Michaela Jill Murphy
Birth dateAugust 18, 1994 (age 32)
Birth placeSouthern Indiana, U.S.
Other namesJessie Flower
Alma materYale University (BA)
OccupationVoice actress
Years active2003–present
Websitewww.michaelajillmurphy.com

Michaela Jill Murphy (born August 18, 1994), also known by her stage name Jessie Flower, is an American voice actress. She is best known for voicing Toph Beifong in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Chaca in Kronk's New Groove and The Emperor's New School.

Early life

Murphy was born in Southern Indiana and is of Irish descent.[1][2] She became interested in acting at the age of four, and her mother, Evette, moved them to Los Angeles to begin her career,[2] where she appeared in commercials for Barbie and Mitsubishi. She starred as an orphan in Oliver! when she was five.[3]

Career

Murphy played the role of Chaca in Kronk's New Groove,[4] and reprised the role in the spin-off series The Emperor's New School. She later called it the "most fun" voice acting she has ever done.[3]

In 2005, Murphy voiced Meng in an episode of the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.[5] Her performance convinced creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino to cast her as main cast member Toph Beifong because of the "energy" she brought to the role. Murphy later told The Tab that she continued voicing Toph until her first year in high school and called the role her favorite voice acting experience[3] and said she felt "pretty connected" to Toph's character,[6] although she was only eleven years old when she was cast.[7] She would also describe the second-season episode "The Library" as one of her favorite episodes in the series.[8]

Murphy later admitted that she is rarely recognized in public, even when cosplaying as Toph at San Diego Comic-Con without any recognizing her as the voice actor of Toph.[6] She later appeared as a guest on the official companion podcast for the series, Avatar: Braving the Elements, hosted by Dante Basco and Janet Varney, where she would talk about Toph and what the character "meant to her," with Basco describing Murphy as a "dear friend" and praising Toph's character.[9][10] In a 2023, Murphy said that while she would "love to come back and do stuff" for the franchise, she supported the vision of the show's creators, including possible recasting.[11][12]

She would voice other characters in animated films and series after Avatar: The Last Airbender. This included the character Peggy in Random! Cartoons (2008-2009), young Franny in the film Meet the Robinsons (2007), and other characters in the film Curious George (2006),[5] along with Chaca in The Emperor's New School (2006) and The Emperor's New Groove 2: Kronk's New Groove (2005).[13]

In 2014, Murphy guest-starred in The Legend of Korra as Toph's daughter Suyin Beifong.[5][4] It was later described as helping lay the groundwork of Suyin's "personality while also paying tribute to her original role."[14]

Murphy became an assistant theater manager at Yale University in fall 2014, but did not perform until the next year, joining the university's theater scene, working on a production of Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play and performing in the musical Hello Again, among other productions.[3][15] She graduated from Yale University in 2017, where she majored in a dual B.A. in Theater and Film Studies with concentrations in Playwrighting and Screenwriting.[16][17] Before that, she voiced the English dubbed voice of Eiko Carol in the World of Final Fantasy video game.[5]

In 2021, Murphy provided the voice of Nasse in the English dub of Platinum End.[18][19] The next year, she provided the voice of a minor character in the English dubbed version of Super Cub.[5]

Personal life

Murphy resides in Los Angeles. In July 2025, Murphy said she was bisexual but would "like to marry a man" and have children.[20] In June 2021, she celebrated Pride Month in an Instagram post, writing that "there have been many who don't swing my way, on multiple gender fronts, and that's okay!"[21]

In September 2020, Murphy founded Bandit Basics, an e-commerce platform that sells merchandise inspired by Toph Beifong and the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe.[22]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003Finding NemoAdditional voicesCredited as Jessie Flower
2004Spider-Man 2ADR castUncredited
2005Kronk's New GrooveChacaCredited as Jessie Flower
2006Curious GeorgeKid #4[5]
Akeelah and the BeeADR cast
Over the HedgeAdditional voices
The Ant BullyUncredited
Brother Bear 2Young Nita, additional voicesCredited as Jessie Flower
Night at the MuseumADR cast
2007Meet the RobinsonsYoung Franny[5]
2008An American AffairAdditional voices
2011Justin Bieber: Never Say NeverADR castUncredited
That's What I AmAdditional voicesCredited as Jessie Flower

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005–2008Avatar: The Last AirbenderMeng, Toph BeifongCredited as Jessie Flower[5]
2006The X'sGirl, Ghost2 episodes; credited as Jessie Flower
2006–2008The Emperor's New SchoolChacaCredited as Jessie Flower
2008Random! CartoonsPeggyEpisode: "Tiffany"
Credited as Jessie Flower[5]
2014The Legend of KorraYoung Suyin BeifongEpisode: "Old Wounds"
Credited as Jessie Flower[5]
2021Super CubClerkEnglish dub
Episode: "Reiko"[5]
Platinum EndNasseEnglish dub
Credited as Michaela Murphy
2022Camp WWEBianca BelairEpisode: "Sicked Slaughter"
2025MonoAn KiriyamaEnglish dub
Credited as Michaela Murphy[23]

