Harry Shearer criticizes decision to stop having white actors voice POC characters
Harry Shearer, the voice of Dr Hibbert, Mr Burns and Ned Flanders on The Simpsons, has spoken out about the show’s decision to stop white actors playing characters of color.
The long-running cartoon confirmed in June, under renewed pressure from the Black Lives Matter movement, that it would 'no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.'
The move followed years of public criticism about the Fox television show's 'stereotyped' Indian convenience store character Apu, who is voiced by Hank Azaria.
Now Harry Shearer, 76, who voices multiple characters on The Simpsons including African American doctor Juilius Hibbert, appeared to criticize the decision, telling Times Radio that actors should be able to play outside their own experience.
'I have a very simple belief about acting. The job of the actor is to play someone who they are not,' said Shearer, who has also appeared in multiple movies including Spinal Tap and The Truman Show.
'That's the gig, that's the job description.'
Full article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8590717/The-Simpsons-actor-calls-shows-decision-stop-having-white-actors-play-POC-characters.html