Tenzing Norgay Trainoris an accomplished young actor who began his career as a child performer on Disney Channel TV shows such asJessie, andLiv and Maddie. The talented Florida native has branched out considerably since his early days, and can currently be seen in Netflix’s supernatural comedy series,Freeridge. In addition to television, Trainor has also made his presence felt on the big screen by voicing several characters in popular animated movies.
With 22 credits and counting thus far in his career, Trainor continues to prove his versatile talents across several low-key and high-profile projects. Now that Netflix has announced thatFreeridgehas beencanceled after one season, it’s worth celebrating Trainor’s contributions by reflecting on his filmography and highlighting the actor’s most outstanding screen and voice performances.
9Buddha — Super Buddies (2013)
Super Buddiesis an endearing Disney movie that follows a canine superhero team. The plot concerns a group of five friendly dogs who find five magical rings, with each ring granting a different superpower. In his first of many impressive voice performances, Trainor plays Buddha, one of the Buddies who takes his newfound mind control powers a little too seriously.
What Makes It Great
In a moral tale of teamwork and the realization that true strength comes from within, Trainor stands out among his canine compatriots due to his newfound ability. While the other dogs gain super strength, super speed, elasticity, and invisibility, Buddha is saddled with mind control powers that go against the religious philosophies of his namesake. If nothing else, Trainor proves he can inject humility and humanity into an animated puppy and do so with warm humor and convincing results.
Stream on Disney+
8Bodhi — Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Againmarks the first animated film in the series and the fourth overall franchise entry. The story centers on Nick Daley, the newly appointed and reluctant watch guard at the Japanese Museum of Natural History. In another memorable vocal turn, Trainor portrays Nick’s classmate Bodhi, who helps the protagonist battle a slew of beasts brought to life by the Kahmunrah.
Bodhi’s most memorable moment comes when Nick and the gang are transported into a painting and wind up on the River Nile. Nick expresses his regret for conjuring the Kahmunrah into existence, prompting Bodhi and theotherNight at the Museumcharactersto encourage him and give him heartfelt support that strengthens his resolve. Later, Bodhi adds comic relief when escaping a bevy of traps in Dendur, with Trainor lending relatable pathos in his brief but unforgettable role.
Nickelodeon’sKnight Squadfollows Arc and Ciara, two students training to become the most skilled Knights in the kingdom of Astoria, relying on each other to keep their personal secrets intact. Although Trainor only appeared in two episodes as a character named Jimbo, his comedic presence added undeniable charm and humor to the first season. Jimbo is a member of Phoenix Squad in Knight School who recounts his time being lost in a cave for 10 months.
Trainor hilariously plays Jimbo as a young man completely lost in modern-day society. Whether eating rocks or hugging his shield in the belief that it’s his best friend named “Shielda,” the time spent in the cave has scrambled Jimbo’s mind considerably and Trainor reflects that with comedic effect. What makes the performance so strong is the vengeful turn Jimbo makes after the Phoenix Squad fails to come looking for him, forcing Arc out of the Phoenix Squad.
Stream on Paramount+
6Gun — The Stranded (2019)
Netflix’s original miniseriesThe Strandedrevolves around a devastating tsunami in Thailand that traps local teenagers on an island and forces them to survive on their own. Similar toLostandLord of the Flies, much of the drama revolves around the survivor’s self-sufficiency, fatigue, and the struggle between in-fighting and cooperation. In a difficult role to pull off, Trainor voices the English dub of a slacker named Gun who adds much-needed levity and comic relief to the show.
Along with resident goofball Nat, Gun is a teenager who doesn’t take the existential threats on the island seriously. Trainor has the added responsibility of translating the tone, tenor, and temperament of Gun in ways that are consistent with the Thai actor who plays the juvenile jokester (Tatchapol Thitiapichai). It’s no easy feat to honor the original actor and still make the character their own, yet Trainor does just that inthe acclaimed 21st-century TV miniseries.
Stream on Netflix
5Trevor — American Housewife
American Housewifeis a popular sitcom that aired on ABC from 2016 to 2021. The story centers on Katie Otto (Katy Mixon), a down-to-earth mother and wife doing her best to keep her family intact ina wealthy Connecticut suburb. The humor derives from how Katie interacts with the pompous, stuck-up housewives in town and their spoiled children. During his stellar 6-episode arc, Trainor played a character named Trevor who he was able to develop and credibly inhabit.
