"Red light, green light!" These four little words have become a hauntingly cute catchphrase known worldwide thanks to Squid Game, but the IRL voice behind the now famous line has much more to offer than laser eyes and Halloween costume inspiration [1]. For 10-year-old Reagan To, voicing the Game Doll in the English dub of the Korean drama series was a whirlwind. "When I voiced Squid Game, they didn't even tell me the name for the show," she told POPSUGAR. "So I had no idea until my parents watched Squid Game and they realised that it was my voice."
As a fourth grader, Reagan has steered clear of watching the violent show [2] herself, but she's grateful for the opportunity it's given her to explore her acting range. "When I voiced [Young Seo-Hae on] Sijipeuseu: The Myth, I felt like the character really suited me," she said. "It made me feel like I was a different person and it was really fun. I learned a lot about voiceover during that time. And after, when Netflix called me back for Squid Game, of course I said yes . . But the doll, that was a really hard character to portray."
"I didn't even know what was going on, but I thought it was a really fun experience."
With instructions to re-create the original Korean voice of the Game Doll as closely as possible, Reagan nailed her audition and hasn't heard the end of it since. "Red Light, Green Light" has become her catchphrase at school, and she and her family even dressed up like Squid Game characters for Halloween — yes, she was the Game Doll. But Reagan's favourite takeaway from her time on the show was her behind-the-scenes experience with the crew [3]. "It was really fun, and the people were really bright and they made me smile — they were really funny," she said. "My favourite person to work with was [voice director Madeleine Heil] because she was really nice to me. During the violent parts, she would tell me to cover my eyes, or she would tell me to go on break. [My mom and I would] go outside and then [the director] would skip all the scenes to the next scene. Then she was like, 'All right. You can come back in' . . . So I didn't even know what was going on, but I thought it was a really fun experience."
But acting isn't Reagan's only talent. When she's not at school or in auditions, she's also a part-time model, baker, musician, and an award-winning ballroom dancer. Find out more about the talented 10-year-old ahead, and check out the rest of the Squid Game cast's most famous roles here [4].
Reagan Is an Award-Winning Ballroom Dancer
Reagan has spent five years, aka half her life, dancing. But it wasn't until she landed a minor role in Jane the Virgin that her passion for dance truly blossomed. "One day, I went on Jane the Virgin and Gina [Rodriguez] showed me a video of her [dancing] and that really inspired me," she said. "I started taking it really seriously and dancing every single day. I still dance every single day now and I have competitions every single month. I'm actually flying to Ohio in three weeks for another dance competition, and I hope I win a lot more trophies in the future . . . Me and my partner, we have a lot of fun together."
In addition to winning awards, Reagan's dance dream is to one day land a role on Dancing With the Stars [6].
Reagan Plays 3 Instruments, Including Piano
Reagan is also a skilled musician whose been playing the piano for five years. "My mom loves piano, and when she was little, she played piano, so she passed it down on to me," she said. At school, she also plays the flute, and in her free time, she's learning to play guitar. "I love music — it makes me really happy," Reagan said, adding that she loves Ed Sheeran and dancing to Camila Cabello's "Don't Go Yet."
Reagan Is a Skilled Cook and Baker
When she's not acting, dancing, and adding new musical instruments to her résum, Reagan also loves to cook and bake. "I love food, and my grandma and my mom are really good cooks," she said. "I've made lots of food with my uncle, my grandma, and I've also made food by myself: pasta, pizza, croissants. I think it's really fun, [but] I'm more into sweet stuff, like cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies. So I bake once every week . . . I've actually suggested my mom open a shop for me so I can bake more, and she said maybe."
Reagan Is a Part-Time Model as Well
Between school and acting, Reagan also finds time to model for brands like Forever 21 and Old Navy. "I just finished another print job, a really big sports print job, and it was really fun," she said. "I love pictures. Pictures are really fun [to take]."
Reagan Balances Dancing, Modelling, and Acting With School
For Reagan, who started her first day of fourth grade in August, school is always first when it comes to balancing her busy schedule. "[During] the pandemic, I'd have Zoom [classes] with my dance teacher and we would dance for three hours every day [then] play more piano. I try to do as much as I can in my free time," she said, adding that her free time is usually limited due to work and school. "So, I have time to relax a little more [now] and still be able to do what I love."
Reagan's True Passion Is Acting
Dancing, acting, modelling, baking — Reagan's passions are limitless, but the one that's won her heart above the rest has definitely been her time as an actor. "I love them all the most, but I love acting a little more," she said. "I like those roles where it's a character who is kind of similar to me, because I can sort of relate to that situation. It kind of feels like I'm not the only one in this situation and I can act like a different character. It's really creative to have someone write an entirely new person that nobody can portray, because everyone's different."
In terms of working with actors who inspire her, Reagan also looks forward to working with Rami Malek someday after having a sweet interaction with the No Time to Die star on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "I would probably want to work with Rami Malek, because he is really funny," she said. "He's a really good actor, really nice, and he told me that I was his lucky charm. And after he got the Oscar for best actor for his for his [portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody], I kind of felt like maybe I was the lucky charm."
Reagan Keeps Busy, but She's a Normal Kid at Heart
Reagan's résumé is booming, but she's still a normal kid at heart with a passion for cookies and rolled ice cream, books, and TV. "One of my favourite books is by Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," she said. "It's really creative and fun; it's really interesting to read. And my favourite TV show is Raven's Home, because [Raven-Symoné Pearman-Maday] is so funny, and I love watching comedy shows."
Reagan Is Already Booking More Voiceover Roles and Acting Work
With more than one voiceover opportunity under her belt, Reagan already has a new, unnamed project in the works, and she can't wait to see her character come to life on screen. "I'm voicing for a new TV show, the English version, and it was really scary," she said. "When I watched [parts of] Squid Game [7], I had no idea what was going on. Some people would say Squid Game is scarier. But I would honestly say [my upcoming show is] scarier because it was very intense."
Reagan Wants to Star in Her Own Show Someday
In the future, Reagan hopes to be recognised for her acting skills in the same way she's been commended for her ballroom dance skills and maybe even land her own Disney show. "My dream role is to get [my own] TV show or a big movie where I would play the main character," she said. "I really hope I get it someday, because I've been working really hard for it and it's one of my biggest dreams. I also want to win an Oscar for the best actor award because it will make me really proud and happy."
