San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) took over the San Diego Convention Center and Gaslamp District from July 25-28th. This convention ignites with panels and presentations across multiple genres of fandom. Attendees hear directly from the actors, creators, and industry titans themselves as they spill secrets about upcoming projects and reveal behind-the-scenes magic. Among these panels was “5th Annual Hollywood Game Changers: A Conversation with the Women Behind Popular Film and TV Projects.” Ashleigh Hairston was one of the powerhouse panelists. We spoke with Ashleigh Hairston about her career in producing, writing, and voice acting as well as the new series Fairly OddParents: A New Wish.

Ashleigh Hairston Interview at San Diego Comic-Con

Ashleigh Hairston is a writer, producer, and voice actor. She is known for her voice acting roles in Craig of the Creek, Tiny Toons Looniversity, and most recently, Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. Hairston is also a writer and producer for Fairly OddParents: A New Wish and wrote for Jessica’s Big Little World.

When Hairston was approached to co-produce and write for Fairly OddParents: A New Wish, she admits to being a little hesitant at first. However, it became apparent that this would be the opportunity of a lifetime. She says:

They came to me, and they were like… “We have a potential opportunity for you to be a co-executive producer, a co-story editor, you can also write episodes, and you could potentially be the voice of the main character.” And I was like, “That’s too much.”

Although it sounds like too much, Hairston talks about taking it on. She jokes about thinking of food delivery as room service for your home. This way, she doesn’t feel so bad about it. Finding balance is tricky, especially in this industry.

“It was a lot of juggling,” she explains, “A lot of, you know, multitasking. A lot of delegating. A lot of, you know, advocating for myself and saying when I need breaks.”

As she continues to stress the importance of taking care of yourself, she reminds viewers that nothing is perfect. Relinquishing control and remembering you are part of a team takes off a lot of the pressure.

Fairly OddParents: A New Wish is a fresh take on an iconic series

Ashleigh Hairston talks about how they stayed true to the lore of the original Fairly OddParents while also bringing a fun and fresh story for new audiences. However, she did not grow up with the original. She says, “I was a fan of it and I knew the show. I knew the characters. I was familiar with it and I watched episodes before. But, I think I was able to bring a fresh, unique take on it because I was not.”

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Be sure to watch Fairly Odd Parents: A New Wish on Nickelodeon!