Windsor’s 12-year-old voice talent stars in revival of beloved Barney series

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A young Windsor voice has joined the cast of an animated television series that is reintroducing the beloved dinosaur Barney to a new generation — proof that purple never goes out of style.
Twelve-year-old Ella Paciocco, a voice actor and singer-songwriter from Windsor, brings the character of Vivie to life on the latest series Barney’s World.
Joined by a new group of friends and more lessons on kindness, Barney returns to the screen for the first time in 14 years, proving once again that there’s always something to learn from a big, purple dinosaur.
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“I feel very proud,” said Ella Paciocco.
“I’m so happy that I got this opportunity to be on this show, because I used to love the show and I know it was a great show for a lot of people.”
The character of Vivie is a lively, imaginative eight-year-old girl who has a passion for painting, performing, and spending time with her Nona. She and her Nona share a special bond around cooking and passing down Italian traditions.
“She loves to sing, act, and dance like me,” said Paciocco.
“She’s just like the mini version of me. It kind of came naturally when I read the description of the character, so it was pretty easy to do the voice.”
Produced by Mattel Television and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, the series reintroduces the Barney franchise, which first captivated audiences with Barney & Friends from 1992 to 2010.

Last month, Barney’s World premiered with 52 episodes on MAX and Cartoon Network. Some episodes will be released on YouTube and available for international audiences on various platforms.
However, the work for Paciocco’s role began well in advance.
Paciocci and her father were travelling to a studio in Toronto nearly every week to record for the show.
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