Shearer is just the latest in a long line of white actors who are relinquishing their roles as animated characters of color so that they can be appropriately voiced by actors of color. Shearer's own Simpsons cohort, Hank Azaria, also stepped down from his roles as Indian character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon and Black character Carl Carlson, the latter of which is now voiced by Black actor Alex Désert.
On other shows, Jenny Slate, Kristen Bell, and Mike Henry gave up their roles on Big Mouth, Central Park, and Family Guy after outcry during the Black Lives Matter protests that took place during the summer of 2020. Ultimately, Slate, Bell, and Henry were replaced by Ayo Edebiri, Emmy Raver-Lampman, and Arif Zahir — performers and comedians of color — in their respective roles.
The Simpsons, which is currently in its 32nd season, airs on Sunday nights on Fox at 8 PM, and you can stream the entire series on both Disney+ and Hulu.
