomination for the Disney+ spin-off Dream Productions.[2] She has also starred as a series regular on Nickelodeon's Drama Club (2021) and had a recurring role on That Girl Lay Lay (2021–2024).[3] A classically trained violinist who performed at Carnegie Hall, Tallman graduated high school at 15 as a straight-A student and member of the National Honor Society.[1][4]
Early life and education
Tallman was born on August 6, 2008, in New York City. She began performing arts at age eight after being discovered at her brother's modeling audition.[1] Before acting, she performed as a violinist at Carnegie Hall. Raised in both New York City and Los Angeles, she graduated high school at 15 as a straight-A student and a member of the National Honor Society, and planned to attend college in fall 2024 to study film.[4]
Career
Tallman made her television debut in 2018 with a guest role on the Netflix series The Good Cop. She went on to appear in guest roles on shows such as Black Monday, Side Hustle, and TBS's Chad.
In 2021, she landed her first main role as Bianca Magic on the Nickelodeon series Drama Club. She also appeared as a recurring character, Tiffany Highlander, on the Nickelodeon series That Girl Lay Lay across all seasons.[3]
In 2024, she starred as Lucy in the international music-filled comedy Home Sweet Rome!, which aired on Max in the US, BBC in the UK, and Rai in Italy.[5]
Tallman voices the character Gauge on the Disney Jr. animated series Firebuds and Honey Bear on Nick Jr.'s Bossy Bear. Her voice acting work also includes roles of Gabby in Blaze and the Monster Machines and Miranda Cornwallis in Ridley Jones.
Inside Out 2 and subsequent voice work
In 2024, Tallman was cast as the voice of Riley Andersen in Pixar's Inside Out 2, the sequel to the 2015 film. To prepare for the role, she worked with a dialect coach and rewatched the first film before each recording session.[1] She drew on her own experiences with anxiety to portray the teenage Riley.[1][6] The film became the highest-grossing animated film of all time.[1] Tallman reprised the role in the Disney+ spin-off series Dream Productions, for which she received a Children's and Family Emmy nomination for her performance.[2]
Upcoming releases
In December 2025, Tallman was confirmed to be part of the cast for the independent drama One In A Million, a film shot in Dallas, Texas. The story follows a family's efforts to save their son from a severe and uncommon blood disease, and includes performances from Lou Diamond Phillips, Rob Morgan, Flavor Flav, Wayne Knight, and Grace Byers.[7]
Advocacy and personal life
Tallman is a mental health advocate and has spoken on panels including the Sages + Scientists Symposium at Harvard University. She is the Brand Ambassador for Girl Well, a nonprofit that provides self-care kits to under-sheltered teenage girls.
Tallman is a vegan and an animal rights activist. She has worked with PETA2 and starred in a campaign titled "Be an Angel for Animals. Please, Go Vegan."[8] She volunteers at The Gentle Barn, educating visitors and caring for rescued animals. She also supports children's charities including St. Jude and No Kid Hungry, and is a Celebrity Godparent with Keke Palmer's Saving Our Daughters.
In October 2024, Tallman participated in the Little Cinderella Reporters initiative, a program by Saving Our Daughters. During the event, she spoke with young girls about mental health, self-confidence, and her own experiences in the entertainment industry.[9]
Tallman is a member of the Teen Advisory Board at Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. Her hobbies include aerial arts, stunt work, yoga, crocheting, and learning languages including Italian.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run | Additional voices | Voice role |
| 2022 | Motorvation | Mayor Bob's Kid | |
| 2024 | Summer Camp | Young Ginny | |
| Inside Out 2 | Riley Andersen | Voice role[1] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Good Cop | Amateur magician | Episode: "What Is the Supermodel's Secret?" |
| 2019 | Barbapapa – One Big Happy Family | Boomimi | Voice role |
| 2020 | Black Monday | Young Ivanka Trump | Episode: "Fore!" |
| Side Hustle | Ruby | Episode: "Friendiversary" | |
| 2021 | Chad | Avery | Episode: "Squad" |
| 2021 | Drama Club | Bianca Magic | Main role |
| 2021–2024 | That Girl Lay Lay | Tiffany Highlander | Recurring role |
| 2022 | Nick Shorts Showcase | Various roles | Writer on 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Ridley Jones | Miranda Cornwallis | Guest voice role |
| 2022–2023 | Blaze and the Monster Machines | Blue Mermaid, Gabby | Guest voice role (season 6); Main voice role (early season 7) |
| 2022–2025 | Firebuds | Gauge | Recurring voice role |
| 2023 | Home Sweet Rome | Lucy | Main role[5] |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Riley Andersen | Main voice role; Disney+ spin-off series[2] |
| 2025 | Pupstruction | Mittens | Guest voice role |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Choi, Elizabeth E. (October 8, 2024). "Artist Profile: Kensington Tallman on Voicing Riley in 'Inside Out 2'". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Children's & Family Emmy Awards Nominees 2025". Emmy Awards. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- 1 2 Complex, Valerie (June 10, 2024). "Kensington Tallman To Voice Riley In Pixar's 'Inside Out 2'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- 1 2 Hailu, Selome (March 15, 2024). "'Inside Out 2' Finds Its Riley in Kensington Tallman". Variety. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- 1 2 "Home Sweet Rome!". ABC iview. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "'Inside Out 2' voice actor Kensington Tallman on being Riley". WBUR. January 29, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (December 17, 2025). "'One In A Million': Lou Diamond Phillips, Rob Morgan, Flava Flav, Wayne Knight, Kensington Tallman, Grace Byers & More Join Faith Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Inside Out 2 Star Kensington Tallman is a Vegan 'Angel for Animals' in New peta2 Campaign". PETA. December 9, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "'Inside Out 2's' Kensington Tallman empowers girls through Little Cinderella Reporters Initiative". ABC11. October 11, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2026.