The Simpsons: Apu has finally found his speech, and he has a new voice

The character, silent for almost ten years, is now voiced by an actor of Indian origin.

The surprise was well kept. For its last episode (titled “The Revengening” in original version) broadcast Sunday on American television, The Simpsons revealed the new voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the famous manager of the Kwik-E-Mart in Springield.

Apu had been silenced since 2017 and the stir created by the documentary The Problem with Apu, which denounced the stereotypes perpetrated by the character on people from South Asia and the fact that he was dubbed by a white actor.

This documentary had created a debate within the Simpsons authors themselves, and the voice actor Hank Azaria (who dubs other Simpsons characters) announced that he would no longer lend him his voice. Since then, Apu still appeared here and there, but in the background and without dialogue.

Eager to bring this character beloved by fans back to the forefront, The Simpsons secretly prepared for his return and found a new voice for him. This is the actor and voice actor Sunil Malhotra, notably seen in Grey’s Anatomy. Exclusively for Variety, however, he explains that he wasn’t very keen on it at first…

“When my agent called me to audition for The Simpsons, I knew exactly what role it was for, and the idea shook my stomach. But I was also curious. Apu hadn’t spoken on the show in 8 years, so I wondered if the writers had changed, if they could bring him back in a way that would acknowledge and ask forgiveness for past mistakes?

Malhotra says he always refused stereotypical roles but was convinced by the good intentions of the producers who reassured him and allowed him to discuss the role with the showrunners.

The episode in question, which will be visible in France on Disney Plus, clearly echoes the controversy to justify the absence and return of Apu, with the aim of definitively turning this page:

“I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the best moment was screaming ‘I’M APU!’ – on behalf of so many of us – over and over in the studio until it’s the right take.”

The Simpsons producers also assure that Apu and his wife Manjula (now voiced by Janina Gavankar of The Morning Show) will return regularly in future episodes.

You can hear Apu’s new voice in the short clip below (spoiler alert):