Francesca Marie Smith (born March 26, 1985) is an American former actress, best known for providing the voice of Helga Pataki in Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!, along with various recurring and minor characters. Her other famous roles include Ashley B., Upside-Down Girl, and Swinger Girl on Recess.
Smith retired from acting sometime in the 2000s, but came out of retirement in 2017 to reprise the role of Helga in the Uncancelled Grand Finale Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie, and would do so again in 2022 with three Nickelodeon crossover games: the mobile tennis game Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis, the Massive Multiplayer Crossover Nickelodeon All-Star Brawlnote , and the third installment of the Nickelodeon Kart Racers series.
Selected Roles:
- Beethoven: The Animated Series (1994): Emily Newton
- Blossom (1994): Lizzy Martin ("Dirty Rotten Scoundrel")
- Hey Arnold! (1994-2004): Helga Pataki, Sheena, Gloria, Campfire Lass, young Gertie, Hilda
- The Drew Carey Show (1995): Monica ("Lewis' Sister")
- 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997): Amber ("Beauty Pageant Pandemonium")
- Recess (1997-2001): Ashley B., Upside-Down Girl, Swinger Girl
- The New Batman Adventures (1998): Annie ("Growing Pains")
- Two of a Kind (1999): Gabrielle ("Kevin Burke's Day Off")
- Recess: School's Out (2001): Ashley B., Upside-Down Girl, Swinger Girl
- The Zeta Project (2002): Transita ("Ro's Gift")
- Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002): Helga Pataki/Deep Voice
- Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade (2003): Ashley B., Upside-Down Girl, Swinger Girl
- Fillmore! (2003): Penny Madrid ("Immune to all but Justice")
- Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie (2017): Helga Pataki
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (2022): Helga Pataki
- Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway (2022): Helga Pataki
Tropes associated with her work:
- Dawson Casting: As stated above, Smith came out of retirement to reprise her role of Helga Pataki in The Jungle Movie, but Smith was in her 30s while Helga (during the movie's events) would've only been 11 at the most.
