Nearly a decade after stepping away amid widespread criticism over representation, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has officially returned to The Simpsons. The iconic animated convenience store owner reappeared on Sunday voiced by actor Sunil Malhotra, who immigrated to the United States from India as a child. It has been eight years since the character has spoken on screen after a 2017 documentary called The Problem With Apu by comic Hari Kondabolu shone a spotlight on the racist issues with the character, voiced by Hank Azaria.
Azaria’s final dialogue as Apu aired before the documentary, and in 2020 Azaria announced he would no longer voice the character. He later apologized for his part in creating the character on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast where he said: “Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologize.” The show even attempted to address the criticism within an episode in 2018, having Lisa Simpson seem to hint at the tension surrounding the stereotypical portrayal. But it backfired as viewers felt the response was half-hearted.
Kondabolu took to social media at the time to point out that the show had missed the point of his documentary. Apu’s return in the "Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening" marks a fresh start for his representation on the show, but he is not the only character to be re-cast following backlash and controversy. In June 2020, The Simpsons producers announced in a short statement: "Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.” In 2020, Alex Désert replaced Azaria as Homer Simpsons' work colleague and drinking buddy Carl Carlson.
Désert debuted as Carl in the Season 32 premiere “Undercover Burns” after the casting was announced on September 24. Désert, who is Black, was brought in to match the character's background. Eric Lopez replaced Azaria as Mexican entertainer Bumblebee Man the beginning of Season 32.
However, Bumblebee Man’s voice was changed again in 2025 when Humberto Vélez voiced the character in Season 37. In December 2020, Désert also took over the character of Lou from Azaria. Kevin Michael Richardson replaced Harry Shearer, who has been the voice of dozens of characters in the show since 1989, as Dr.
Shearer's final Hibbert performance aired February 21, 2021, Richardson debuted in the role the following week. Bernice, wife of Julius Hibbert, was similarly recast in 2021 when Dawnn Lewis took over from Tress MacNeille. Kumiko Albertson, the wife of the Comic Book Guy, was recast in 2021 when Jenny Yokobori replaced MacNeille in the episode “The Dad-Feelings Limited." The photographer, hair stylist, mixologist, and masseuse Julio Franco's voice was recast in 2021 and is now voiced by Tony Rodríguez, taking over from Azaria.
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