Lacey Chabert's Words For Late TV Dad Tim Curry Hit Home For Fans

Tim Curry may have been Dr. Frank-N-Furter but he was also Nigel Thornberry, the eccentric explorer, dedicated father, and without a doubt the wittiest cartoon dad on Nickelodeon. In a touching tribute on her Instagram Stories, Curry's onscreen daughter Lacey Chabert gushed over what it was like to witness him bringing Nigel to life. "I'll forever cherish the wonderful memories of working with Tim on 'The Wild [Thornberrys']. It was such a joy to watch him create a character," the "Mean Girls" star enthused (Curry died at 80 on August 26). Chabert continued, "He was always so incredibly kind to me and encouraging. He will be so very missed." 

No exaggeration there — countless fans shared similar sentiments. In response to an Instagram compilation of iconic Nigel moments, one user called to mind one of the character's go-to expressions by sweetly writing, "You'll always be smashing to us." Another penned, "Growing up I always knew it was him. Thanks for the laughs and warmth Mr. Curry." Many also shared that they wished they could have seen the beloved actor in action in the recording booth. "The Wild Thornberrys" continues to be a fan favorite more than two decades after the final episode aired, and it's heartening that Curry got a ton of recognition for his work on the show.

In fact, mere months before the "IT" star's passing, one of the "Wild Thornberrys" voice directors revealed on Instagram that working on the cartoon was among his career highlights. "Tim and Lacey were the heart and soul of this show!" Charles Adler gushed. As for fans, many enthusiastically confirmed that they would happily re-watch the show — and TBH, we would too if only to hear Nigel say the word "Mumzie." Let the marathons in Curry's honor begin!

Fans will no doubt be thrilled to learn Tim Curry adored Nigel Thornberry just as much as they did. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight back in 2002, the actor raved, "I love him. He is very close to my heart." Curry also appreciated the concept of "The Wild Thornberrys" in general, noting that its emphasis on conservation was one of the main reasons why. "It has a kind of underlying serious purpose, which I think kids are taking very seriously [...] [There] is a very strong environmental message, which is to protect wild animals, to observe and record rare animals, and to as far as possible protect their habitat and them," he opined. The "Legend" star also highlighted that he believed Lacey Chabert's character was particularly important. "I think Eliza is [an] extraordinary role model for children, particularly for young girls, because she's tough, and she's strong and she's very brave, and she's very smart, and she's tenacious, and she has a real purpose," Curry professed. 

Notably, the beloved star wasn't far off with his views on how the show impacted young viewers. Over on Instagram, one put Nigel in the same category as legendary conservationists David Attenborough and "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. "Everything I know about animals started from David, Steve and Nigel," they quipped. Another, who also happened to be a biologist, deadpanned, "The kids who loved this show are all biologists now." Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers fame, who played Nigel's adopted son Donnie, also fondly remembered working with Curry. As he admitted in a post on Instagram, "I was so excited to hang out with him and cut up, the sincere and funny voices." RIP to an icon.