Michaela Dietz (born November 1, 1982) is an American voice actress whose professional career started in 2005. She voiced the character of Riff on the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

children's television series ''

Barney & Friends ''Barney & Friends'' is an American children's television series created by Sheryl Leach targeted at children ages two to five. The flagship production of the ''Barney'' franchise, it originally aired on PBS under the PBS Kids brand from Ap ...

'',

Amethyst Amethyst is a Violet (color), violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek from - , "not" and (Ancient Greek) / (Modern Greek), "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from Alcohol into ...

on the

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

television series ''

Steven Universe ''Steven Universe'' is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (character), Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who lives with the Crys ...

'' and ''

Steven Universe Future ''Steven Universe Future'' is an American animated series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It serves as an epilogue to ''Steven Universe'' (2013–2019) and a follow-up to its Television film, television film Sequel, sequel ''Steven ...

'', Dolly Dalmatian on

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

's ''

101 Dalmatian Street ''101 Dalmatian Street'' is a British animated television series created by Miklos Weigert that premiered on Disney Channel in the UK and Ireland from 18 March 2019 to 22 February 2020. It is produced by Passion Animation Studios and animated b ...

'', Pita in ''

Fallout 76 ''Fallout 76'' is a 2018 action role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is an installment in the ''Fallout'' series and a prequel to previous entries. Initially set in the year 2102, players ...

,'' Vee on

's ''

The Owl House ''The Owl House'' is an American animated fantasy television series created by Dana Terrace that aired on Disney Channel from January 10, 2020, to April 8, 2023. The series features the voices of Sarah-Nicole Robles, Wendie Malick, Alex Hi ...

,'' and Darryl McGee on

's ''

The Ghost and Molly McGee , creator = Bill Motz and Bob Roth , showrunner = Bill Motz and Bob Roth , voices = {{Plainlist, * Ashly Burch * Dana Snyder * Jordan Klepper * Sumalee Montano * Michaela Dietz * Lara Jill Miller , the ...

.''

Early life and career

Dietz was born in

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

on November 1, 1982, then was adopted and raised in

Cooperstown, New York Cooperstown is a village in and the county seat of Otsego County, New York, United States. Most of the village lies within the town of Otsego, but some of the eastern part is in the town of Middlefield. Located at the foot of Otsego Lake in ...

at three months old. She studied International Studies at

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists, Middlebury w ...

. She has spoken about how her experience as an adoptee inspired her performance as Amethyst on ''Steven Universe''. This article extracts quotes from Dietz's AMA on the Steven Universe subreddit. Dietz began acting on television in 2005 with the role Ellie in ''Discover Me''. She later appeared in a short in 2009 entitled ''Red, Black & Blonde'' as an Auditioning Dancer #1 and Interracial Couple #3 in ''K-Town''.

Later career

Dietz has voiced ongoing characters in two American children's animated TV series, Riff in ''

'' and Amethyst in the ''

'' franchise. However, her role as Amethyst was the first time she had voiced an animated character. She voiced Amethyst in the mobile games ''Cartoon Network Superstar Soccer: Goal'' (2014), '' Steven Universe: Attack the Light'' (2015), '' Steven Universe: Save the Light'' (2017), and '' Steven Universe: Unleash the Light'' (2019). In 2019, she voiced Amethyst in the TV film, '' Steven Universe: The Movie'', a continuation from the ''Steven Universe'' animated series. She reprised the role in a 2021 anti-racism PSA by

Rebecca Sugar Rebecca Rea Sugar (born July 9, 1987) is an American animator, screenwriter, producer, director, and musician. She is best known for being the creator of the Cartoon Network series ''Steven Universe'', making her the first non-binary person to in ...

and

Ian Jones-Quartey Ian Jones-Quartey (born June 18, 1984) is an American animator, storyboard artist, writer, director, producer, and voice actor. He is the creator of the animated series '' OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'', based on his Cartoon Network pilot ''Lakewood ...

. She has since go on to voice several characters for

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

, such as Dolly Dalmatian on ''

'', Vee on ''

,'' and Darryl McGee on ''

.'' She also voiced Glass Boy in the '' Adventure Time: Distant Lands'' episode "Obsidian", and Danelda in two episodes of ''

Mighty Magiswords ''Mighty Magiswords'' (stylized as ''Mighty MagiSwords'') is an American animated television series created by Kyle A. Carrozza for Cartoon Network Video as the network's first online original series. The web shorts officially premiered onlin ...

''. She also voiced Blue Behemoth in ''

Kid Cosmic ''Kid Cosmic'' is an American animated superhero television series created by Craig McCracken and developed by McCracken, his wife Lauren Faust and Francisco Angones for Netflix. The series was based on his 2009 comic ''The Kid from Planet Earth' ...

'', and Dottie in two episodes of ''

Tuca & Bertie ''Tuca & Bertie'' is an American animated sitcom created by cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt for Netflix. It began streaming on May 3, 2019. It stars Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, with a supporting cast including Steven Yeun, John Early (comedian), John ...

''. Additionally, she voiced various characters in ''

Monsters at Work ''Monsters at Work'' is an American animated sitcom developed by Bobs Gannaway that premiered on Disney+ on July 7, 2021, as part of Pixar's ''Monsters, Inc. (franchise), Monsters, Inc.'' franchise. Based on and a direct continuation of ''Monst ...

'', Jennifer in an episode of '' Fairfax'', and Michelle Green in four episodes of ''

Craig of the Creek ''Craig of the Creek'' is an American animated television series created by Matt Burnett and Ben Levin for Cartoon Network. The show's pilot episode debuted directly on the TV on December 1, 2017. The series premiered online on February 19, 201 ...

''. She recently voiced Ariel in the 2022 episode, "Ariel Force One", of ''

Middlemost Post ''Middlemost Post'' is an American animated comedy television series created by John Trabbic III and developed by Dave H. Johnson and Trabbic III for Nickelodeon. It aired from July 9, 2021, to October 21, 2022. On March 28, 2024, the series ...

''. She also voiced characters in video games such as ''

Grand Theft Auto V ''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the Grand Theft Auto, ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and ...

'', '' Fallout 76: Wastelanders'', and ''

Lego Dimensions ''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Wii U. ...

''. In 2021, she voiced Tomas in the film, '' The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf''. The previous year she provided narration for a series of narrated videos which were part of a

digital series celebrating

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (, officially changed from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Month) is an annually observed commemorative month in the United States. It is celebrated during the month of May, an ...

. In 2025, Dietz voiced Bex in '' Super Duper Bunny League''.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dietz, Michaela 1982 births Living people American actresses of Korean descent American adoptees American film actresses American television actresses American video game actresses Actresses from Incheon Actresses from New York (state) American voice actresses Middlebury College alumni Place of birth missing (living people) South Korean adoptees 21st-century American actresses