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Simpsons Actor Hank Azaria Says He Will No Longer Voice Convenience Store Owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

The white actor has voiced the racially charged Indian convenience store owner for 30 years.

White actor Hank Azaria announced late Friday that he will no longer perform the voice of The Simpsons’ Indian convenience store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. His portrayal has come under increasing scrutiny after Indian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu, which suggested the character was founded on racial stereotypes including Apu’s job, arranged marriage and accent. The Simpsons producers have not said whether Apu will get a new voice or be written out of the program. “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s some way to transition it or something,” Azaria told the website SlashFilm Friday. “We all made the decision together... We all agreed on it. We all feel like it's the right thing and good about it.”