Jun 25, 2020

Jenny Slate and Kristen Bell Stop Voicing Black Characters in "Big Mouth" and "Central Park"

Two actors who had appeared in the popular animated series resigned within hours of each other. Going forward, Jenny Slate will no longer voice Missy in Netflix's "Big Mouse" and Kristen Bell will no longer voice Molly in Apple TV+'s "Central Park."

Slate, who has voiced Missy since "Big Mouth" debuted in 2017, announced the decision (which was her decision) on Instagram and apologized." "When the show started, I reasoned to myself that because her mother is Jewish and white, and so am I, it was acceptable for me to play 'Missy,'" she wrote. "But 'Missy' is also black, and black characters on animated shows should be played by black people."

The show's creators, Nick Kroll, Andrew Golberg, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett, released a statement vowing to "recast new black actors." They wrote: " We sincerely apologize and regret our original decision to cast a white actor to play a biracial character."

"Big Mouth" has been renewed for three more seasons, and it is understood that Slate's voice will be featured in the next season after it ends.

Meanwhile, Bell posted a statement on his Instagram account, written in the third person and shared by other members of the show's team. It stated that Bell had been on the show "before the character to be played" but added that she would be replaced by a "black or mixed-race actress." Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Bell supports the decision.

Bell added a personal comment in the caption: "This is the time to acknowledge our complicity. This is mine. Playing the character of Molly in Central Park shows a lack of awareness of the privilege that pervades me." She voiced Molly in the show's first and so far only season, which debuted last month on Apple's new streamer.

These announcements come amid a renewed discussion of inclusion in the animation industry as part of a broader debate about racial justice in society, fueled by the murder of George Floyd. Slate and Bell are well-known and their shows are widely watched, and their resignation will put pressure on other white voice actors to voice non-white characters.

This issue is not new in the animation community, and resignations have occurred before. A recent example is Hank Azaria's decision to stop voicing Apu on The Simpsons. This particular case came under fire due to accusations that the character promoted negative stereotypes about South Asians.

The full statement by Slate, creator of "Big Mouth" and Bell is reposted below:

A post shared by Jenny Slate (@jennyslate) on Jun 24, 2020 at 1:00pm PDT

pic. twitter.com/buwhkbi5LD

- nick kroll (@nickkroll) Jun 24, 2020

This is the time to acknowledge our complicity. Here's one example of mine. Playing the character of Molly in "Central Park" demonstrates a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege. Casting a white actress in a mixed-race character undermines the specificity of the mixed-race and black American experience. We, the Central Park team, pledge to right this wrong. I am willing to pass this role on to someone who can portray it more accurately and I promise to learn, grow, and do my part for equality and inclusion."

A post shared by kristen bell (@kristenanniebell) on Jun 24, 2020 at 3:46pm PDT