Voices for The Simpsons: Why They Keep Changing and Why It Matters

You know that feeling when you're watching a show you’ve seen a thousand times and suddenly something just feels… off? Maybe it's a slight shift in the pitch of a laugh or a catchphrase that hits a different frequency. For fans of the longest-running scripted show in TV history, tracking the voices for The Simpsons has become a full-time hobby—and sometimes a point of genuine controversy.

It’s weird to think about, but these characters are basically static drawings that haven't aged in over thirty-five years. Yet, the humans behind them definitely do.

The Core Six and the $300,000 Question

Most people know the heavy hitters. Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer. That’s the "Core Six." They’ve been there since the Tracey Ullman Show shorts back in 1987.

Back then, they were making peanuts. By the mid-2000s, they were pulling in $400,000 per episode.

Then came the 2011 standoff. 20th Century Fox Television basically told the cast to take a 45% pay cut or the show would be canceled. It was a massive game of chicken. Eventually, they settled on roughly $300,000 an episode. It sounds like a lot—and it is—but when you consider how many billions (with a B) the franchise has generated in syndication and merch, it’s a drop in the bucket.

The chemistry between these actors is why the show works. Dan Castellaneta didn't just find Homer's voice; he evolved it from a gruff Walter Matthau impression into the elastic, emotional instrument it is today. If you go back to Season 1, Homer sounds like he’s got a permanent cold. By Season 4, he’s hitting those iconic "D'oh!"s and "Woo-hoo!"s with surgical precision.

The Harry Shearer Scare

In 2015, the internet nearly melted down. Harry Shearer—the voice of Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, and Waylon Smithers—announced he was leaving. He wanted the freedom to do other work, and the contract negotiations had hit a wall.

For a few weeks, the producers actually considered replacing him. Imagine a world where Flanders sounds like a different guy. It wouldn’t have worked. Thankfully, they reached a deal. But it was a wake-up call. These actors aren't immortal.

The Great Recasting of 2020

The biggest shift in voices for The Simpsons happened recently, driven by a massive cultural reckoning. For decades, white actors voiced characters of color. It was just the industry standard.

Hank Azaria’s portrayal of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon became the center of this conversation following Hari Kondabolu’s documentary, The Problem with Apu. Azaria eventually stepped away from the role, admitting that he didn't want to be part of something that caused pain or reinforced stereotypes.

Then, in June 2020, the producers made a formal statement: "Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters."

This wasn't just talk. They actually did it.

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• Dr. Hibbert: Longtime veteran Harry Shearer stepped down. Kevin Michael Richardson, a legendary voice actor known for his deep, booming bass, took over in Season 32.
• Carl Carlson: Hank Azaria passed the torch to Alex Désert.
• Bumblebee Man: Another Azaria staple, now voiced by Eric Lopez.

Honestly, the transition for Dr. Hibbert was the most noticeable for many. Shearer’s Hibbert had a very specific, wheezy chuckle. Richardson’s version is richer and more natural, though it took some fans a few episodes to adjust to the new "vibe" of the Springfield General Hospital scenes.

The Tragedy of Losing Legends

You can't talk about the cast without talking about the ones we lost.

Phil Hartman’s death in 1998 was a hole the show never truly filled. Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure weren't just side characters; they were the comedic backbone of the "Golden Era." Matt Groening and the writers decided to retire the characters rather than recast them. It was a mark of respect.

Then there’s Marcia Wallace. She voiced Edna Krabappel for 25 years. When she passed in 2013, the show retired the character after a touching tribute where Ned Flanders (her onscreen husband at the time) shares one last dance with her image.

The show handles these moments with a lot of heart. They recently did the same for Russi Taylor, the original voice of Martin Prince. Grey DeLisle took over the role, and while she’s an incredible talent, there's always a bit of "uncanny valley" feeling when a character stays 10 years old while their human counterpart moves on.

Why Julie Kavner is the Current Conversation Piece

If you’ve watched a new episode lately, you might have noticed Marge sounds… tired.

Julie Kavner is a legend. She’s won Emmys for this. But Marge’s voice is famously gravelly. It requires a lot of strain on the vocal cords. Kavner is in her 70s now, and fans have pointed out that Marge’s voice sounds increasingly strained and thin.

There is a lot of debate in the fandom about this. Some say it adds a layer of realism to a character who has been a stressed-out housewife for three decades. Others worry about Kavner’s health. It raises a tough question: Should the show recast iconic roles while the actors are still alive if their voice can no longer hit the notes?

The producers seem to be sticking with "loyalty over everything." They aren't going to push Kavner out. If she wants to do it, she’s Marge. Period.

Behind the Mic: The Technical Side

Voice acting isn't just talking into a tin can. The voices for The Simpsons are recorded in a way that’s actually pretty unique for modern animation.

Most cartoons today have actors record their lines individually in different cities. The Simpsons tries to get as many cast members as possible in the same room—or at least on the same digital hookup—so they can play off each other. That’s why the comedic timing feels so tight.

When Dan Castellaneta records Homer, he often does "alt" lines. The writers will give him a joke, and he'll give them five different versions of it, improvising on the fly. Some of the most famous lines in the show were actually ad-libs.

For instance, the word "d'oh" was written in the script as "annoyed grunt." Castellaneta channeled James Finlayson from the Laurel and Hardy films, shortened the "D-ooooo-h" to a quick "D'oh!", and a piece of linguistic history was born.

What Happens When the Voice Changes?

When a character gets a new voice, the "purists" usually revolt on Reddit or X (formerly Twitter). It's inevitable.

But here’s the thing: The Simpsons is an institution. It’s more like a sports team or a comic book than a standard sitcom. When a new artist draws Spider-Man, he’s still Spider-Man.

The recasting of Carl and Dr. Hibbert has actually breathed a bit of new life into the writing. The writers can now lean into those characters with a bit more authenticity. They aren't just caricatures anymore. They feel a bit more like people.

Actionable Steps for Exploring the World of Voice Acting

If you're fascinated by how these voices are made, don't just stop at the show. There's a whole world of "behind the scenes" that explains why this craft is so difficult.

1. Watch "I Know That Voice": This documentary, produced by John DiMaggio (the voice of Bender and Jake the Dog), is the best deep dive into the industry. Several Simpsons regulars appear in it.
2. Listen to "The Simpsons Archive" Audio Commentaries: If you have the old DVDs or access to certain digital extras, listen to the cast talk about their process. You'll hear the exact moment they realized a voice "clicked."
3. Follow the New Cast Members: Actors like Alex Désert and Kevin Michael Richardson are very active on social media. They often talk about the weight of taking over these legendary roles.
4. Compare Season 2 vs. Season 35: Spend twenty minutes watching a clip from 1990 and a clip from 2024. Don't look at the animation; just close your eyes and listen to the cadence of the dialogue. The evolution is staggering.

The voices for The Simpsons are the heartbeat of the show. While the actors might change or age, the "soul" of Springfield stays remarkably consistent because of the groundwork laid down in a small recording booth back in the late eighties. Whether it's a new actor stepping in or an original legend soldiering on, those voices are the closest thing we have to a modern mythology.