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Born in 1986, actress Kyla Pratt entered films as a child star around the age of 10, specializing in portrayals of impossibly cute and sweet-natured tykes; she was frequently, though not always, cast as either the young daughter of lead characters or the younger versions of lead characters. Pratt began with guest spots on such programs as ER, Friends, and Touched By an Angel, then made perhaps her strongest impression as Maya Dolittle, the daughter of Dr. Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) in multiple live-action installments of that series, beginning with the first in 1998 and continuing through its 2001 sequel and the first two direct-to-video follow-ups. As time rolled on, Pratt began to transition into different genres; she played the young version of a soul singer in the 1999 Jackie's Back; the adolescent version of an African American female basketball player in Love & Basketball (2000), and a sad teen who draws the animated character Fat Albert into the real world in Fat Albert (2004). In 2008, Pratt signed for a supporting role in the family-oriented feature Hotel for Dogs, adapted from the children's book by Lois Duncan.