If you’ve ever found yourself humming "The Working Dead" or "Haven’t You Noticed (I'm a Star)" while cleaning your room, you’ve definitely been under the spell of Sadie Miller. She’s the heart and soul of the Big Donut—well, at least until she traded the apron for a microphone. But have you ever stopped to wonder about that specific, slightly scratchy, and incredibly expressive voice? It’s one of those performances that feels so lived-in you forget there’s a real person behind the microphone.
The person behind that voice is Kate Micucci.
Honestly, if you don’t recognize the name immediately, you definitely recognize her face—or at least her ukulele. Micucci is a massive name in the world of comedy and animation, and she brought a very specific kind of vulnerability to Sadie that made the character’s transition from a tired service worker to a horror-rock frontwoman actually believable.
Who Voices Sadie in Steven Universe? Meet Kate Micucci
Kate Micucci is one-half of the comedy-folk duo Garfunkel and Oates. If you’ve spent any time on the "weird" side of YouTube over the last decade, you’ve probably seen her singing satirical songs about social anxiety or awkward dating. It’s that musical background that made her the perfect pick for Sadie Miller.
While some shows hire actors and then bring in professional singers for the musical numbers, Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar usually looks for people who can do both. Micucci isn’t just "acting" like she can sing; she’s a seasoned musician who has been playing the piano and ukulele for years.
A Career Built on "Quirky"
Before she was ever Sadie, Micucci was making a name for herself as the go-to actor for "socially awkward but lovable" characters. You might remember her as:
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- Stephanie Gooch from Scrubs (the ukulele-playing girlfriend of Ted the lawyer).
- Lucy from The Big Bang Theory (Raj’s pathologically shy love interest).
- Shelley from Raising Hope.
She’s got this doe-eyed, innocent look in live-action, but her voice has this amazing range. It can go from a tiny, shy whisper to a full-blown rock rasp, which is exactly the arc Sadie goes through in the series.
Why Sadie’s Voice Changed (But Didn't)
Fans often ask if the voice actor changed between the early episodes and the later seasons, especially when Sadie starts singing with Sadie Killer and the Suspects.
The answer is a hard no.
It was Kate Micucci the whole time. What changed was the performance. In the beginning, Sadie is suppressed. She’s working a dead-end job, dealing with Lars’s nonsense, and being smothered by her well-meaning but overbearing mom, Barb (voiced by Kate Flannery, whom you might know as Meredith from The Office).
When Sadie finally finds her voice—literally—Micucci leans into a raspier, more confident tone. By the time we get to Steven Universe Future, Sadie has grown up. She’s moved on from her teenage angst and the Big Donut. Micucci plays this older version of Sadie with a more grounded, mellow vibe that shows just how much the character has matured.
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More Than Just a Donut Shop Employee
Micucci’s workload didn’t stop at Beach City. She is actually one of the most prolific voice actors in the industry right now. If you think you’re hearing Sadie in other shows, you probably are.
She took over the role of Velma Dinkley in the Scooby-Doo franchise starting in 2015. Think about that for a second. The same woman who voices our favorite horror-rocker also voices the brainiest member of Mystery Inc. She also voiced Webby Vanderquack in the DuckTales reboot and Dr. Fox in Unikitty!.
Basically, if there’s a character who is smart, slightly weird, and maybe a little bit intense, there’s a 90% chance Kate Micucci is in the recording booth.
The Musical Connection
The songs in Steven Universe are notoriously difficult to sing because they don't follow standard pop structures. They're often full of complex emotional shifts. Micucci’s ability to handle the "Sadie Killer" era—which was heavily inspired by horror-punk and new wave—was a huge part of why those episodes worked. She managed to make "Disobedient" (from the movie) sound like a genuine underground hit while keeping the character's sweetness intact.
Where is Kate Micucci Now?
In late 2023, Micucci shared some personal news that worried fans: she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. It was a shock, especially since she’s never been a smoker. Luckily, they caught it early. She had surgery to remove the tumor and has been very open about her recovery on social media, often keeping things light with her trademark humor.
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She's still working, still creating art, and still being a force in the voice-acting world. In 2024 and 2025, she has continued to pop up in various guest roles, including Rick and Morty and Hamster & Gretel.
How to Find More of Sadie’s Best Moments
If you want to appreciate the work Micucci put into Sadie Miller, you shouldn't just stick to the main series. There’s a whole evolution to track.
- Sadie’s Song (Season 2): This is the first time we really hear her sing "Haven’t You Noticed (I'm a Star)." It’s the pop version of Sadie, before she finds her true style.
- The Working Dead (Season 5): This is the turning point. This is where Micucci gets to let loose with that grittier, rock-inspired sound.
- Steven Universe: The Movie: Her performance in "Disobedient" alongside Michaela Dietz (Amethyst) is peak Sadie Killer.
- Little Graduation (Steven Universe Future): This is the emotional "goodbye" to the character where she sings "Looking Forward." It’s a much more acoustic, folk-leaning track that feels very close to Micucci’s real-life musical style.
Sadie Miller might have started as a background character meant to sell Steven some donuts, but thanks to Kate Micucci’s vocal range and comedic timing, she became one of the most relatable humans in the show. Whether she’s being shy, angry, or rocking out on stage, that voice is unmistakable.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the music that made Sadie famous, check out the official Steven Universe soundtracks on Spotify or YouTube. You’ll find the full versions of her songs there, and you can really hear the nuance Micucci brings to the lyrics. It’s also worth checking out Garfunkel and Oates if you want to see the more adult, satirical side of the woman who voiced your favorite Beach City resident.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Go back and watch the episode "Sadie's Song" to see the contrast between her early characterization and her later "Sadie Killer" persona.
- Listen to the Steven Universe: Vol. 2 soundtrack to hear the studio versions of her punk-rock tracks.
- Follow Kate Micucci on social media to stay updated on her recovery and latest creative projects; she often shares her paintings and puppet designs, which are just as creative as her voice work.