The Simpsonshas recast plenty of characters over the years, but there are some that have been retired instead. Thanks to the animated nature ofThe Simpsons, many residents of Springfield haven’t aged in the show’s thirty-six seasons on the air. This has helped keepThe Simsponsrelevant for generations, gives it some of its most potent enduring qualities, and has allowed the same voice actors to play the show’s most consistent characters for decades. However, there are some situations where recastings are inevitable.
Pamela Hayden’s departure fromThe Simpsonsmeans that fixtures of the show like Milhouse Van Houten will need to be recast going forward. This could allow the character to still be in the show. However, other characters were formally retired from the series in light of tragic passing and changing cultural perspectives. There doesn’t seem to be a firm rule determining which characters are recast and which are retired, but the history of the show offers some explanations why.
Actors Retiring Or Passing Away Doesn’t Mean Simpsons Characters Have To Be Retired
Just Because Pamela Hayden Is Leaving Milhouse Doesn’t Mean Fans Won’t See Him Again
The Simpsonsrecast certain characters to reflect changing culture and to honor actor retirements or deaths, but there are some characters the show has overtly retired or killed off. The long-running nature ofThe Simpsonsmeans that the voice cast who’ve been playing the characters for decades have naturally aged and changed over time. Some actors retired like Pamela Hayden and others passed away, such as Russi Taylor. In these circumstances, the show has kept its characters as a part of Springfield,potentially because their absence could draw attention to the enduring status quo of the show.
As reported byScreen Rant, Russi Taylor (who played characters like Martin Prince, Üter, Sherri, and Terri onThe Simpsons) passed away in 2019 at the age of 75 due to colon cancer.
Grey DeLisle took over the roles of Martin Prince, Sherri and Terri following Taylor’s death, while it’s been confirmed that Hayden’s characters will be recast in future episodes. In some of those circumstances,this may be because the characters were largely supporting figureswho rarely drove the plots of episodes but fleshed out the world, explaining why DeLise quickly took over for Taylor. By contrast,Milhouse is important enough toThe Simpsonsthat the character needs to be brought back, but with specific attention paid to casting. However, other real-life deaths have impacted the show’s status quo.
Major Characters From Previous Seasons Were Retired After Tragic Deaths
This isn’t the case with every character inThe Simpsons, however. Two frequent guest stars on the show, Phil Hartman and Marcia Wallace, had their most notable characters onThe Simpsonsretired after their respective deaths. Given the sudden tragedy of Phil Hartman’s death when his wife Brynn killed him in 1998, his characters of Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz were not recast and instead retired from the show. Established as two of the show’s more consistently hilarious supporting characters,McClure and Hutz more or less disappeared fromThe Simpsonsto pay respect to Hartman’s performance and death.
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By contrast, Edna Krabappel was rooted so deeply in Wallace’s performance that the character died off-screen. Unlike the other character recastings and retirements inThe Simpsons,Krabappel’s death has become a focal point in several episodes. Episodes like season 25’s “The Man Who Grew Too Much,” season 32’s “Diary Queen” and theseason 36 holiday special “C’mon All Ye Faithful"reflected on Krabappel’s passing. It seems that if a character is specifically tied to their performer and plays a more important role in the show than minor fixtures like Martin, they are taken out of the show’s roster of characters.
Apu Was Retired Because Of Changing Societal Norms
The most controversial character retirement inThe Simpsonsis likely that of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. Played by Hank Azaria, Apu steadily became one of the show’s most consistent and compelling supporting characters during the show’s Golden Age. Episodes like season 7’s “Much Apu About Nothing” are critically acclaimed explorations of representation and immigration that are still resonant nearly thirty years later. However, Apu was also voiced by a Caucasian actor with an exaggerated Indian accent, something that became increasingly seen as tone-deaf in modern animation and voice acting.
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“Much Apu About Something”
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Azaria has since spoken about Apuand stepped away from the role, leaving it open to be recast by an actor of South Asian descent who could portray the character more authentically. However,the character last spoke in season 29’s “The Serfsons"and has only appeared in the background since. Season 29’s “No Good Read Goes Unpunished” briefly reflects on the situation and quietly alludes to the character being more or less retired from new episodes. In the years since,The Simpsonshas shifted focus elsewhere, even as similar questions about diversity have arisen in the show.
Why Dr. Hibbert, Carl, And Drederick Tatum Were Recast And Apu Wasn’t
As part of a general reexamination of representation in voice acting that also impacted shows likeFamily GuyandBig Mouth, African-American supporting characters inThe Simpsonslike Dr. Hibbert, Carl Carlson, Lou, and Drederick Tatum — who had been previously played by Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria — were recast. Although these characters had occasionally had their race touched upon in previous episodes and had been the source of some comedy,their primary role in the show was not defined by their race or ethnicity. For example, Dr. Hibbert and Drederick Tatum were specific parodies of Bill Cosby and Mike Tyson.
Dr. Hibbert was originally played by Harry Shearer, while Carl, Lou, and Tatum were previously played by Hank Azaria. In recent seasons, Dr. Hibbert has been played by Kevin Michael Richardson, Carl and Lou have been played by Alex Désert, and Drederick Tatum has been played by Jay Pharoah.
This is the most likely reason they were simply recast instead of being retired from the show. This is in contrast to Apu, whose heritage as an Indian immigrant to America was central to his role on the show. Many of the cultural jokes in the show based on Apu’s ethnicity hadn’t aged well, and questions about Apu being an offensive stereotype had resulted in Hari Kondabolu’s documentary,The Problem With Apu, in 2017. In 2020, Hank Azaria’s decision to step away from the role, and while the character hasn’t been formally retired,he hasn’t had a prominent appearance in several seasons.
This Might Be The Real ReasonThe SimpsonsComes To An End
Notably,The Simpsonshas used the same primary voice cast since the very first season of the show. Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer, and Hank Azaria have been a consistent presence throughout the show’s shifts in writing staff, showrunner shuffles, and societal changes.The Simpsonswriter and showrunner Matt Selmanhas discussed the possibility of the show ending and has cited one of those six main cast members passing away as a potential reason to end the long-running show.
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Although some of their roles have been recast, their primary characters in the series have remained consistent for decades. While supporting characters may be recast, it seemsThe Simpsonsis aware they can’t replace the primary voices who’ve defined the titular family and their closest companions. With an important side-character like Milhouse set to be recast in light of Pamela Hayden’s retirement though, Bart’s best friend may be a good case study to see ifThe Simpsonsmain characters can withstand being handed off to a new performer, or if the show will close out with the main cast.
The Simpsons
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The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
