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The Simpsons Revives Apu With New Voice
Confirmed
In Short: The Simpsons reintroduced Apu Nahasapeemapetilon with a new voice actor in a recent episode.
In the episode titled 'The Revengening,' The Simpsons brought back Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, voiced by Sunil Malhotra, after a nine-year hiatus.
Malhotra's casting was a surprise for fans, as the show did not announce the change in advance.
Sunil Malhotra, who took over the role from Hank Azaria, expressed his enthusiasm for the character's evolution.
Azaria had voiced Apu for nearly three decades until a 2017 documentary sparked backlash over the character's representation of South Asians.
The show addressed the controversy in a previous episode, 'No Good Read Goes Unpunished,' where Marge Simpson reads a book that has been altered to be less controversial.
Malhotra said he was initially hesitant about the role but was impressed by the show's approach.
The episode also introduced a new voice for Apu's wife Majula, voiced by Janina Gavankar.
Matt Selman, the show's showrunner, stated that they wanted to bring Apu back in a way that acknowledged past mistakes and allowed the character to evolve.
The episode marked the first time Apu had spoken since the October 2017 episode 'The Serfsons.'
What this adds
The Simpsons' decision to bring back Apu with a new voice actor reflects the show's ongoing efforts to address past controversies and evolve with its audience.
Background
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company.
What's confirmed
- It was the beginning of a deeply collaborative experience that I hope is equally satisfying for longtime fans of The Simpsons and for other South Asian kids who, like me, stopped watching at some point along the way.
- “When my agent called me about a Simpsons audition, I knew exactly what role it was for, and the idea actually made my stomach sink,” said Malhotra.
What's still developing
- Tonight’s episode, “The Revengening,” is a prelude to next week’s annual “Treehouse of Horror” frightfest.
- I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the sweetest part of all was unleashing that righteously rage-fueled “I AM APU!” [in tonight’s episode] — on behalf of so many of us — over and over in the studio until we got it just right.
- “My callback was the first of many times that no one at The Simpsons let me down,” he continued.
- He added that he didn’t want “to be the butt of the joke” and said he would only consider the role if he could meet first with showrunner Matt Selman and co-executive producer Cesar Mazariegos.
- It is the first time the character has spoke in almost a decade. pic.twitter.com/HjzHVjaM0S “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” Azaria told Slash Film of Apu.
- “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?,” says Lisa as a picture of Apu appears on screen.
- Apu made his comeback in the season 38 episode, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: The Revengening” that aired on Sunday.
- The beloved bullet-magnet Kwik-E-Mart owner, one of the show’s most iconic characters from the golden age of the long-running Fox animated comedy series, is set to be a Springfield regular again as producers cast veteran voice actor Sunil Malhotra in the role.
- Apu made his last speaking appearance in The Simpsons in the season 29 episode “The Serfsons,” which aired in October 2017.