Sandy Cheeks

Sandy Cheeks is a semi-main character in SpongeBob SquarePants.

Sandy is an intelligent, scientific, anthropomorphic squirrel who resides in Bikini Bottom and features as a close friend of SpongeBob SquarePants, though whether or not their friendship contains some romantic aspects is up for interpretation. She is from Texas and it is for this reason that she is heard speaking in a stereotypical Texan accent, and is proud of her home state which is frequently brought up throughout the course of the series. She lives in a bubble-like dome under sea that traps air in, so she can continue to live and breathe. This, of course, is a creation attributed to her knowledge in science. Sandy is able to live in Bikini Bottom as a professional scientist because she is apart of a research project. This project is funded by three land-based chimpanzees, who make a physical appearance in the fourth-season episode "Chimps Ahoy". Sandy has been shown to possess a number of tough, tomboyish character traits and interests; she is skilled at karate and frequently enjoys practicing it with SpongeBob, in which she tends to most often win; she is also shown to be an excellent bodybuilder, is a rodeo champion, and possesses extraordinary scientific skills and can construct complex inventions. She must wear a deep sea dive suit when underwater with a helmet on in order to breathe, and vice versa when SpongeBob, Patrick, or any other sea creatures visit her tree-dome. She must wear a deep sea dive suit when underwater with a helmet on in order to breathe, and vice versa when SpongeBob, Patrick, or any other sea creatures visit her tree-dome. While Sandy is normally portrayed as kind, helpful, and understanding, she has been shown to possess a vindictive side too. In "Texas", she violently attacked SpongeBob and Patrick when they insulted her native land several times, while in "Band Geeks" she stuck Patrick up a trombone and later tried to do the same thing with a trumpet when he kicked her twice.

The voice of Sandy Cheeks is provided by Carolyn Lawrence, who voices other miscellaneous characters in the series. Lawrence got the role of Sandy when she was in Los Angeles at Los Feliz. She met Donna Grillo, a casting director, on a sidewalk. Lawrence was with a friend who knew Grillo, and she said Lawrence had an interesting voice. Grillo brought Lawrence in to audition and she got the part.

Before a recording, Lawrence prepares when the crew sends a storyboard. She explains, "I absolutely love that! Not only do I get to read the script, I can actually see what the artists have in mind. It is an amazing process and I feel so fortunate to be able to work that way![...] I would prefer to let the script come alive in me before a taping."