Introduced at the end of Season 4, Trevor is one of Oliver’s lonely, reclusive new friends at school. It’s the subtle characterization as a withdrawn social pariah that resonate so deeply. Trainor has played several outgoing and magnetically gregarious characters in his career; with Trevor, he proves that he can play a more introverted character to equally believable results.
Stream on Hulu
4Jin — The Abominable Franchise
Trainor voiced the role of Jin in the 2019 animated featureAbominableand its 2022 TV spinoff,Abominable and the Invisible City. As such, the actor was afforded more screen time, storylines, and three years of experience to improve his performance from one project to the next. The plot of the movie and TV show concerns Yi (Chloe Bennet), a teenage girl who befriends a Yeti named Everest and gets into wild misadventures with her best friend Peng (Albert Tsa) and his mischievous cousin, Jin.
Jin begins his arc as a popular millennial whose arrogance and self-centered ego fray his relationships in his life. However, just when it seems like Jin is dragging Yi and Peng down, he has a drastic change of heart, strips his sense of vanity, and shows what a kind soul he has by helping Yi and Everest reach their destination inthe perfect animated movie ending. Trainor imbues Jin with a heartfelt and well-rounded personality that adds immeasurable amusement to the franchise.
StreamAbominableon FXNOW andAbominable and the Invisible Cityon Hulu
3Gavin — Boo, Bitch (2022)
Boo, Bitchis a Netflix original horror comedy that follows high school best friends Erika (Lana Condor) and Gia (Zoe Margaret Colletti). Tired of being invisible and bullied by mean girl Riley, Erika and Gia vow to become popular. Alas, when Erika realizes she’s suddenly become a ghost, becoming seen proves much harder than the teens initially thought. Trainor plays Gavin, Gia’s romantic partner and the leader of “The Afterlifers,” a group of teens obsessed with all things paranormal.
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Appearing in all 8 episodes of the entertaining horror-comedy series, Trainor gives a tender and touching performance as Gavin.It’s the romantic expressions Trainor gives in his presentation that will melt hearts. The scene in which Erika emotionally asks Gavin to stay in her bedroom knowing he’s the only one who can see her is truly touching, with both actors at the top of their game.
2Cameron — Freeridge (2023)
Freeridgeis aNetflix original teen mystery dramathat follows a group of female high school friends who accidentally unleash a hellish curse at school. In a scene-stealing performance that allows him to flex his comedic and dramatic range, Trainor plays Cameron, the only male member of the group. Much of Cameron’s conflict comes from the undying crush he’s had on his best friend Demi since they were 12.
Beyond his onscreen magnetism, Trainor’s outstanding turn gives voice to a marginalized group and represents a Gen Z LGBTQ+ character with honesty, earnestness, and integrity. Moreover, as a person of Nepalese and Tibetan heritage, Trainor also gets to lean into this identity on the TV.Speaking with Mixed Asian Media, Trainor talked about how proud he was of his performance, saying “Cameron’s story is definitely something that deserves and needs to be shared. There are real people out there that are really experiencing this, so being given the opportunity to play this character has been such an honor.”
1Parker Rooney — Liv and Maddie (2013-2017)
In a star-making turn that put him on the map and brought him the aforementioned roles,Parker Rooney inLiv and Maddieis the best performance of Tenzing Norgay Trainor’s career to date. The Disney Channel show follows Liv and Maddie Rooney (Dove Cameron), twin sisters on opposite ends of the popularity spectrum. Parker is the family’s youngest sibling who delivers many of the show’s biggest laughs.
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Trainor depicts Parker humorously as a childish prankster who is much smarter than he lets on. It’s the precocious nature of Parker’s creative manipulation of his sisters and his scientific inventions that resonates the most, with Trainor never making a false step over the course of 80 episodes. Parker is a live-wire with uncontrollable zany energy that comes across as completely natural and effortless. It’s no surprise that Trainor was later invited to make a crossover appearance in the popular TV seriesJessie.
