The Simpsons stops using white actors to voice characters of colour

Fox
Charlie Duffield27 June 2020

The Simpsons will no longer use white actors to voice characters of colour, the show's producers have said.

The news was confirmed amid growing pressure on the entertainment industry to provide more opportunities for diverse performers.

In a statement on Friday, Fox television said: “Moving forward, ‘The Simpsons’ will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters."

It follows a recent spike of white actors saying they will no longer voice non-white characters in animated shows.

The Simpsons, which has been on the air since 1989, had previously faced criticism for having Hank Azaria, who is white, voicing Indian shopkeeper Apu

The Simpsons, which has been on the air since 1989, had previously faced criticism for having Hank Azaria, who is white, voicing Indian shopkeeper Apu.

Another white actor – Harry Shearer – voiced the character of Dr Hibbert, who is black.

The Simpsons announcement follows mass anti-racist protests this month, triggered by the killing of African American George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25, and the entertainment industry's subsequent reckoning with racism.

In addition, another popular animated show made an announcement shortly after The Simpsons news.

Mike Henry, a white actor, had lent his voice to Family Guy character Cleveland Brown since 1999, but said on Twitter he was stepping down.

Homer and Marge Simpson with Apu and his wife Manjula
Fox via Getty Images

He said: “It’s been an honour to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of colour should play characters of colour. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role.”

Earlier this week Frozen star Kristen Bell revealed she too would no longer be lending her voice to a non-white character in Apple TV+ comedy Central Park.

In a statement on Instagram, Ms Bell said her playing Molly, a mixed-race character, “shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege”.

And actress Jenny Slate announced she will no longer voice a black character in the animated series Big Mouth, saying her taking the role was “engaging in an act of erasure of Black people”.

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