Shorts

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009ATLA: Deformed Super ShortsToph BeifongCredited as Jessie Flower[5]
2015RecordingCassidyCredited as Michaela Murphy
2016The ProfitDianeCredited as Jessie Flower
Happy EndingsLily
2018The Flickering ForestForest SpriteCredited as Michaela Murphy
2021StalgiaKateAlso director
The LetterEllie

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning EarthToph Beifong[5]Credited as Jessie Flower
2008Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno
2011Nicktoons MLB
2016World of Final FantasyEiko Carol[5]English dub, uncredited
2024Goddess of Victory: NikkeMirror, Red Shoes[24]
2026Zenless Zone ZeroPhoenix[25]English dub

References

  1. ^ Glover, Dominic. "Michaela Jill Murphy". Dominic Glover. Archived May 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2023. Michaela was born on August 18, 1994 in southern Indiana. At the age of four she moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career appearing in advertisements for Barbie and Mitsubishi.
  2. ^ "Michaela Jill Murphy on Playing Toph Beifong". Avatar: Braving the Elements. Omny Studio. April 11, 2023. Archived May 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2023. Yeah, so I am from the Midwest. Anybody from Indiana, Hello, Hello. So my whole family is out there and very much like eight or nine generations of Irish people...I'm four years old, and she kept trying to go out to LA
  3. ^ Murphy, Michaela Jill (October 6, 2015). "Junior actress Michaela Murphy was a star in Avatar: The Last Airbender". The Tab. Online: Tab Media, Ltd. Archived July 11, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Fuentes, Terry (May 21, 2020). "Meet the Cast and Characters of "Avatar: The Last Airbender"". Seventeen. Archived January 18, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  5. ^ "Michaela Murphy (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 27, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  6. ^ Murphy, Michaela Jill (March 30, 2021). "Junior actress Michaela Murphy was a star in Avatar: The Last Airbender". The Daily Illini. Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Archived June 30, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Khan, Aina J. (September 1, 2020). "'I've seen grown men cry' – why Avatar: The Last Airbender still touches millions". The Guardian. Archived November 1, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Murphy, Michaela Jill (November 2022). "Kicking Rocks with Toph! Avatar Voice Actress Michaela Jill Murphy aka Jessie Flower Interview with Jazzy Mag!". Jazzy Magazine. Archived May 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  9. ^ Varney, Janet & Basco, Dante (May 9, 2022). "INTERVIEW: Janet Varney teases “fresh new energy” for second season of AVATAR: BRAVING THE ELEMENTS podcast". Comics Beat. Archived December 11, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Basco, Dante (August 9, 2022). "INTERVIEW: Dante Basco travels to the Earth Kingdom for new season of AVATAR: BRAVING THE ELEMENTS podcast". Comics Beat. Archived July 28, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  11. ^ Peters, Megan (May 29, 2023). "Avatar: The Last Airbender Isn't Bringing Back the Original Cast for Its Movie". ComicBook.com. Archived May 30, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  12. ^ "New 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Film Will Be Re-Cast, Says Voice of Toph". Animation Magazine. May 30, 2023. Archived June 8, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  13. ^ "Jessie Flower / Michaela Murphy". Lionsbane Booking. Archived May 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  14. ^ Edwards, Belen (December 11, 2020). "Every Avatar Actor Who Returned In Legend Of Korra (And Who They Played)". Screenrant. Archived April 27, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "Michaela Murphy". Yale College Arts. Yale University. Archived September 22, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "Michaela Murphy". Backstage.com. Archived February 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  17. ^ "Michaela Jill Murphy". The Ozymandias Project. Archived December 11, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  18. ^ Mateo, Alex (October 28, 2021). "Crunchyroll Announces Dubs, Casts for Platinum End, ODDTAXI, Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, Sakugan, More Anime". Anime News Network. Archived June 5, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  19. ^ "Michaela Jill Murphy (aka Jessie Flower) is our new Special Guest!". Heroes Made in Asia. February 7, 2024. Archived May 9, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "Hotel Room Yap: Nightlife, Love, & Peace". YouTube. michaela jill murphy. July 5, 2025. Archived October 13, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 12, 2026. I am bi but I do believe I would like to marry a man. I would love to have kids she says his from 16:21-16:32
  21. ^ Michaela Jill Murphy (June 29, 2021). "I was indeed the DD, shook hands with Lance Bass, and danced my tush off. Pride is forever (along with this fur coat) ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜. Happy June and happy love and happy happy! Be kind to those around you, love is love is love!...". Instagram. Archived February 21, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  22. ^ Michaela Jill Murphy (September 28, 2020). "Bandit Basics is live!!! Grab the first piece of our first bundle now!! This is a LIMITED EDITION shirt, as the wholesale provider is no longer making this style! Excited for what happens next 💚🌳🌱". Instagram. Archived November 7, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  23. ^ Mateo, Alex (May 1, 2025). "mono Anime Reveals English Dub Cast, May 3 Premiere". Anime News Network. Archived May 1, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
  24. ^ Black, Bill (November 13, 2024). "Mirror was voiced by Michaela Jill Murphy who also voices Red Shoes". No. 1856452413789450497. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  25. ^ "Season 3 - Character Reveal". Zenless Zone Zero Official Site