Punky Power: Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson Reunite For Their First Ever Comic Con Panel

By Klep Napier | wearecritix.com

Rhode Island Comic Con 2025 closed out with a moment that felt less like a panel and more like a family reunion. For the first time in their careers, Punky Brewster icons Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson shared a Comic Con stage together, and the energy in the room said everything. Moderated by WeAreCritiX’s own Klep Napier, the panel blended laughter, tears and raw honesty as fans celebrated not just a beloved 80s sitcom, but a friendship that has lasted over four decades and still feels as real as it did on-screen.

Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson take the stage together at Rhode Island Comic Con [2025]

Soleil Moon Frye and Cherie Johnson take the stage together at Rhode Island Comic Con [2025]]

From the jump, Soleil set the tone by turning the spotlight back on the crowd. She thanked fans for asking for Cherie at last year’s convention, stressing that their voices literally helped make this first joint appearance happen. Fighting back emotion, she described how much it meant to share this space with her “best friend” and how every story, hug and interaction over the weekend made their hearts grow. Cherie echoed that love, reminding the room that Soleil has always fought for her behind the scenes and that they have had each other’s backs since childhood. “It feels like we brought the show back,” Cherie said, and you could feel the truth of that line ripple through the room.

The panel dug into their real-life journey as much as the fictional one. The two talked about the years where life and work briefly sent them on different paths, with Soleil on Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Cherie on Family Matters, and Soleil heading to school in New York while Cherie stayed rooted on the West Coast. Even then, they were never far out of each other’s orbit, and they shared stories about recent “grown-up” slumber parties in Texas that made it clear nothing has really changed. Cherie also pulled back the curtain on her strict, very “all in the family” upbringing, explaining how her relatives filled nearly every position on set, from producer to caterer. It was a reminder that while fans were watching a show about chosen family, these two were also living that dynamic in real time.

One of the most powerful stretches of the panel came when a fan asked what messages from Punky Brewster meant the most to them. Soleil spoke about Punky as her inner superhero, the version of herself she leans on through life’s best and hardest moments. She highlighted episodes pulled from their real experiences, like the Challenger tragedy, and how the show made space for grief, resilience and light in equal measure. Cherie added that, for her, Punky is a permanent reminder that family is not always the one you are born into, but often the one you choose and build. Calling Soleil her “blood” after 43 years, Cherie underlined just how much that on-screen friendship blurred into reality.

PHOTO: Soleil and Cherie share an emotional moment as they talk about friendship, chosen family and Punky’s legacy

Representation and race surfaced in an unexpectedly honest and hilarious way. When Klep raised the topic of their friendship being one of the earliest interracial best-friend dynamics on kids’ TV, Cherie admitted she never thought about it that way as a child.

She told a standout story about not even realizing her beloved Uncle David (series creator David Duclon) was white, or that she herself was Black, until classmates pointed it out in middle school. The point landed: their families were so blended and loving that race was never a barrier or a defining factor. For many in the audience, especially those who grew up seeing themselves in Cherry on screen, that casual, unforced representation is exactly what made the show feel quietly revolutionary.

The nostalgia hits came in waves. Fans asked about favorite episodes, and the infamous refrigerator story naturally took center stage, especially knowing the episode came from a kid’s idea and went on to teach real-life CPR to viewers at home. Soleil shared how she still gets emotional thinking about Brandon’s near-death storyline, while Cherie admitted that revisiting certain episodes now reminds her of her late uncle and the safe, creative environment he helped build. They also laughed through stories of pogo sticks, stolen golf carts and Soleil accidentally beaning Michael J. Fox in the head with a ball on the lot, as well as Soleil’s very real, very intense childhood crush on Andy Gibb.

These moments weren’t just cute anecdotes; they underlined how much joy and freedom they were afforded as young performers at a time when many child actors didn’t get that kind of care.

The panel also touched on how deeply the show’s spirit lives on in fans. One attendee from Australia thanked Punky Brewster for giving her “permission to be weird,” specifically asking how much of Punky’s iconic style came from Soleil herself. Soleil credited the costume team and designer Gene Doucette, praising the collaborative village that helped make Punky’s layered, mismatched fashion feel fearless and alive.

Another fan asked if they had kept any original wardrobe, which led to Soleil confessing she owns very little from that era and had only recently discovered the full extent of Punky merch through fans bringing items to conventions. For both women, meeting the people who grew up with the show has become a kind of healing, a way to reconnect with their younger selves through the love in the room.

As things wrapped up, Klep asked them to reflect on “new Hollywood” versus the era they came up in. Soleil spoke with humility and gratitude, saying she will always be happy to be called Punky, even at 120 years old, because she understands how rare and special it is to have grown up with such a meaningful role and such a devoted audience.

Watch Their heartfelt response here:

Cherie, meanwhile, got real about the business side, wishing for more heart and less commodification in the way young performers are treated today. She expressed sadness for kids who are treated like numbers instead of human beings, and emphasized how lucky they were to have an experience on Punky Brewster that made them love the work, not resent it. The panel ended with plans for a big group photo and an invitation for fans to visit them at their tables again and again, closing out Rhode Island Comic Con not with a goodbye, but with a promise: this story, this friendship and this community are still very much ongoing.