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The Simpsons Will No Longer Use White Actors For Non-White Characters

The Simpsons Will No Longer Use White Actors For Non-White Characters

The announcement comes after several white actors have stepped down from non-white roles in other cartoons

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Producers of The Simpsons has said they will be no longer casting white actors to play non-white characters.

In a statement, the producers said: "Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters."

In January this year, Hank Azaria announced he would no longer be voicing Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, following years of criticism from viewers.

The Simpsons announcement comes just hours after white actor Mike Henry released a statement to say he would be stepping down from his role of Cleveland Brown in Family Guy.

Posting on Twitter, Henry wrote that it had 'been an honour' to play the character for two decades but that 'persons of colour should play characters of colour'.

Earlier this week, Kristen Bell and Jenny Slate both announced they would be stepping down from playing their respective mixed-race characters in Central Park and Big Mouth.

Posting on social media, Bell shared a statement from Central Park producers explaining she would no longer be playing Molly.

The statement read in part: "Kristen, along with the entire creative team, recognises that the casting of the character of Molly is an opportunity to get representation right - to cast a black or mixed race actress and give Molly a voice that resonates with all of the nuance and experiences of the character as we've drawn her."

Sharing the statement on her Instagram page, Kirsten added: "Playing the character of Molly on Central Park shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege.

"Casting a mixed race character with a white actress undermines the specificity of the mixed race and black American experience. It was wrong and we, on the Central Park team, are pledging to make it right."

Meanwhile, Slate, who has played Missy on Big Mouth since the show started in 2017, announced she 'can no longer play' the character.

She wrote: "At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play 'Missy' because her mom is Jewish and white - as am I. But 'Missy' is also black, and black characters on an animated show should be played by black people.

"I acknowledge how my original reasoning was flawed, that it existed as an example of white privilege and unjust allowances made with a system of societal white supremacy and that in me playing 'Missy', I was engaging in an act of erasure of black people.

"Ending my portrayal of 'Missy' is one step in a life-long process of uncovering the racism in my actions."

Featured Image Credit: Fox

Topics: TV and Film