Soleil Moon Frye still loves Punky Brewster, but about that dog...

If you were a little girl in the '80s, Punky Brewster was probably your idol. After all, her hair was long enough for just-right pigtails and she had the coolest socks.

Though many child stars try to distance themselves from their iconic characters, Soleil Moon Frye still has love for Punky. "I totally embrace it because I love the character, Punky," she tells Parade. "She was spunky and such a fun character to play because she was full of love and life. I still hold her very close to my heart."

Even her kids dig the episodes they watched on YouTube. "They think it's hysterical," she says. "Whenever I'm wearing braids, I'll hear them calling me, 'Punky,' which is really funny."

Frye's "Punky" co-star, a dog named Brandon, was adopted by the father of a TMZ camera man. When the paparazzi caught up with Frye at a recent signing, she asked him, "How is Brandon?"

Um, well. "Punky" began 26 years ago, so...